Apple Fritter Texas Sheet Cake

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Christina Marsigliese, Food Scientist MSc.

This Apple Fritter Texas Sheet Cake features a soft, tender, vanilla and cinnamon-spiced cake that's loaded with spiced apples and topped with a sweet brown butter icing. It is an easy one-bowl recipe that serves a crowd just like any good Texas sheet cake does.

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Ingredients

Apple Cake Batter:

2 cups (284g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
⅔ cup (145g) packed light brown sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs at room temperature
⅓ cup (80ml) oil
½ cup (120ml) full fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
¼ cup (56g) salted butter
¾ cup (180ml) whole milk

Cinnamon Apples:

3 cups (330g) peeled and diced apples, cut into small ¼-inch cubes
2 teaspoon (8g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoon (6g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Brown Butter Icing:

¼ cup (56g) salted butter, browned and warm
¼ cup (60ml) whole milk
2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons (30ml) full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
⅛ teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Sugar Topping (optional):

1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Spray a 13x18-inch pan or 17¼ × 12¼-inch half sheet pan with cooking spray or lightly grease it with butter and then line it with parchment paper. It is very important spray the pan laying down the parchment paper so it sticks. This is a wet batter and it can leak underneath the parchment if it is not flush with the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the cake batter. Combine flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla extract. Break up the eggs to give them a head start with a whisk, then begin stirring with the whisk to blend the ingredients. It will be thick and look lumpy at this stage. You don’t need to mix it thoroughly yet.
Make the warm butter-milk mixture. Combine butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally until the butter melts completely and the mixture is steaming. Carefully pour this hot mixture into the bowl and whisk until smooth and glossy. The heat helps dissolve the sugars and bring out the spice flavors for a glossy and fragrant batter.
Prepare the cinnamon apples. Combine diced apples, sugar, flour and cinnamon in a medium bowl and toss well so the apples are evenly coated. Add the apples to the batter and fold them in gently.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is evenly golden brown and feels firm to the touch in the center. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the icing. Place butter in a small saucepan and cook it until it browns. Read this post here for instructions on how to brown butter. Essentially you let it boil and bubble gently with frequent stirring until the milk solids brown and all of the water has evaporated. A golden foam will form at the surface when it is almost ready. Transfer the hot brown butter to a clean bowl to cool for 5 minutes, then mix in the milk. Add powdered sugar, yogurt or sour cream and salt and whisk until smooth and glossy.
Pour the warm glaze evenly over the just slightly warm cake and spread it out evenly. I will seep in where the apples are and it makes this gooey syrup that is irresistible. Let the glaze set for about 15 minutes to create that shiny finish, then sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar if desired.