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….
This apple cake is exactly what fall should taste like—warmly spiced, beautifully moist, and effortlessly simple. I love that it comes together in one bowl using just a wooden spoon, no mixer needed. The generous cubes of fresh apple add delightful texture, and the blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves gives it such depth. Bonus points for freezing so well—I’ll definitely be baking this again.
Great recipe, I made it in regular tin then Bundt tin – both cakes delicious. After reading other comments I will reduce sugar next time.
I had apples in freezer from last years crop and they worked fine .
I made this with half the amount of sugar (I prefer cakes a little less sweet) and it was delicious. I was tempted to use less oil, but trusted the recipe and I’m glad I did as the moisture was perfect – still good three days later. I love the chemical reaction when you add the eggs to the oil and sugar mix, however mine was definitely not pouring consistency. Mine was a thick batter, but the end result was fabulous.
I made this cake yesterday and it turned out dry I used the correct baking tin and also cut the time down by 10 mins and also didn’t hardly have any rise at all .
I would love some feed back 🙏🏻
Has anyone made these as muffins? I think it should work, have made the cake version several times but looking for something slightly easier to transport and serve. Thoughts?
I made this for Mother’s Day. So delicious!
Made this today for the work crew – was a huge hit. Chilly and wet day in Newy, the aromas of the spices just added to the warm hug the cake gave. Entire thing went with several people having seconds and thirds. Easy to make, very moist and tasty
I have made this twice now. My kids love to bite into a new apple every 5 minutes so i end up with a bunch of apples with a few bites out in the fridge each week . Probably wayyyy too much TMI but I triam off the bitten bits and use whatever is left in the cake. It’s such a delicious, moist cake. Minimal mess involved (two bowls, a cutting board and knife).
So, so delicious! 😋 I was worried because the batter seemed a little thick and hard to spread, but it came out perfectly! Thanks Nagi.
This was delicious. I love the addition of the almonds on top. I used Granny Smith apples and it was ready in 45 minutes in my regular oven.
D-licious!!
So easy and tasty.
Love seeing Dozer, he knows where the important stuff is.
3rd person here with a sunken middle. I did the Bundt pan recipe. I’m wondering what happened??
I made this on Monday afternoon using half a cup of sugar only and it tasted just fine with that amount only.
Extraordinary cake! Easy, delicious. I added more cinnamon and less cloves and used two medium large fuji apples from our garden tree and now I want to make this cake for every one!! Thank you from a 70 year old who thought she’d lost her baking mojo
I made this with a good quality gluten free flour, and used an 8″ instead of 9″ tin. I also used close to 3 cups of Granny Smith apples. Texture was excellent, and the cake was moist as others have described. But, it was WAY too sweet, and had essentially no other flavour, even though I almost doubled the spicesWe enjoyed it the next day for breakfast with unsweetened Greek yogurt. . I will try again, halving the sugar and using maybe 50;50 almond flour and gf flour.
Thanks for sharing, I prefer just a hint of sweetness in cakes (agree, otherwise all you just taste is sugar??) so will be following your suggestion and halving the sugar too!
Made the Bundt tin version. Easy and delicious. However will reduce the sugar to one and a half cups next time
AS ALWAYS a perfect recipe by Nagi!
we all loved your apple cake so much!
so easy to make and incredibly tasty!
thank you!
Made the Bundt version and it was delish. Easy too
Love seeing your dog in the photos! No problem at all, in fact, he would contribute to your happy workspace and we know the best ingredient for any dish is love!
This cake was so easy and so yum and moist!
Next time I would add a little more cinnamon and as I didn’t have cloves I would try that next time. But still soooo yum!