Apple Dabble Cake with Frosting

This apple cake is loaded with three full cups of finely chopped apples, a cup of nuts, and cinnamon baked into a dense, oil-based batter. The result is incredibly moist and stays that way for days thanks to all that fruit.

The hot glaze is what gives this cake its name-worthy character. Butter, brown sugar, and milk boil together for several minutes until thickened, then pour over the cake while it’s still warm. The glaze sinks into every crack and crevice, creating a sticky, caramelized coating that sets as the cake cools over two hours.

Mix everything together well but don’t overthink it. This is a stir-together cake, not a creamed butter cake. Oil-based batters are more forgiving and don’t need the careful technique that butter cakes demand.

Kitchen Tips

• Chop the apples finely, about ¼ inch pieces. Large chunks create air pockets in the batter and the cake won’t hold together as well.
• Let the brown sugar glaze boil for the full 5-10 minutes. Under-boiled glaze is too thin and runs right off the cake instead of soaking in.
• Let the cake cool in the tube pan for the full two hours after glazing. The glaze needs time to set, and removing too early means it sticks to the pan instead of the cake.

Variations

• Use pecans for the chopped nuts. Their buttery flavor pairs naturally with the apples and brown sugar glaze.
• Add ½ teaspoon of nutmeg and a pinch of ground ginger to the batter for a spiced apple cake.
• Toss the chopped apples with a tablespoon of lemon juice before adding to the batter to keep them from browning.