We Tried Betty Crocker’s Original Recipe for Apple Cinnamon Cake

Updated: Aug. 21, 2023

Molly Allen for Taste of Home

With just a few ingredients, you'll have Betty Crocker's Apple Cinnamon Cake on the table in no time.

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While there’s always a time and a place for an elaborate dessert like cannoli cake or truffle pie, sometimes you just want something simple. But simple doesn’t necessarily mean dull. There are plenty of shortcuts you can take to whip together a quick, delicious dessert, and some are even age-old tricks.

One classic in that category? Betty Crocker’s Apple Cinnamon Cake, which appeared on a box of spice cake mix. All you need are five ingredients and a few minutes of prep to pull off this tasty dessert. It sounds almost too good to be true, so we put it to the test.

How to Make Apple Cinnamon Cake

This old-fashioned snack cake is quick and easy to throw together (it’s practically a dump cake). The cinnamon-sugar mixture takes the cake to a whole new level.

Ingredients

1 package Betty Crocker SuperMoist spice cake mix
3 eggs
1 (21-ounce) can apple pie filling
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Whipped cream or topping

Molly’s Tip: Make homemade whipped cream for a special touch.

Tools You’ll Need

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Prep the batter

In a large mixing bowl, add the dry cake mix, eggs and pie filling. Beat on low for 2 minutes.

Step 3: Layer the batter

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Spread half of the prepared batter into the pan and top it with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Spread the rest of the batter in the pan and sprinkle it with the remaining sugar.

Step 4: Bake!

Bake the cake for 30 minutes. To check if it’s finished, insert a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven. Allow the cake to cool before slicing and serving with whipped cream on top.

If you want to try more vintage recipes, learn how to make Betty Crocker’s carrot cookies.

Here’s What I Thought

At first glance at the recipe, I was skeptical about how this cake might turn out. I’ve never been a fan of canned apple pie filling because of its gooey consistency. Luckily, that doesn’t come through in the cake.

With three eggs and an entire can of pie filling, the batter was hard to spread in the pan. I added a splash of water to my batter to make it easier to evenly distribute into the pan. This allowed the process of layering the yummy cinnamon sugar that much simpler.

The aroma that filled my kitchen while the cake baked was reason enough for me to make it again. Once cooled, it was jam-packed with flavor from the spice mix and enhanced even further by a smattering of apple chunks and the crackly cinnamon sugar topping. A dollop of whipped cream made it that much more delicious.

This is the perfect cake to bake on a cool fall morning to serve for dessert that night. Or, if you can’t wait that long, plan to pair it with a cup of coffee and cozy up for a mid-morning treat.

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Apple Pie Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Apple Pie Cupcakes with Cinnamon ButtercreamThese apple pie cupcakes are always a hit! They are so easy to make and the flavor just screams fall. Of course, they're equally delicious any other time of year. —Jennifer Stowell, Deep River, Iowa