Cinnamon Apple Cake with Colorful Gems Topping: A Festive Dessert Recipe

Written by Aarushi Agrawal | May 28, 2025

Looking for a cake thatÕs exciting, refreshing and delicious with each bite? We have something youÕre going to adore -- a cinnamon apple cake with Gems topping. The apple as base is refreshing and adds a slight crunch thatÕs delicious with each bite. The cinnamon adds a slightly strong flavor, but combined with the apple, it starts to feel a lot like autumn, familiar and full of warmth. The Gems topping adds color and crunch. ItÕs also playful and nostalgic, and weÕre sure itÕs going to be appreciated by children and adults alike.

When trying to make this cake yourself, remember that it is all about contrasts and balancing them. The base is moist and full of contrasting flavors of sweet apple and spiced cinnamon. The topping is Gems, which are sweet and hard enough to have a strong crunch. They also add some color to the cake. This is the type of cake thatÕs going to stand out if placed on a table full of food. ItÕs also going to be memorable and delicious with each bite. So, hereÕs what you need:

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1_ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• _ tsp baking powder
• _ tsp salt
• 1_ tsp ground cinnamon
• _ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
• _ cup unsalted butter, softened
• _ cup brown sugar
• _ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• _ cup yogurt or sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

For the topping:

• _ cup colorful Gems
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• Optional: a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 175C or 350F.
• Grease and line a cake pan. Set it aside.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sift in the flour so that itÕs not lumpy and easy to mix in with the other ingredients. Set it aside.
• In another bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar, using a handheld mixer or stand mixer, until light and fluffy. Now add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Next, stir in the yogurt and vanilla. The mixture should be smooth and golden.
• Now gently fold in the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. First add one spoon of the dry mix, incorporate that completely, then add another spoonful and so on. In this way, mix it all in.
• Then fold in the chopped apples. Be gentle, you donÕt want the apples to get mushy.
• Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top using the back of a spoon or tap against the kitchen surface a few times till itÕs even. Mix together the topping ingredients like Gems, brown sugar, melted butter, and nuts, if using, and sprinkle them over the batter.
• Bake for about 45 minutes. YouÕll know itÕs done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool before removing from the pan.
• Slice and serve with coffee or tea. You can also add a dollop of whipped cream to the side, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside it. Or you can drizzle some caramel sauce or chocolate sauce on top. Another option is to sprinkle powdered sugar or cinnamon powder on top. You can also add some more Gems on top, that arenÕt baked in already, for more flavor.
• Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days or freeze it for up to 2 months.

Notes:

• Add some lemon or orange zest to the batter for a citrusy brightness.
• If you want, you can throw in some Gems in the batter, so thereÕs a crunch throughout the cake.
• If the Gems as topping add too much sweetness for your taste, sprinkle on some sea salt as well.
• Make sure youÕre using unsalted butter. If youÕre using salted butter, adjust the additional pinch of salt, or skip it completely.
• If you don't want to make a whole mixture for the topping, you can simply sprinkle some Gems on top, with no other additions to it. It will still be colorful and delicious.