Soft, Buttery Apple Crackle Cake
This Apple Crackle Cake layers a buttery pecan base, moist spiced apple cake, and sweet cream cheese swirls that bake into a crackly, golden top. Every bite is warm, sweet, and perfectly balanced.
Servings: 15 Slices
Ingredients
Pecan Base
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
Cake Layer
- 1 box spice cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup finely diced fresh apple no need to peel
Crackle Cream Cheese Topping
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl, stir together pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter. Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil, and sour cream. Beat until smooth. Fold in diced apples. Spread batter evenly over the pecan layer.
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture over the cake batter. Swirl lightly with a knife, leaving visible patches for an “earthquake” effect.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake (not the cream cheese) comes out clean. The cream cheese swirls will be set and lightly golden.
- Let cool at least 20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.