This recipe is a slight modification of my grandmother’s popular Jewish Apple Cake Recipe (for those of you who don’t like change, I’ve made notes so you can make it exactly as her recipe is written!). Super simple to make, no mixer required! Recipe includes a how-to video!
(Mostly) Old Fashioned Apple Cake
We took Luke apple picking over the weekend (scroll to the bottom of the page for a picture!) and after bringing home approximately 20 lbs of apples I asked on Instagram if there were any apple recipes that you’d like to see. In addition to apple fritters and apple butter, I received so many requests for a “good apple cake”. Fortunately, I already had this recipe planned to share with you today.
This is my grandmother’s apple cake recipe…. sort of. Because I’m basically incapable of leaving any recipe unaltered, I made a few subtle changes to her original recipe. I truly wasn’t sure if I could improve upon the original, but after taste-testing (and having my family taste-test) I decided I wanted to share my version with the alterations. Look, I’ve shared plenty of her recipes as she shared them with me (like her hot milk cake and apple dumplings!), so just trust me on the changes here!
Because I know I’m going to get a few comments asking me exactly how my grandmother’s recipe was written, I included the notes on how to make it as per her instructions in the recipe card.
What You Need
The recipe is simple, and the texture and technique actualy remind me a lot of my banana cake. The crumb is a bit more dense than a classic cake and is almost like a quick-bread, between the sugar in the batter and on top it’s sweet enough that it doesn’t need any frosting.
- Apples! I use Granny Smith, though you can substitute your favorite apple (or whatever you have on hand).
- Flour. Use all-purpose (plain) flour. Do not use self-rising flour, and I have not tested this recipe with cake flour so I can’t advise on that.
- Sugar. This recipe uses a fair amount of sugar. My grandmother’s recipe used all granulated, but I love the flavor brown sugar adds so I substituted half of the granulated sugar with brown.
- Cinnamon. A bit of cinnamon mixed with sugar makes the topping for this cake (and I toss the apples in a bit of it, too).
- Oil & Butter. Another deviation from my grandmother’s recipe: she uses all oil. I love the flavor butter adds so again I split it right down the middle and melt a stick of butter for my variation of the recipe. The cake is plenty moist enough (thanks to the apples) and doesn’t suffer for the reduction.
- Baking powder. Helps keep the cake from being too dense.
- Eggs. You’ll need 4. Large or extra large will work.
- Salt & Vanilla extract. For flavor.
- Buttermilk. This adds a subtle depth of flavor to the cake. Her recipe uses orange juice, which you can use instead, but I prefer to use buttermilk.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Apple Cake
The batter for this recipe can be made in a single bowl in 5 steps and it can be done completely by hand (no mixer needed).
- Toss together chopped (peeled) apples with a bit of cinnamon and sugar.
- Stir together dry ingredients and make a well in the center.
- Whisk together your wet ingredients in that well (this saves us a dish, but you could do it in a separate bowl if you prefer) then gently combine wet and dry ingredients and stir in apples.
- Spread into pan, top with the rest of your cinnamon/sugar and bake!
TIP: Because this cake is moist and a bit dense it can be difficult to tell when it’s finished baking (the toothpick test doesn’t always cut it). If you’re not sure if your cake is done, pierce the center with a sharp knife and take a peek inside to make sure it’s not raw!
Frequently Asked Questions
Use my easy buttermilk substitute instead (you just need whole milk and vinegar or lemon juice). Alternatively, use orange juice, which is what my grandmother uses in her recipe.
Yes, but either omit the topping and use the glaze from my bundt cake recipe or you can portion half the batter into the pan and then layer and swirl some of the topping in the center before adding the rest of the batter.
To make in a bundt pan, thoroughly grease and flour the pan first and then bake for approximately 1 ½ hours. Check after an hour and loosely tent with foil if the cake is browning too fast. Use a wooden skewer or knife to test if it’s done.
Granny Smith are my preference and a nice slightly tart contrast to the sweet cake. However, just about any apple may be used (Honeycrisp, Gala, Cortland are all good choices). Keep in mind Granny Smith apples are quite tart and substituting a sweeter apple (which is just about any other apple) will make the cake sweeter, too.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. It may also be frozen (tightly wrapped) for several months.
I haven’t tried it but I don’t really see why not. Instead I’d rather direct you to my apple crumble muffins, which are specifically designed to be made in a cupcake tin .
More Recipes You Might Like
- My Favorite Apple Pie
- Apple Crisp
- Homemade Apple Turnovers
- Apple Crumb Muffins
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
Apple Cake
Ingredients
Topping
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups (375 g) apples peeled, cored, and diced. I use Granny Smith
Cake
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (115 ml) canola oil or vegetable oil
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
- 4 large eggs room temperature, lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) buttermilk or orange juice
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and lightly grease the sides and bottom of a 9×13 baking pan.
- Prepare topping by whisking together ½ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Measure out just 2 tablespoons of the mixture and pour over your apples. Toss until all apple pieces are coated and then set aside.½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon, 3 cups (375 g) apples
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until well-combined.3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Make a well in the center and add oil, butter, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Stir the liquid ingredients together until combined and then carefully fold the dry and wet ingredients together until well-combined (but don’t over-mix).½ cup (115 ml) canola oil, ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 4 large eggs, ⅓ cup (80 ml) buttermilk or orange juice, 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add apples and stir until combined.
- Spread batter into prepared pan and sprinkle the top evenly with remaining topping mixture. Transfer to 350F (175C) oven and bake for 40-45 minutes if using a metal pan or 50-55 minutes if using a glass dish. Cake will be done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (no wet batter!). Since it’s a somewhat dense cake, sometimes I like to use a knife to make a small cut in the center of the cake and make sure it’s baked through.
Notes
The Old-Fashioned Way:
My grandmother’s recipe was done by mixing together the cinnamon, sugar, and apples first and setting aside. She used all granulated sugar and no brown (2 ½ cups/300g total), all oil and no butter (so 1 cup oil total) and orange juice instead of the buttermilk. Half the batter was layered into the pan, then the apple/cinnamon/sugar mixture, then the rest of the batter, and it was baked for approximately 1 ½ hours.Bundt pan
This recipe may be made in a well-greased bundt pan. Toss the apples and topping mixture together and portion half the batter, then the apple/topping mixture, then the rest of the batter and bake approximately 1 ½ hours.Storing
Store in an airtight container (or covered with foil or plastic wrap) at room temperature for 5 days. May be frozen for several months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Zoie Penick
Hi Sam! My sister and I made your apple cake today. It was so good! Our family loved it a lot! We served it with vanilla ice cream on top. It tasted like a apple coffee cake. The cinnamon sugar mixture, on top was so good. Thanks for the recipe Sam! We loved it!
Sam
That is so awesome! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! A little vanilla ice cream on top sounds incredible. 🙂
Mark
Another wonderful recipe Sam!! I made this yesterday for a small group get together. It turned out perfect and tasted awesome. Everyone really enjoyed it! Thanks again for an easy to follow recipe that turned out beautifully!!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Mark! 🙂
Bridget
This cake is so delicious! My husband is the baker in our house and he’s made it at least 3 times now but used a 9×13 cake pan rather than a bundt pan. Your recipes are awesome! He has also made your apple crisp recipe (also delicious) & is just about to start making your apple crumble muffins now. We will move on to some of your other recipes when we run out of apples :). Thanks for this wonderful website.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you have enjoyed my site and recipes, Bridget. I appreciate your support and feedback. 🙂
Cheryl
Hi Sam How are you. Just want to thank you for your recipe, it came out a bit soft but tasted delicious. The next try will be your grandmother’s recipe😄😄 Thanks again
Sam
I’m doing very well, Cheryl. Thanks for asking! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Sophia
This Apple cake is so delicious Sam! It is not only perfectly moist, but is also delicious. I will definitely make this again. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Sophia! 🙂
Blair
I literally want to run out side yelling wildly to any and all who will listen about how amazing this apple cake is!! Unfortunately, I would just be scaring chickens and iguanas! LOL
Your apple cake = RIDICULOUSLY INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS!
I used gala apples. I ran out of cinnamon after using it for the topping, so I added 1/4 tsp ground allspice to the batter.
I also used orange juice instead of buttermilk. I could not find on your buttermilk substitution page how much lemon juice/vinegar to use with 1/3 cup. Maybe I accidentally missed it somewhere?
Thank you for another fantastic recipe!
Sam
Hi Blair! I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! I can’t believe I didn’t link to the buttermilk substitute anywhere! 🤦♀️ I will add it for other users. Thank you for pointing that out. 🙂
Paula
You are going to roll on the floor when I tell you this! (I’ll try to keep it short) I gathered all ingredients and proceeded to make the cake. Decided to use the bundt pan. Tried to split the batter and place half in the pan. I’m thinking, “Sam said this was a dense cake, but this is really dense”. Spread it around with my fingers, placed the apples on top and placed the rest of the batter on top the apples, again using my fingers to spread the batter. Placed the cake in the preheated oven and began clean-up. WELL! as I was placing the bowl and utensils in the sink, I noticed a measure cup of white stuff sitting on the counter. I said to my self “Self! You Big Dummy!!” I had forgotten to put the milk in!!! So, I took the cake from the oven and began to disassemble it. Remember, it was “dense” so this made it easy. Layer by layer the cake came apart. I added the milk to the batter, washed and re-greased the pan and proceeded to re-layer the cake. It came out of the oven looking beautiful! Tastes wonderful, too!!! Will definitely share the recipe. Only thing I would change is to “lightly” flour the pan, also. I did grease it – a lot – but the cake did stick. Finally got it out of the pan, majority in one piece, but that didn’t matter to me. All I wanted to do by then was sink my teeth into it! It really, really is a great cake! Thank you for sharing the recipe with us!
Sam
🤣🤣 At least you realized your mistake! I’m glad it turned out for you. 🙂
Kari
I just made this yesterday. IT WAS SO GOOD and so moist. Everything I wanted from an Apple cake! My family loves it! Thank you <3
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it, Kari! 🙂
Angie mclaughlan
Hi Sam , can you tell me what shelf position for your Apple cake .. thanyou
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Angie! I typically bake all my cakes in the middle rack. 🙂
NanaZ
Can a 9″ Spring Pan work? Instead of 9×13.
Sam
Hmm, I’m worried it might be a bit too much batter for the pan. I would not fill more than 2/3 of the way full and keep in mind it will need to bake longer.
Kari
I didn’t have a 9×13 either, and put it in a square pan. It took about 2 hours to bake (I came back to check in increments of 20 minutes, then 10), the center is much thicker. I dropped the heat down to 315 so the center can cook without drying the edges. It worked and it came out still so good!
Would you recommend the same oven setting if I wanted to bake it in a muffin tin?
Thank you! <3
Sam
Hi Kari! I’m not sure how it would go in the muffin tin. It should still turn out. I would keep the original temperature and just check it much much earlier. It shouldn’t take very long at all. 🙂
Annie
I made this Apple cake., with Golden Delicious Apples. ( I used O.J.instead of buttermilk )
It’s moist & so…delicious 😋., The Best Apple cake, I’ve ever had.🤗
Thank you much.
Sam
I am SO happy to hear you enjoyed, Annie! Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know how you liked it, I appreciate it! <3
Bets du Plessis
Hi Sam, i cannot believe how Luke has grown! Such a handsome young man!
I baked this Applecake winner of yours this morning – super easy and unbelievably delicious! It turned out to be very big though. There is only two of us and i was wondering if i can halve the recipe successfully? Sometimes recipes simply do not turn out well when i halve them. Do you think i can try that? Would there be a trick to halving recipes?
Had Golden deliciuos apples on hand which worked well.
Nowadays when i bake, i bake the Sam way. Tx!
Sam
He’s growing so fast, it’s crazy!! I’m glad you enjoyed the cake! You shouldn’t have any issues cutting this one in half. Unfortunately I don’t really have an easy way to do it other than just go through every ingredient and cut it in half. If you use weights this tends to be much easier. 🙂
Anne-Marie
Excellent! Exactly what I was looking for. The whole family loved ut. Thank you!
Anne-Marie
Sorry, “it”
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it, Anne-Marie! 🙂
Monica
Was wondering if I could incorporate some applesauce in this recipe to bump up the “apple” flavor? 🙂
Sam
Hi Monica! I wonder if it could be substituted for the oil or butter, but having not tried it I’m not quite sure how it would turn out. 🙂
susan
gorgeous cake and very gorgeous baby
Sam
Thank you so much, Susan! 🙂
Anna
Oh my GOODNESS the picture of Luke is TOO CUTE. Made my day!! We’re going apple picking soon so after I make your turnovers, I’ll definitely be making this!
Sam
Thank you so much! I hope you love the turnovers. Have fun apple picking! 🙂