The first chilly morning of September always gets me itching to bake something warm and cozy, and this cake is exactly that. It’s one of those bakes where the smell alone makes it worth making, the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves fill the whole kitchen before it’s even out of the oven.

What I love about this cake is that it’s simple, but it feels special. The apples bake down into little soft pockets, the brown sugar gives it that deep, almost caramel flavor, and then you pour on a maple glaze that makes the whole thing taste like autumn on a plate.

I usually bake mine in a bundt pan because it looks pretty with the glaze dripping down the sides, but honestly, you can throw it into a regular 9×13 and it’ll still be just as good. It’s the kind of cake you can serve after dinner, bring to a fall get-together, or just eat with a mug of tea in the afternoon when the house is quiet.

If you’ve got apples sitting on your counter from a day of picking (or even just a grocery run), this is the recipe to use them up. No fussy steps, no complicated ingredients, just a really good, cozy cake that’ll make you want to cut a big slice while it’s still warm.

And the glaze? Don’t skip it. It’s only two ingredients, but it makes the whole thing shine. A drizzle of maple syrup and sugar and suddenly it feels like you made something bakery-worthy.

So if you need a little taste of fall, this cake’s it. Bake it once and you’ll want it on repeat all season.

If you do make it, I hope you cut yourself the first slice while it’s still warm and just let yourself enjoy the moment.