Jewish Apple Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Icing

Jewish Apple Sheet Cake is Easy to Make!

A deliciously moist apple cake with a cinnamon-sugar layer topped with decadent brown butter frosting is the perfect fall dessert. It has all the apple cinnamon flavors of a Jewish Apple Cake, but is baked in a sheet pan. This Jewish Apple Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Icing is the kind of dessert you take to a potluck and watch disappear.

I decided to turn this Jewish Apple Cake recipe into a sheet cake instead of a bundt cake. It is easy to make and is a fun way to share a delicious fall treat with a crowd. I took it school, and all the teachers loved it.

For Thanksgiving this year, this cake could easily share the dessert table with all those pies.

More Delicious Apple Recipes

Step-by-Step Photos for How to Make Jewish Apple Sheet Cake

Frequently Asked Questions about How to Make Jewish Apple Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Icing

What type of apples should I use?

Any type you have on hand. I like to use a variety of apples.

Do I need to peel the apples before grating them?

I prefer to peel the apples, but I have also left the peels on and didn’t notice much of a difference when I used my food processor to grate them.

What size grate should I use to grate the apples?

The large size.

Can I use a food processor to grate the apples?

Absolutely.

What is brown butter?

Melted butter with a “nutty” and slightly caramel flavor.

How do I brown butter?

First, cut the butter into pieces. Melt the butter over medium heat in a light-colored pan, stirring constantly. It’s easier to see the brown specks at the bottom of a light-colored pan. You do not want the butter to burn–only brown. As the butter melts, it will begin to foam. Keep stirring. Once the foam slightly dissolves, you will begin to see brown specks on the bottom, and it will smell nutty and caramel-like. (See step-by-step photos.) Remove immediately from the heat.

Baker’s Tools for Apple Sheet Cake:

Jewish Apple Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Icing

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

16 mins

Total time

31 mins

A deliciously moist cake with a cinnamon-sugar layer topped with decadent brown butter frosting is the perfect fall dessert.

Author: Maria

Recipe type: Dessert/Sheet Cake/Fall

Serves: 24-30

Ingredients

For the Cake:
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
4 cups grated apples
4 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp brown sugar
For the Icing:
½ cup butter
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp milk or cream (if needed)

Instructions

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease an 18x13 baking sheet. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until yellow.
Add sugar, oil, and vanilla. Mix until well creamed.
Next, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until well combined.
Then, stir in the grated apples until blended throughout.
Pour the batter into the baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and brown sugar.
Next, sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the batter and run a butter knife through the cinnamon mixture and batter to create swirls.
Bake at 350 degrees for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely before frosting.
For the icing:
Place the butter in a small saucepan, cook over medium heat, and stir constantly until melted and browned. Careful not to over-brown. You want to see little brown specks on the bottom of your pan. Remove from heat.
Whisk in first the vanilla and then the powdered sugar. You can use a handheld mixer instead of a whisk if you want to. Add 1-2 tbsp milk if it is too thick.
Next, place dollops of the icing on the cake and spread it evenly over the entire cake. I like to use the back of a spoon to frost the cake.
Enjoy!