Apple Pie Cake

Why do you have to choose between having cake or pie, when you can have both this Thanksgiving?! 

With this Apple Pie Cake, you’ll have the best of both worlds. 

This Apple Pie Cake starts with soft layers of apple spice cake that’s filled with homemade apple pie filling, creamy vanilla buttercream, and topped with buttery pie crust. 

The sweet cake layers are the perfect complement to the tart apple filling. The filling is made with fresh granny smith apples, sugar, cinnamon, and orange juice. Fun fact: this apple pie filling is the exact filling I use in my annual Thanksgiving pie. You can easily double the recipe to fill a 9-inch pie pan. 

Now I know it might sound crazy, but one of my favorite parts about apple pie is the soggy crust. So I created the cake layers to taste just like the apple pie crust that’s been soaking in the apple filling juices and spices. Then the cake is frosted with a creamy vanilla buttercream that reminds me of ice cream; you know pie a la Mode (apple pie with a scoop of ice cream), my fav! 

The cake comes together with the pie crust on the sides as well as the top, so it looks just like a real pie. This apple pie cake will soon become a crowd favorite!  

Tips for Success: 

• Read through all the ingredients and instructions so you can get a better idea of how much time and what you need to make this cake.
• You can bake the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze up to one month. 
• You can make the buttercream a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight. Then take them out to come back to room temperature. Make sure the buttercream is at room temperature before re-whipping.
• A single batch of this cake recipe makes three, 6-inch round cake layers or two 8-inch round cake layers. Double the cake recipe to make enough cake batter for three, 8-inch cake layers.
• Be careful not to overmix this cake batter, or else the cake will come out dense. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. 
• Serve cake at room temperature. 

What Tools You’ll Need to Make This Cake: 

• 5-quart, Stand Mixer with mixing bowl & paddle attachment
• 3, 6-inch cake pans or 2, 8-inch cake pans
• Offset spatula 
• 8-inch or 10-inch white cake board 
• Serrated knife or cake leveler 
• Turntable 
• Cake scraper or bench scraper
• Piping bag (I use reusable silicone bags)
• #844 Ateco star piping tip
• Whisk or sifter
• Rubber Spatula
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray and Parchment Paper
• Ice Cream Scooper with Trigger Release (for dividing cake batter evenly)
• Half sheet baking pan
• Silicone baking mat, optional 
• Leaf cutters, small
• Cake Stand, optional

Now you don’t have to choose between a cake or a pie because you can so easily have them together. Learn how to make this Apple Pie Cake with this easy tutorial! 

Let’s Get Baking! 

How to Make Apple Spice Cake Layers

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Spray three 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk and stir together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and apple pie spice. Set aside. 
3. In the stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on medium-high for 5 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time to the stand mixer bowl and beat on medium until well incorporated.
5. Turn the mixer on low and add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until fully incorporated. 
6. Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla extract. Mix on medium for another 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
7. Evenly distribute the cake batter among the three cake pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
8. Remove cakes from oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks to cool completely. Wrap cakes in plastic wrap and place into the freezer to chill for 30 minutes. 

Baking Pie Crust

1. On a baking sheet prepared with a silicone mat or parchment paper, unroll the store-bought pie crust and cut it in half. Cut one half of the pie crust into thin strips and set the other half aside.
2. Then create a lattice pattern with the long strips. Start with 5 strips laying vertically, then put one strip horizontally over the center of the vertical strips. Place every other vertical strip over the horizontal strip. 
3. Add two more strips horizontally, one on either side of the previously laid and repeat of going over or under the vertical strips. Repeat this process until you’ve added several more strips.  
4. Cut a 5-inch circle out of the lattice pattern pie crust (if you are using a larger cake pan, then cut the pie crust 1-inch smaller than the cake pan you are using).   
5. With the other half of the pie crust, use several sizes of a leaf cutter to cut out 24-36 leaves. Use the back of a knife to create a center stem line on each leaf. 
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the whole egg and water. Brush the egg wash onto all the pie crust pieces. 
7. Bake the pie crust pieces for 10-12 minutes in a 350 °F oven. Remove the pie crust from the oven to let cool completely and set aside. 

Sweet & Tart Apple Pie Filling

1. In a medium saucepan, combine apples and sugar. Stir frequently and bring to a boil. 
2. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water, whisk until smooth. 
3. Add the cornstarch mixture to the apples after they have reached a boil. Whisk to combine. Continue to boil for 3 minutes or until desired thickness. 
4. Add the cinnamon and orange juice to apples. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes. 
5. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. The filling will thicken as it cools. 

How to Make Creamy Vanilla Buttercream

1. In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
2. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add powdered sugar, followed by the heavy cream. Then add vanilla extract and salt. Mix until incorporated completely. Scrape down sides of the bowl. 
3. Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat the buttercream for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer on low and mix for 2 minutes to push out any air bubbles.  
4. Fill a piping bag fitted with #844 piping tip and 1 cup of buttercream. Set aside. 

Putting It All Together

1. Layer one vanilla cake, cut side up onto cake board. Add a thin layer of vanilla buttercream over the cake and pipe a circle of buttercream around the edges of the cake. 
2. Add 1/3 cup of apple pie filling inside the ring of buttercream. Then add a drizzle of caramel sauce on top of the filling.  
3. Place another cake layer cut side down over the top. Repeat the process for another layer — Crumb coat with white vanilla buttercream and freeze for 30 minutes.
4. Add a thick layer of white buttercream all over the cake. Use an offset spatula to fill in any gaps with more buttercream. Then use a cake scraper to smooth out the sides of the cake. Use the offset spatula to make the top edges sharp and smooth. 
5. Pipe a rope border on top of the cake and place a scoop of apple pie filling with a drizzle of caramel sauce inside the rope border. 
6. Carefully place the lattice pie crust on top of the filling. Next, add the pie crust leaves on the bottom of the cake. 
7. Serve at room temperature and enjoy! 

You May Also Enjoy: 

• 6 Bold and Beautiful Pie Crust Designs for Thanksgiving
• How to Fill, Stack & Crumb Coat a Layered Cake
• 14 Amazing Fall Cakes That Look Almost Too Beautiful to Eat

This apple pie cake is a fun and exciting way to shake things up this Thanksgiving! Now that you know how to make an apple pie cake of your own, your cake and decorating skills will sure to impress your friends and family. 

Happy Baking! 

 

Watch The How-to Video Below: 

 

 

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