This Apple Cake recipe is from a reader and is a gem of a find! The cake is really moist, perfectly spiced, and studded with tender pieces of fresh apple. The batter is incredibly fast to make with just a wooden spoon – no electric mixer required!
Dozer got in so much trouble over this Apple Cake.
This is how the usual routine goes down: He’s technically not allowed into the kitchen – albeit my house is open plan so strictly speaking, it’s hard to have a clear boundary that he needs to stay out of. But when I shoo him away, he is generally pretty good about taking himself off into the yard to chase rabbits, bark at birds or whatever other important contribution he’s making to make this world a better place.
But the minute whatever I’m making is ready and I take it to the area where I shoot my photos, he comes dashing inside.
“Dashing” is honestly the word. He doesn’t walk or lope. He dashes at a very fast paced trot, his heavy footed paws thudding through the house making the wooden floor shake (really, he does).
And that’s when he becomes a real nuisance. Because I’m concentrating on taking photos, I don’t always manage to catch him in the act of photo-bombing.
Case in point: Dozer photobombed EVERY SINGLE photo of this cake being dusted with icing sugar. 🙄
THAT CHEEKY BUGGER!!!
See look. Here he is AGAIN. And again. And again. GRRRRR!!!!!
So I apologise profusely to all those who find it a real turn off to see a DOG in food photos, but my bottom can’t afford for me to make this ridiculously delicious Apple Cake yet again just so I can get one single shot (I just wanted ONE!) of me dusting the Apple Cake without Dozer in the background.
OK, now I’m done stomping my foot over Dozer ruining my photos, a quick word on this Apple Cake recipe: It’s crazy easy and fast to make the batter, it’s made with FRESH apples (won’t work with canned, cake is not as moist), and it really is beautifully moist.
This easy Apple Cake recipe was given to me by the lovely Dorothy in Tennessee in the US. It was meant to be, because I had just shared an Apple Cake disaster on Instagram then a couple of days later, she shared this recipe with me (without having seen my epic failure!). I tried it once, twice, three times, then I decided I had to share it here because it is that good and that easy!
– Nagi x
More afternoon tea favourites
Cinnamon Swirl Bread – easy, no yeast!
Cheese, Herb and Garlic Loaf or Zucchini Cheese Loaf– quick bread, no yeast
Blueberry Lemon Loaf with Lemon Glaze or Blueberry Lemon Yoghurt Cake
Savoury Cheese Muffins or Cornbread Muffins (personal fave😇)
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Easiest Ever MOIST Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour , plain / all purpose (Note 1)
- 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda) (Note 1)
- 3/4 tsp EACH salt, cinnamon and ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (or 1/4 tsp freshly ground)
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar (Note 2)
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs , large, at room temperature (55-60g/2oz each)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups apple , peeled, cored and cut into 8mm/ 1/3" cubes (~2 large, 3 small) (Note 3)
Optional Extra
- 1/2 cup flaked raw almonds
- Icing sugar . confectioners sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types).
- Grease and line a 21 cm / 9" springform cake pan. (Note 4)
- Place flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Whisk oil and sugar in a bowl, then whisk in eggs and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a wooden spoon until JUST combined. Stir through apple (optional: add 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts).
- Pour into cake pan. Sprinkle over almonds.
- Bake for 50 minutes – 1 hr. Check at 50 minutes – it is cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar if using, then serve. This cake doesn’t need cream or ice cream because it is so moist, but I wouldn’t turn it down!
Recipe Notes:
2 1/2 cups sugar (I reduced to 2 cups)
3 eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp EACH baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves
3 cups peeled and chopped fresh apples
1 cups chopped nuts (I use walnuts) 5. Measures – Cups and teaspoons are slightly different in size between some countries. For most recipes on RecipeTin Eats, the difference is not large enough to matter or is relative throughout the recipe. For recipes where the difference does matter, different measures are provided for different countries, like in this Soft Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. For this Apple Cake, the measures per the recipe can be used no matter which country you are in except Japan. If you are in Japan, please do not use cups, use the weight measures provided. OVENS: I have a fan forced / convection oven but have made this in a standard / conventional oven too. I found that this recipe works better using the same temperature no matter which oven type you have. The only difference is the cook time – fan forced is ready at 50 minutes, standard oven is ready at 60 minutes. But no matter which oven you have, check your cake at 50 minutes. If your oven is weak, it may take over 1 hour for the skewer to come out clean. 6. Nutrition per serving, assuming 12 servings.
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Well! After telling you how naughty he was while I photographed this Apple Cake, I’m not sure he deserves to be featured in his own section on this post…..
But who am I kidding. I can never stay mad at him.
Here he is “minding” the Apple Cake as it cooled. Just minding it. No cheeky thoughts running through that furry head, I’m sure….
Made this cake last weekend. Kept it in a air tight container. Still moist and the taste just keeps on improving. Used only cinnamon but increased the amount. P.S. It only lasted so long because we (the two of us) are trying to be good.
THANK YOU for this incredible recipe! I had to use up a bag of old Sundowner apples, I think I ended up using about four cups of apples in this cake (double the recipe) and it still turned out brilliantly. I love the batter and I love the spices it all came together perfectly! And so moist and tasty. thank you xxx
My husband says this deserves a Hat, a lovely way to brighten up a wet lock down afternoon.
He beautiful! My sadly missed rotty was the same, she stayed out of the room untill she heard me get the cooling rack out then she was at my side waiting for her scone to cool down.
Hi Nagi, I discovered your website in the last 3 months, and it’s become my go-to place for recipes. This cake has become a regular in our family, as it’s easy, delish, and doesn’t need much fussing around with or equipment. Thanks so much for the care, videos and extra info you pack into your posts; it gives me confidence to try new things.
Baked this cake today as i had some apples to use up. Wow! Wow! Wow! Is all I can say. It was incredible!! The only change I made was to leave out the ground cloves as I didn’t have any. We had it for dessert, slightly warmed up with vanilla ice cream AND cream. It’s an absolute sensation!!! Thank you!
Thank you for yet another excellent and forgiving recipe, Nagi! I only had sweet red apples, so I reduced the sugar to 180g (used a mixture of brown + caster), and baked in an 8×8 pan for 40 minutes (180 degrees Celsius, fan-forced). I achieved a crusty top and an incredibly moist cake.
Delicious! My kids love it. It worked out fine in a 24cm springform tin, baked 50 mins
Cake came out perfectly as written. Definitely a keeper recipe. . I don’t know how to leave a photo, but looks exactly like yours. Family loves it. Thank you!
Does anyone know how well this cake holds up to freezing??
Would like to make ahead of time to Bring to a function??
Love this recipe and so easy to make!!!!🤤
Yes it will freeze beautifully Sarah! N x
This is such a fabulous cake! I’ve made it with foraged windfall apples, with mystery apples I’ve found in the crisper, and always with whole meal flour. It was a hit with the vets when my dogs went in to have their teeth cleaned and tomorrow I hope everyone likes it at work. I’m not a natural baker but this is so easy and everyone loves it (even me … and I don’t really like cake)! Your recipes are all fantastic but this one is a stand out. Thanks Negi.
Thank you Nagi! I have a groaning very full apple tree at the moment and was looking for something to make with all these lovely apples, so I made your beautiful cake…. YUM!
this cake was made of nothing in the fridge and visitor are arriving soon. It was delicious and so moist. Every last one of us loved loved it. Even my Japanese hubby who normally refuses to eat/smell cinnamon!!! Thank you, a keeper !
Easy, delicious, fast! My kind of baking! Gone in a flash with 3 boys in the house. Thank you!
What a fabulous cake so easy I tweaked it a little I had sweet apples so only put 3/4 of a cup of sugar, and as I was having whipped cream with it
so did not want it to moist, I grated the apples it turned out beautiful. next time I will make it with the apples chopped. I’m sure it will be delicious
Can this cake be iced????
Yes 100% Shona! N x
Hi Nagi, just wondering why not raw suger? Thanks for sharing
This is a winner. I didn’t have veg oil, so I used mild EV olive oil. Delicious!
2nd time making this recipe. Its absolutely delicious! This time I made into muffins instead for the kids. Worked out perfectly.
Mix of spices raise cake to another level. Two thumbs ups.
I have just made this cake and have it in the oven. The mix was really dry and thick and I’ve read a couple of other peoples reviews that have found this happened too. I reread the recipe and realised I’ve added the sugar to the dry rather than wet ingredients and then iced them together. I hope it works out but I have a feeling this is why others may have had a dry cake.
Hi Jaime. I made this cake for the first time today and also noticed the batter was a bit dry. I made the same mistake as you did and mixed the sugar into the dry ingredients. Before the batter was completely mixed I added a couple of tablespoons of milk, not sure how many – just eyeballed it. The cake turned out beautifully!!