An incredibly moist and flavorful layer cake made out of four layers of apple blondies and filled with cooked apples!

This blondie cake is so insanely moist. And that mess on the top? Just some dulce de leche. And another bonus is that it’s quick and easy as far as layer cakes go. I absolutely hate icing cakes. With this one, just cook some apples and plop them in between each layer. Tada!
I have to admit that I might have gone overboard with the size. I used four 6″ pans because I wanted a tall and “dramatic” cake but I’m thinking that using two 8″ pans or a 9″x13″ would probably be better (just be sure to adjust the cooking time!) Let’s take a look at why.

Everything looks normal, right?

Whoops. I’m no good at cutting cakes but I really think this one was just too moist and tall to get a nice cut from. I just went at it with a fork :) I didn’t have any issues with that but it might be a bit weird if you have to share with company.

I’m calling it a blondie cake because the texture was pretty much that of apple blondies. Super moist and not fluffy. I don’t do fluffy cakes. I think next time I’ll just put it in a 9″x13″ and eat it plain. It’s that good.
The dulce de leche is kind of over the top but I had an open can and thought it’d be an appropriate topping. And it was! But feel free to just leave it out. This apple blondie cake is sweet enough without it!
And if you’re not a fan of apples (I doubt you’ve read this far if you aren’t!) but you can always leave them out. I don’t think it’d really affect the texture that much, if it all.
100% Whole Grain Apple Blondie Cake

- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 4 6" layers
Ingredients
- 1 cup - 2 tablespoons (120 grams) whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup (22 grams) traditional or rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) coconut oil
- 1/4 cup (60ml) olive or canola oil
- 2/3 cup (133 grams) unrefined or coconut sugar or 1/3 cup white + 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (237ml) unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 12 1/2 ounces (350 grams) apples, cored, peeled and chopped to pinky fingernail size
- 1 pound (450 grams) apples, cored, peeled and chopped to pinky fingernail size
- 3 tablespoons (60 grams) honey
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) coconut oil or normal butter
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Blondie Cake:
Apple filling:
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C and spray four 6" cake pans with cooking spray.
- Combine the dry cake ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl combine the wet ingredients (coconut oil through vanilla) and add this to the dry ingredients. Stir in just until combined. Do not over mix!
- Fold in the apples, again being careful not to over mix.
- Pour evenly into the cake pans and bake for 15 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean but it might look a little moist. The top will look kind of wet, if that makes sense. It's okay, though! It's just super moist.
- For the filling, combine all the filling ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, lower to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and let both the filling and cake cool completely before filling. The apple filling is enough to fill and top a four layer 6" cake. Store the cake in the fridge.
38 comments on “Apple Blondie Cake (100% whole grain)” — Add one!
I found your blog because of the Chickpea Peanut Butter Balls and have been enamored with your recipes ever since. I bookmarked this cake for my birthday, even though apples are completely out of season in March. It lived up to the hype. So moist, so good. And I love that overall, the flavor profile isn't too sweet.
Hi Brie! I'm thrilled that you enjoyed the cake and happy belated birthday to you. I hope you had a great day! :) Thanks a ton for leaving feedback. I really appreciate it! :)
This cake is a thing of beauty, and it looks extremely moist. Love the dulce de leche peaks on top!
Thanks! :)
Oh… this looks just too good. I love apple cakes. I haven't made any yet this fall. This looks like a good one to try. And dulce de leche on top? Wow… This is just awesome!
Thank you. And yeah! Or just make it as a 9×13. So yummy! :)
A blondie cake? oh my goodness Erin! You have outdone yourself. Look hwo moist and tender that cake is! It looks divine. And all those beautiful layers. I made an apple cake this weekend! We must be twins lately with your white chocolate, my white chocolate bark, and our apple cakes. Pass me a fork please!
I gotta go check out your page and see if there's an apple cake! But if there's not, we all know there's going to be something else crazy delicious there. ;)
I am so happy that you uploaded this recipe. I was very curious when I've noticed a picture on your facebook page. And I must say that it looks like from a catalogue.
Oh, why thank you. :) That's awfully nice of you to say!
never had a blondie but I would gladily have a slice of that cake. it looks so pretty and moist and aplles and dulce the leche, yes, agree, it's heaven. and who cares for the imprecise slicing?
It just wasn't imprecise slicing. It's that the cake was so moist a slice can't be cut nicely. :) I wish I were in Sweden so I could give you a piece! Or half the cake. ;)
Oh my…dulce de leche, apples, fall spices? Sounds amazing!!
You gave me a good chuckle with the "pinky fingernail size" description :D
Hehe. I thought it was way easier to say that than 1/2" x 1/4" inch or something like that. :)
What a show stopping dessert! And it looks drool worthy.
Thank you!
Impressive! A cake that tastes like blondies sounds pretty much amazing to me.
Thanks. :)
Except for the whole apple part ( ;D ) this cake looks delicious. I'm sorry to ay that I think if the cake had some frosting it /might/ have made it more stable. I dunno. I do like the color of this cake a lot though, it's very fall-ish! :)
Haha. Thank you for the tip! It was just me eating it so I was okay with the lack of icing. But good idea. :)
That looks amazing!!! I love the swirlies on top. So pretty :)
Thanks you! And thanks for saying swirlies! I like that word. It makes me smile.
This looks incredible! I love how you used dulce de leche on top!
Thanks! And yeah, I like that part too. :)
This looks amazing Erin! Love the idea of an apple blondie cake especially with all that dulce de leche. I'd have a hard time not polishing off the whole thing myself!
Thanks! And I actually got some help this time with this cake but usually I polish everything off by myself. Gotta stop doing that!
that looks incredible moist and delicious. but also very decandant and only for a very special indulgence. what about the cake itself w/ walnut, oat and crumb topping for more regular fair???
That sounds fantastic! Next time I'm just going to put it in a 9×13 and eat it plain. It was so yummy plain and much less work. :) But I really like your crumb topping idea!
Yeah, I kinda want to just dive into that plate with a fork and not share it with anyone else!
That's the spirit! :)
Great minds think alike, I just finished making some gluten free blondies as well :-)
I love how your blondie arrangement came out, and that dulce de leche on top, well just divine. I also like those apple chunks in it. An extremely appropriate dessert treat for the fall!!
These aren't gluten free but whole wheat. :) What kind of blondies did you make?! I can't wait to see them!
I'm obsessed with this. That dulce de leche is the perfect finishing touch. I'd definitely go at this with a fork too :)
It's the best way, isn't it?! Slices? Whatever…
Apple blondie cake?! You are speaking my language here, Erin. This looks incredible!
Thanks! :)
This looks flippin' amazing. I loooove dulce de leche, so major bonus points for that. And I also hate icing layer cakes, so even more bonus points since this cake doesn't call for it. This is fantastic!
Why thank you! It was probably the easier layer cake I've ever made. I think I'm going to stop icing layer cakes from now on. Filling and topping is good enough. Especially when there's dulce de leche involved. :)