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….
Awesome recipe! I didn’t have any clove, so I subtituted ginger. It turned out yummy. Thanks for you inspiration. We’re dog lovers too.
Linda
So good! The spicing is perfect. I’m just trying to figure out why mine always comes out dry instead of moist.
This was the best apple cake I’ve ever made. It came out perfect. I didn’t have a full cup of oil so did 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup butter. Thanks so much – this is a keeper!
Cake was moist and delicious! Will definitely make again. I put a thin layer of caramel over top for a fall get together, so good!
This was a very simple recipe, but absolutely delicious. I doubled the recipe, as I have a big family, and as it was baking, the whole house smelled wonderful. I used 3 large pink lady apples, and baked it for about 50 mins, then another 10 mins, covered loosely with some foil. It seriously is a beautiful cake, so Thank You for the recipe 💜
Waste of time and ingredients. Block of oil. Fed the rubbish bit with it.
The whole family loved this cake, the spices are stunning and give this cake a really lovely flavour.
Hi! Love this recipe. I just have one question – how do you take it out of the tin properly? I removed the side and took off the baking paper, but it still has the base of the tin underneath (as well as the baking paper lining) while it finishes cooling – is this okay?
This is the best apple cake I think I’ve ever made
I omitted the nuts and there was way too much clove
But the cake itself was amazing
I will just adjust spices next time
I toggled the recipe to make it serve 6and it was awesome! I had some apples past their prime and didn’t want to feed them to the squirrels! Added a tiny sprinkle of streusel topping and used honey crisp apples…yummy!
An absolute winner & crowd pleaser. I served with custard & whipped cream for a family dinner dessert. You make my life so much easier Nagi. ☺️. Thank you♥️
Love love love this cake! Easy, super tasty and comes out perfect every time.
Has anyone tried making muffins or cupcakes with this recipe?
Well that was short-lived… This recipe is fantastic, exactly what I was looking for to use up old apples that no one was eating.
This baby didn’t last an hour on the counter top!
I made this an believe I followed the recipe, but my batter was thick like sand. I cooked it anyway and it was very crumbly and the sugar crystallised. I noticed someone else posted exactly the same comments ☹️
What did I do wrong?
I made this an believe I followed the recipe, but my batter was thick like sand. I cooked it anyway and it was very crumbly and the sugar crystallised. ☹️
What did I do wrong?
Nagi always says to spoon the flour into the cup and then level it. Every time I do dunk my cup into the flour pot and level it, dough ends up too dry. Its because flour settles and you end up with too much flour OR youre from a different country and cup measurements are different. This time my dough was dry and I added more liquid in (i did oat milk but you can do more oil) until the texture more runny.
Hi Anna! There is only one thing you did wrong! You tried the recipe. It’s a waste of time, effort and ingredients. Mayne was a block of oil. I have reviewed this recipe like I am replying to you, but “ weirdly “ they don’t publish it.
Did u whisk sugar and oil together before adding to dry mixture? I accidentally added the sugar to dry ingredients instead of whisking with oil first and the same thing happened to me.
This very quick and easy apple cake recipe is the best I have made. It is as described. Very moist, spices just right. Next time I may try a cream cheese icing, but this is the best! I did a little water while mixing as this is a very stiff batter. Cooked in a convection oven and temp/time is correct as stated.
Love this recipe.. used brown sugar and Chinese 5 spice and walnuts.. now my favourite easy apple cake. 😙 Thanks Nagi!
I will try this recipe today; and, I love Dozer!
Hi there. Back on the website.., and my comment yesterday seems to have disappeared. I was asking for a metric weight of the apples, as I think I may have used far too much.
The cake did survive, but took twice as long as suggested to cook
Am simply asking for advice..
Cheers
How much apple by weight?