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Apple date cake is super moist, packed with fruit, and easy to throw together. You simmer chopped dates with apple juice until they’re soft and jammy, then mix them straight into the batter.
It’s the kind of cozy, old-school cake that feels like something your grandma might’ve made. Add a quick vanilla glaze on top, and you’ve got tender apple bites, warm spice, and a sticky-sweet finish in every slice.
This recipe isn’t fancy, just really, really good. Serve it as a coffee cake for brunch, a mid-morning snack, or whenever you want something that feels homemade and just sweet enough.
Here’s Why This Date and Apple Cake Recipe Works
Baking soda breaks down the dates: It softens the fruit and helps them dissolve into the liquid, making the mixture thick, smooth, and easy to blend into the batter.
Great make-ahead dessert: The flavor deepens after a day, and it stays moist for days.
Apples and dates do the sweetening: With plenty of natural sugars from the fruit, the cake stays moist and flavorful without needing a ton of added sugar.
Optional glaze, totally worth it: Just a drizzle of powdered sugar and milk adds contrast without overpowering the cake.
Love fruit-heavy, spiced cakes? Try my applesauce coffee cake next. It’s tender, simple, and perfect with coffee.
Recipe Tips
Use soft dates: Medjool or another moist variety works best. If your dates are dry, soak them longer.
Dice the apples small: Aim for ¼-inch chunks so they bake through without turning soggy.
Don’t skip the resting step: Cooling the hot date mixture keeps it from scrambling the eggs and helps everything blend smoothly into the batter.
Bake until firm: Look for a golden top and a clean toothpick. This cake is dense and needs the full bake time.
Glaze after cooling: The glaze sets better and won’t melt into a warm cake.
Use room temp butter and eggs: They mix more easily and give you a smoother, more even batter.
Line the pan with parchment: This cake is sticky. Parchment makes it way easier to lift out cleanly.
Test doneness in the center: The edges set first, so check the middle with a toothpick to avoid underbaking.
Let it cool before glazing: Even a little warmth will melt the glaze and make it run off instead of setting.
For another snack cake, try my gingerbread bundt cake. It has a deep molasses flavor, tender crumb, and a beautiful bundt shape that’s ready for holiday tables.
Ingredient Notes
Dates: Use soft dates like Medjool or Deglet Noor. If your dates feel dry or tough, soak them a bit longer in the hot liquid.
Apples: Any firm baking apple works well. Think Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith. Dice them small so they cook through.
Apple juice vs. water: Apple juice adds a little extra sweetness and depth, but water works fine too. If using sweet apples, water might actually balance things better.
Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg keep the flavor warm and familiar. You can add a pinch of cloves or ginger for more complexity, but don’t overdo it, the fruit is the star.
Powdered sugar glaze: It’s optional, but adds a sweet contrast to the earthy fruit flavors. A thick drizzle sets nicely once the cake is cool.
Apple Fritter Date Cake
If an apple fritter and a sticky date cake had a cozy, unfussy baby, this would be it. This apple date cake brings the best of both; chunks of fresh apple, deep caramel notes from the dates, and a soft, spiced crumb that stays moist for days. It’s not flashy, just really, really good.
Try my orange date cake next. It’s just as moist, with a citrusy twist.
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Apple Date Cake
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Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups dates, pitted and chopped, 280 grams
- 1 ½ cups apple juice, or water, 360 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 210 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 12 tablespoons butter, softened, ¾ cup; 170 grams
- ¾ cup brown sugar, 150 grams
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 apples, peeled and diced, 2 ½ cups
Topping:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar, 90 grams
- 1 ½ to 2 ½ tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square pan (or a 10-inch round pan) and line it with parchment paper.
- Prep the dates: Place the chopped dates, apple juice (or water), and baking soda in a saucepan. The mixture will foam as the baking soda reacts and the dates begin to break down. Bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes to cool and fully soften.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla.
- Add the date mixture: Pour the softened dates (along with all the liquid) into the batter and mix until combined.
- Add the apples and dry ingredients: Stir in the apples then fold in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.
- Bake: Spread the batter into the pan and bake at 350°F for 40–48 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Glaze the cake: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and the vanilla until smooth. Add additional milk until the glaze reaches a thick but pourable consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, or use a spoon to spread it lightly over the top. Allow the glaze to set before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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