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    Easy Apple Squares (Cake Bars)

    By Julia | Updated: Sep 15, 2024 | Published: Sep 24, 2013 | 180 Comments

    153.2K shares
    • Facebook1.6K
    Jump to Recipe Print SaveSaved!
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Easy apple squares are made with cinnamon and brown sugar.  These delicious cake bars are very moist, thanks to the vegetable oil and the plain Greek yogurt.

    sliced Apple Squares (apple cake bars) sprinkled with powdered sugar on parchment paper

     

    The apple squares are super easy and quick to prepare on a busy weeknight! If you're bored with making the same apple recipes, such as apple crisp,  crumble, or cobbler, try these little apple squares, and you'd be very happy!  These apple cake bars work great as both dessert and breakfast.  Talking about breakfast, have you tried these apple cinnamon pancakes with shredded apples?  Or, maybe you will enjoy this cozy apple crumb coffee cake?

    2 sliced Apple Squares (apple cake bars) sprinkled with powdered sugar on parchment paper

    Apple Squares with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar

    In this recipe, I am using a generous amount of apples, tossed together with cinnamon and brown sugar, folded in the cake batter and baked in a 9x9 square pan. These apple cake bars are really just a lot of apple chunks held together by a relatively small amount of cake batter. 🙂 After all, the apple dessert recipes should be all about apples, shouldn't they?

    The apple squares are very moist, thanks to the vegetable oil and the plain Greek yogurt.

    sliced Apple Squares (apple cake bars) sprinkled with powdered sugar on parchment paper

    Other apple desserts

    If you love all things apple, you will love these quick and easy apple desserts:

    • Sweet Cooked Apples
    • Apple Bundt Cake
    • Apple Crumb Coffee Cake
    • Apple, Blueberry Peach Coffee Cake

    Apple Breakfast recipes

    What could be better than enjoying a small slice of something sweet with apples in the morning? Here are my favorite apple breakfast recipes:

    • Pumpkin Banana Bread with Apples
    • Crepes with Ricotta Cheese and Caramelized Apples
    • Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
    • Apple Cinnamon Crepes

    Apple squares on parchment paper on a table

    apple cake bars
    4.60 from 216 votes

    Easy Apple Squares (Cake Bars)

    Super moist and easy-to-make apple squares.  Made with cinnamon, brown sugar, these delicious cake bars are very moist, thanks to the vegetable oil and the plain Greek yogurt. And they get even moister after the first day!   The apple squares are pretty much an apple cake sliced into imperfect squares.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 people
    Calories per serving 264 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    • 3 apples peeled, cored, and chopped into small square chunks
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 4 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour sifted
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup white sugar
    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    • ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 eggs
    US Customary - Metric
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    Instructions 

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×9 square pan.
    • In a medium bowl, toss chopped apples with cinnamon and brown sugar.
    • In a mixing bowl, combine together 1 and ¼ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ⅛ teaspoon salt.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup of white sugar, vegetable oil, yogurt, and vanilla until very smooth. Add eggs and whisk until smooth.
    • Add dry ingredients (flour mixture) into wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
    • Pour half of the batter into the greased pan, top with half of the apples, then pour the remaining half of the batter on top of the apple layer. Top with the remaining half of apples. 
    • Bake the cake for about 45 minutes or 1 hour - until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
    • Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Easy Apple Squares (Cake Bars)
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    264
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    9
    g
    14
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    0.003
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    6
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    33
    mg
    11
    %
    Sodium
     
    90
    mg
    4
    %
    Potassium
     
    96
    mg
    3
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    45
    g
    15
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    31
    g
    34
    %
    Protein
     
    4
    g
    8
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    82
    IU
    2
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    3
    mg
    4
    %
    Calcium
     
    49
    mg
    5
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword apple cake bars, apple squares
    « Crepes with creamy ricotta cheese filling and caramelized apples
    Greek yogurt chocolate chip muffins »
    153.2K shares
    • Facebook1.6K

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kathleen

      June 10, 2025 at 5:13 am

      I knew my Apple-loving son was coming for a visit so I tried these and they were a big hit. I sprinkled the top with chopped walnuts for added crunch. I’ll definitely make them again. Thanks for the amazing recipe!

      Reply
      • Julia

        June 12, 2025 at 7:02 pm

        Thank you for your 5-star review, Kathleen! ❤️ I love that you added nuts on top of the cake - they always add so much flavor and texture!

        Reply
    2. Marsha Gainey

      April 11, 2025 at 1:34 pm

      Pretty. Just sweet enough. Cinnamon was a nice, warm undertone. Too much apple and not enough batter though. It probably would have made taller squares if I had baked it in an 8x8 pan. And I was not able to pour the batter into the pan because it was very thick. I dolloped spoonfuls onto the pan bottom and the apple layer, which still worked.

      Reply
      • Julia

        April 12, 2025 at 1:16 pm

        Hi Marsha! You're absolutely right—this cake is meant to be all about the apples, with just enough batter to hold everything together. It’s definitely more fruit-forward than your typical cake. And yes, the batter is thick—dolloping it in spoonfuls like you did is exactly the right move. I'm glad it still turned out well for you! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Christine l morrison

      April 04, 2025 at 4:20 pm

      Could I use apple pie filling instead of real apples

      Reply
      • Julia

        April 07, 2025 at 3:35 pm

        Hi Christine! Unfortunately, I don't think this small cake will hold up to all the moisture for the apple pie filling.

        Reply
    4. Nancy Jost

      March 14, 2025 at 12:17 pm

      What is the best type of apple to use?

      Reply
    5. Ellen

      November 01, 2024 at 5:26 pm

      I made this for the first time today. My husband can’t stop eating it! Instead of greasing the pan, I used parchment paper. It worked great. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 10, 2024 at 12:08 am

        I’m so glad you both enjoyed it! Thank you for the review, Ellen!

        Reply
    6. Daniela

      October 24, 2024 at 5:43 pm

      I love this recipe! I have made it with apples. I have made it with pears. I have made squares, a cake and muffins with this recipe. Thank you si much! It's a recipe I can rely on to turn out right..

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 26, 2024 at 9:25 pm

        Oh wow, thank you, Daniela, for the wonderful review - it made my day! ❤️

        Reply
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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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