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😇)
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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….
I made the easiest moist apple cake on the weekend…and because I think I used the wrong amount of diced apples it took forever to cook.
I am sorry to complain but I cook the metric way..and while I understand if you are out there on the internet the american audience is much bigger than in Australia.. and they are stuck in the imperial system.
So to get this cake right the next time.. and I will make it again can you please tell the amount in grams for the two cups of apple. I went around 500… I think too much.
I do a fair bit of baking and when I mixed the wet with the dry and added the diced apple..I knew it was going to be a problem
Please advise, I would be most appreciative
grant malmsbury victoria
I’m just wondering if negative comments are not posted?
I love many of your recipes but did not enjoy this one.
I wrote a comment regarding an oil aftertaste but it has not been posted.
Unfortunately I found this cake to be far too sweet and it left a definite oily “after taste”.
I don’t understand why using oil in cakes is preferable to using butter.
My cakes made with butter are moist not dry.
The batter didn’t look like cake batter at all and had to be pushed into the pan .
Had to “bin” it I’m afraid.
I found this apple cake delicious but very sweet. By how much do you think I can reduce the sugar and not effect the outcome?
I made the cake and it is delicious. I don’t know what I did wrong, but lot of oil seeped out of the tin and made a pool of oil at the bottom of the oven. Could anyone tell me how to solve this problem, please?
This apple cake was really oily (but tasty). I would recommend 3/4 cup oil or maybe less. As others have mentioned the oil pours out of a springform tin (even if lined) so put a tray below. I did make the mistake of putting sugar in with dry ingredients instead of oil, but I don’t think that would explain my results.
Turned out perfect! Is a bit sweet so could possible reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup.
All I can taste is vegetable oil! What did I do wrong???
the most aewful recipe for a simple apple cake
I cannot tell you enough how much I love this cake! The spices are amazing, and the rich taste is to die for!
Can you grate the apples instead?
Also did you add any lemon?
9 inches is closer to 23 cm. So which is correct for this recipe the 21 cm or 9 inch cake pan?
Why no vinegar to activate the bicarb?
perfect easy apple cake decadence. made it in 20cm tin and still perfect. added 3/4 c maple syrup candied walnuts.
HI nagi,
the EASIEST EVER MOIST APLLE CAKE recipe in cups states 2 cups and in metric 300g. I thought it was 250gm per cup. Im confused
Super easy and so delicious! I put less than half the advised sugar. The sweetness from the apples was enough. Trying to stop at once slice of this cake is near impossible!
Thanks, Nagi! Such a beautiful cake, and so easy to make. I made it for a colleague’s birthday, and it was a hit! I will definitely make this again.
Thanks, Nagi! Such a beautiful cake, and so easy to make. I made it for a colleague’s birthday, and it was a hit! I love that it filled my home with such a delicious, spicy, mouth-watering fragrance. I will definitely make this again.
Cake was delicious . Thank you! Loved Dozer’s photo bombing too. Our dogs have a real knack for turning up in any photos!!
Made with gluten free flour and it’s delicious.
Only tip I’d add is it leaks oil in oven as it cooks so put the loose bottomed tin on a baking sheet
What kind of GF flour did you use?
Very sweet so when I made it again I used 3/4 cup of oil and 3/4 cup sugar and was still so moist and not super sweet