Thanksgiving is a time for feasting on the staples: mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce. Somehow though, there is always room for dessert! So, it’s time to put the pumpkin and pecan pie aside (well, maybe save me a piece) and impress your guests with this new Thanksgiving dessert recipe that is sure to become the new go-to and spruce up your Thanksgiving table. Trust me, it was gone in minutes at my house!

The apple and cinnamon combo never lets us down, especially during the fall. This is why this delicious apple cinnamon roll cake is the perfect new Thanksgiving dessert to introduce into your holiday traditions. Speaking of dessert, it also makes a great breakfast with your morning coffee, if you're not hurting too bad from last night's indulgence. Apples give this cake moisture and texture, but feel free to leave them out for an equally delicious cinnamon roll cake!

**Warning: there are 4 different mixtures and bowls you will need, so maybe recruit some family to handle the dishwashing as you bake !

Apple Cinnamon Roll Cake

  • Prep Time:20 mins
  • Cook Time:40 mins
  • Total Time:1 hr
  • Servings:20
  • Medium

    Ingredients

  • 2 medium granny smith apples diced small
  • 1 cup 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon:
  • 1 c. butter softened
  • 1 c. brown sugar
  • 3 c. 2 tbsp flour
  • 1/4 tsp.salt
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 1/2 c. milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 c. butter melted
  • 2 c. powdered sugar
  • 5 Tbsp. milk
table, Dulce de leche, caramel, sweet, dessert, bakery, cake
Cecilia Chen
  • Step 1

    Grease a 9×13 inch pan and preheat your oven to 350°.

    *The ingredients listed above are to total you will need, but they will not be used all at once!

    cake, dairy product, sweet
    Alyssa Robertson
  • Step 2

    Make your apple mixture:

    - 2 medium granny smith apples, diced small, and mixed with:
    - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
    - 1 teaspoon cinnamon

    Dice the apples and mix them with the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

    apple, whole apple, knife, cutting board, Fruit
    Jocelyn Hsu
  • Step 3

    Make your cinnamon topping:

    - 1 c. butter, softened
    - 1 c. brown sugar
    - 2 Tbsp. flour
    - 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

    With a spoon, mix together the butter, sugar, flour, and cinnamon together until smooth. The consistency of this will be like a paste.** Set aside.

    ** A mistake I made the first time around was completely melting the butter, which messed up the consistency of the topping, soooo in other words, don't do that.

    flour, dough, bread, wheat, pastry, sweet, cake, cereal
    Spoon Csu
  • Step 4

    Make your cake batter:

    -3 c. flour
    -1/4 tsp.salt
    -1 c. sugar
    - 4 tsp. baking powder
    - 1 1/2 c. milk
    - 2 eggs
    - 2 tsp. vanilla
    - 1/2 c. butter, melted

    Mix together flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Slowly stir in the melted butter until combined. Gently mix in the apple mixture. Spread into the pan.

    flour, dough, egg, bread, milk, dairy product, batter, cream, pastry, sweet, cake mix
    Hailey Almsted
  • Step 5

    Take your cinnamon topping and drop it by spoonful evenly over your cake. Swirl the topping through the cake batter with a knife.

    tea, coffee
    Natalie Rodriguez
  • Step 6

    Bake for 35-45 minutes(or more depending on your oven, it was like 50 for me) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Mix together glaze ingredients until smooth and spread over warm cake (it certainly does not need it and I prefer without, but I still recommend!).

    Glaze topping:
    - 2 c. powdered sugar
    - 5 Tbsp. milk
    - 1 tsp. Vanilla

    Olivia Henry
  • Step 7

    Let sit at least 20 minutes before slicing.

    And most importantly enjoy! I recommend serving with a side of vanilla ice cream, and a warning that this will be the BEST new thanksgiving dessert they have ever tasted.

    milk, coffee, cream, sweet
    Noor Gill