Apple Cake

Trigger warning: the word “moist” will be used multiple times in this recipe because this Apple Cake is just that moist! If you have been looking for a simple, yet Apple Cake recipe, you’ve come to the right place. Our mom’s Apple Cake involves only a few basic ingredients that get mixed together, and even if the mixture is lumpy it will still turn out perfectly! Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just a baking enthusiast, this recipe will have you in a chokehold.

What stands out

Get ready to fall in love with this Apple Cake – it’s the blend of moist and tender apples and a heavenly milk and butter infusion. What makes it so special? Its simplicity and ease of preparation make this cake suited to even the most novice baker. The real magic happens as the cake soaks up the warm butter and milk, which creates a phenomenal custard-like texture. Whether you’re a baking fanatic or just craving a comforting treat, this apple cake is suited to any occasion.

How to Prepare

Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a 7-inch springform pan by spraying it with baking spray and lining it with parchment paper.

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Then add eggs and oil, and mix until smooth. Next gently fold in the apples.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

In the last 5 minutes of baking the Apple Cake, heat the milk, butter, and sugar in a pot.

After you remove the cake from the oven, use a skewer or chopstick to poke holes into the cake, and then pour the warm milk and butter mixture over it. Let the cake absorb the liquid.

Remove the springform and parchment paper, place the cake on a plate and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.

If you’d like, you can dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar before enjoying it.

Kitchen tip

You can use a larger springform pan, but this will result in a shorter cake. Monitor closely during baking, as the time may vary.

Swaps

1. Instead of apples, try using other fruits like pearspeaches or berries for a different flavor. You’ll need 2 to 2 1/2 cups of fruit total.
2. Feel free to add chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds to the batter before baking.
3. Experiment with different spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom.
4. Replace some or all of the oil with melted butter for a richer-tasting cake.
5. We have not tried making this cake gluten-free but you should be able to use a gluten-free 1-1 all-purpose baking flour instead of all-purpose flour.
6. If you are dairy-free, you can leave out the milk and butter topping.
7. For dietary preferences (like keto, low-carb, etc.), you could experiment with 1-1 monk fruit sweetener and various sweetener alternatives.
8. Spike the warm milk mixture with a splash of rumbrandy or bourbon for an adult twist.

Serve it with

• Coffee or tea
• Other cakes (like our Whole Orange Blender Cake) or cookies for brunch or tea time

Ingredients

Makes 12 pieces

• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ¾ tablespoon baking powder, make sure it's not expired
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup avocado oil, any neutral cooking oil
• 3 medium apples (peeled and diced small), I used honey crisp (2 to 2 1/2 cups of diced apple total)
• powdered sugar, for dusting

Liquid Topping

• ½ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Equipment

• Wooden Skewers
• Springform Pan (7-inch)
• Nakiri Knife
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Mixing Bowls
• Parchment Paper
• Medium Pot

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray a 7-inch springform pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper. You can use a larger springform pan, but this will result in a thinner cake. Monitor closely during baking, as the time may vary.
2. In a bowl add the flour, sugar, and baking powder, and stir to combine. Add the eggs and oil, and stir until fully combined. You should have a smooth but thick batter. Gently fold the apples into the batter until they are fully coated.
3. Pour the batter into the lined pan, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. About 5 minutes before the cake is done, warm the milk, butter, and sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk until the mixture heats up and the butter and sugar fully dissolve. Remove from the heat.
5. Remove the cake from the oven, and using a long skewer or chopstick, gently poke holes into the top of the cake, making sure to insert the skewer from the top to the bottom. We poke about 25 to 30 holes, making sure they are evenly spaced apart.
6. Take the warm milk mixture and gently pour it over the top of the cake. The cake will absorb this delicious mixture as it cools, so trust the process.
7. Once the cake absorbs the liquid, remove the springform and parchment paper around the cake. Place the cake onto a plate and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before you dig in! Make sure the cake has absorbed the topping as the interior will have a custard-like texture.
8. Optionally, dust the cake with powdered sugar once it has cooled and enjoy!

Kitchen notes

• Fruit alternatives: Instead of apples, try using other fruits like pears, peaches, or berries for a different flavor. You’ll need 2 to 2 1/2 cups of fruit total.
• Add-ins: Feel free to add chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds to the batter before baking.
• Spices: Experiment with different spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom.
• Oil substitution: Replace some or all of the oil with melted butter for a richer-tasting cake.
• Gluten-free: We have not tried making this cake gluten-free but you should be able to use a gluten-free 1-1 all-purpose baking flour instead of all-purpose flour.
• Dairy-free: If you are dairy-free, you can leave out the milk and butter topping.
• Sweeteners: For dietary preferences (like keto, low-carb, etc.), you could experiment with 1-1 monk fruit sweetener and various sweetener alternatives.
• Liquor add-ins: Spike the warm milk mixture with a splash of rum, brandy, or bourbon for an adult twist.

Questions

can we make this cake gluten-free?

We have not tried making this cake gluten-free but you should be able to use a gluten-free 1-1 all-purpose baking flour instead.

How can we make this cake dairy-Free?

If you are dairy-free, you can leave out the milk/sugar/butter topping. This cake is without the topping as well.

Can we use alternative sweeteners to adhere to a keto or low-carb diet?

If you have any dietary preferences (like keto or low-carb), you will have to experiment with 1-1 monk fruit sweetener and various alternatives. Please let us know in the comments of this blog how you made this cake differently so others can learn as well.

Can we add less sugar to the Apple CAke?

You can always adjust the sugar in this recipe as it’s not overly sweet. The bake time will depend on the oven so please keep a good eye on it.

What type of pan do you use?

We use a 7-inch mark spring form pan for this cake. You can use a bigger springform pan as well but the cake won’t be as tall. Please keep a close eye on it as the baking time may reduce as well.

How do you prepare the pan?

We like to spray and line the springform pan for easier cleanup but feel free to butter and flour it if you wish to do so as well.

How long does this cake last?

We are not sure how long this cake lasts as our family devours it the SAME DAY lol. We would have to guess 2-3 days.

How can we make sure our baking powder is not expired?

When using baking powder, always check the expiration date. Expired baking powder will not help your recipe rise in the oven, and you’ll have a sad, deflated cake. You can test if your baking powder has expired by adding ½ teaspoon baking powder to ¼ cup hot water. If the water bubbles up, it’s not expired; if it does not bubble, it’s expired and should be tossed.

Why are the metric weights of your ingredients different than the results of Google and our kitchen scale?

While 1 cup of flour weighs 130g in our kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 145g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure.