Apple Pie Cake {With Cake Mix}

This soft, moist and easy apple pie cake recipe with cake mix box and simple ingredients is perfect for serving at Fall and Thanksgiving parties and even birthdays. This layer cake is composed of two apple spice cakes. Then, they are topped off with buttercream frosting and homemade apple pie filling and finally decorated with cinnamon sticks.

It's officially apple season and quick frankly, I prefer apple desserts over pumpkin ones. I have already made this Easy Applesauce Cake (With Cake Mix) twice this week and my bestie has requested this Easy Apple Cake With Cake Mix for next week. Moreover, this Apple Crumble Pie is totally making its way to my Thanksgiving table this year. Anyways, today's cake is a little different than all those recipes. This is a spiced layer cake, filled with buttercream icing and pie filling. For decoration, I kept things simple and rustic and used shredded white chocolate and cinnamon sticks.

Jump to:

• Key ingredients for spiced apple layer cake
• Variations
• How to make easy apple pie cake recipe with cake mix box? 
• Frosting and filling ideas
• Tips and techniques
• Recipe FAQs
• Storage of homemade cake
• More apple desserts
• Recipe

Key ingredients for spiced apple layer cake

• Cake mix- Use a 15.25 oz yellow cake mix box.
• Oil- It should be neutral tasting like vegetable, canola or corn.
• Buttermilk- This adds so much moisture to your cake. Just make a homemade substitute if it's not in your pantry.
• Eggs- Make sure to use large ones that are at room temperature.
• Apple pie spice- This is a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cardamom. You can make a homemade version or use store-bought mix.
• Apple pie filling- I suggest using homemade but you can also use store bought if you are in a time crunch.
• Buttercream frosting- It's sweet, smooth and creamy and balances the rest of the flavors of this dessert perfectly.

Variations

• Use a cake mix- Purchase a spiced cake mix and bake as per the instructions on the box. Then, assemble as per instructions below.
• Adjust the amount of spices- Based on your preference to concoct the perfect combination.
• Rectangle cake- Simply use a greased and floured 9×13 pan to pour your batter into. Once the cake cools, add desired frosting and/or filling on top.
• Add nuts- Choose the desired type of chopped nuts then toss them in 1 tablespoon of flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom.
• Make a taller layer cake- Double the recipe to bake 4 cakes and then layer them with frosting and pie filling to create a stunning barrel cake.
• This is not an apple dump cake- Which is more like a cobbler style. My version today is a layer cake and needs to be neatly assembled.
• Frost the entire cake- I decided not to do this because I like the rustic style of Naked Cakes but if you don't fancy that, use a spatula to ice the entire cake smoothly in buttercream for a classic look.

How to make easy apple pie cake recipe with cake mix box? 

Frosting and filling ideas

I used a simple buttercream frosting but there are many other options below:

• Easy Caramel Frosting– Great pairing and easy to make.
• Maple Frosting– There is something about maple flavor that compliments the Fall flavors of this cake harmoniously.
• Cream Cheese Frosting- Use this if you prefer a tangier pairing.
• Chantilly Cream– Sweetened cream that adds a bit of elegance and indulgence.
• Stabilized Whipped Cream– Can be used as a topping or filling and is always a classic choice.
• Brown Sugar Frosting– A simple yet effective pairing.
• Marshmallow Frosting- This is a buttercream base and surprisingly goes well with many desserts.
• Homemade Dulce De Leche– This reminds me of a nice, thick caramel topping.
• Slow Cooker Fried Apples– This will make your house smell divine and your cake taste heavenly.
• Sauteed Cinnamon Apples– Perfect topping and super easy to make.
• Homemade Vanilla Custard– A simple, no bake recipe to fill the cake with rich, decadent delight.
• Caramel Sauce- So delicious and pairs naturally well with apples.
• Apple Butter- This can be used as either a filling or toppping.

Tips and techniques

• Do not over-mix the batter- Because that will make the cake very tough and add too much gluten and ruin the perfect cake texture.
• Freeze cakes to make assembling a breeze- Once your baked cakes have cooled down, cover them in saran wrap and freeze overnight. This makes assembling very easy with barely any mess and crumbs.
• How to make homemade apple pie spice mix? Mix together the following ingredients and store in a sealed jar at room temperature for up to 2 months: 4 tablespoon ground cinnamon + 1 ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg + ½ teaspoon ground allspice + 1 teaspoon ground ginger + 1 ½ teaspoon ground cardamom. You can adjust the quantities to your liking.
• Pie filling- Use homemade or store-bought. I prefer homemade because it tastes fresher but canned filling works well too, especially if you are short on time.
• Don't make in one day- This cake would be great for birthdays. However, keep in mind that layer cakes are usually time consuming. So, I suggest that you divide the tasks over a few days to simplify the process. Make frosting on day one. Make apple pie filling on day two. Bake the cakes on day three. Assemble everything on day four. This should prevent the process of making a layer cake less overwhelming.
• Don't replace buttermilk with whole milk or 2% milk- Because buttermilk adds so much moisture and also a subtle tanginess that you need in this cake, in order to cut the sweetness.
• How to make homemade buttermilk substitute? I know this is not something we have on hand all the time but no worries. Mix together 1 cup whole milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Mix and then, use in this recipe.
  

Recipe FAQs

Storage of homemade cake

• Room temperature- I wouldn't leave this out for more than 3 hours.
• Fridge- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer- The cakes, pie filling and frosting can all be stored separately in sealed containers for up to 1 month. When you are ready to enjoy this dessert, thaw to room temperature and assemble as per instructions below.
• Make ahead- This cake can be made 1 day in advance.

More apple desserts

• Chocolate Caramel Apples
• Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe
• Apple Strudel
• Apple Cranberry Crisp (Cranberry Crumble)
• Apple Nachos
• Easy Apple Cobbler
• Easy Apple Crisp (1 Hour)
• Baked Apple Cider Donuts
• Apple Fritters (30 Mins)
• Easy Apple Turnover (With Puff Pastry)

Recipe