Easy Apple Cake

By The Modern Nonna

on Jan 27, 2023, Updated Jan 16, 2024

4.60 from 401 votes
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Trigger warning: the word “moist” will be used multiple times in this recipe because this Easy Apple Cake is just 👏 that 👏 moist 👏 ! If you have been looking for a simple, yet delicious Apple Cake 🍎 recipe, you’ve come to the right place. My mom’s Easy Apple Cake involves only a few basic ingredients that get mixed together, and even if the mixture is lumpy, it will still turn out perfectly! Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just a baking enthusiast, this recipe will have you in a chokehold.

Table of Contents

A close-up of a slice of apple cake on a plate, with the rest of the cake on a stand in the background. The cake appears moist and dense, with visible apple pieces. White tiled wall in the background.

Why You’ll Love Easy Apple Cake

Get ready to fall in love with this amazing Easy Apple Cake – it’s the perfect blend of moist and tender apples and a heavenly milk and 🧈 butter infusion. What makes it so special? Its simplicity and ease of preparation make this cake perfect for even the most novice baker. The real magic happens as the cake soaks up the warm butter and 🥛 milk, which creates a phenomenal custard-like texture. Whether you’re a baking fanatic or just craving a comforting treat, this apple cake is perfect for any occasion.

How to Prepare

🔥 Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a 7-inch springform pan by spraying it with baking spray and lining it with parchment paper.

🥣 In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Then add eggs and oil, and mix until smooth. Next, gently fold in the apples.

♨️ Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

🧈 In the last 5 minutes of baking the Easy Apple Cake, heat the milk, butter, and sugar in a pot.

🥛 After you remove the cake from the oven, use a skewer or chopstick to poke holes into the cake, and then pour the warm milk and butter mixture over it. Let the cake absorb the liquid.

🧊 Remove the springform and parchment paper, place the cake on a plate, and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.

❄️ If you’d like, you can dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar before enjoying it.

Nonna’s Tip 🍎

You can use a larger springform pan, but this will result in a shorter cake. Monitor closely during baking, as the time may vary.

A slice of homemade cake is being lifted from a whole cake on a white plate. The cake has a golden brown crust and is dusted with powdered sugar. The background features a white tiled wall.

Variations and Substitutions for Easy Apple Cake

  1. Instead of apples, try using other fruits like pears, 🍑 peaches, or berries for a different flavor. You’ll need 2 to 2 1/2 cups of fruit total.
  2. Feel free to add chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds to the batter before baking.
  3. Experiment with different spices 🔥 like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom.
  4. Replace some or all of the oil with melted 🧈 butter for a richer-tasting cake.
  5. I have not tried making this cake gluten-free but you should be able to use a gluten-free 1-1 all-purpose baking flour instead of all-purpose flour.
  6. If you are 🥛 dairy-free, you can leave out the milk and butter topping.
  7. For dietary preferences (like keto, low-carb, etc.), you could experiment with 1-1 monk fruit sweetener and various sweetener alternatives.
  8. Spike the warm milk mixture with a splash of rum, brandy, or bourbon for an adult twist.
A close-up of a sliced apple cake on a white plate, showing its moist, dense texture and chunks of apple, with a light dusting of powdered sugar on top. A white tiled background is visible.

Best Served With

Other Dessert Recipes

A close-up of a slice of apple cake on a plate, with the rest of the cake on a stand in the background. The cake appears moist and dense, with visible apple pieces. White tiled wall in the background.

Easy Apple Cake

If you have been looking for a simple, yet delicious Apple Cake 🍎 recipe, you’ve come to the right place. My mom’s Easy Apple Cake involves only a few basic ingredients that get mixed together, and even if the mixture is lumpy, it will still turn out perfectly!
4.60 from 401 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Makes: 12 pieces
Author: The Modern Nonna
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Video

Equipment

Wooden Skewers
Springform Pan (7-inch)
Nakiri Knife
Liquid Measuring Cup
Measuring Cups + Spoons
Mixing Bowls
Parchment Paper
Medium Pot

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¾ tablespoon baking powder, make sure it's not expired
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ½ cup avocado oil , any neutral cooking oil
  • 3 medium apples (peeled and diced small), I used honey crisp (2 to 2 1/2 cups of diced apple total)
  • powdered sugar, for dusting

Liquid Topping

  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray a 7-inch springform pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper. You can use a larger springform pan, but this will result in a thinner cake. Monitor closely during baking, as the time may vary.
    Top-down view of baking ingredients on a white surface: three red apples, three eggs, a bowl of flour, a bowl of sugar, a bowl of milk, butter, oil, powdered sugar, and a small bowl of baking powder.
  • In a bowl, add the flour, sugar, and baking powder, and stir to combine. Add the eggs and oil, and stir until fully combined. You should have a smooth but thick batter. Gently fold the apples into the batter until they are fully coated.
    A metal bowl with pale yellow cake batter being mixed by a metal whisk, set on a light marble countertop.
  • Pour the batter into the lined pan, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
    A round cake pan filled with an uncooked, creamy yellow batter containing visible chunks of fruit, likely apples, sits on a light-colored marble surface.
  • About 5 minutes before the cake is done, warm the milk, butter, and sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk until the mixture heats up and the butter and sugar fully dissolve. Remove from the heat.
  • Remove the cake from the oven, and using a long skewer or chopstick, gently poke holes into the top of the cake, making sure to insert the skewer from the top to the bottom. I poke about 25 to 30 holes, making sure they are evenly spaced apart.
    A freshly baked round cake in a springform pan sits on a wooden cutting board with a handle, placed on a light marble surface. The cake has a golden-brown, slightly uneven top.
  • Take the warm milk mixture and gently pour it over the top of the cake. The cake will absorb this delicious mixture as it cools, so trust the process.
  • Once the cake absorbs the liquid, remove the springform and parchment paper around the cake. Place the cake onto a plate and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before you dig in! Make sure the cake has absorbed the topping as the interior will have a custard-like texture.
    A close-up of a sliced apple cake on a white plate, showing a soft, moist interior with visible apple chunks and a light dusting of powdered sugar on top.
  • Optionally, dust the cake with powdered sugar once it has cooled and enjoy!
    A round, golden-brown cake dusted with powdered sugar sits on a beige plate against a light, marble-like background.

Notes

  • Fruit alternatives: Instead of apples, try using other fruits like pears, peaches, or berries for a different flavor. You’ll need 2 to 2 1/2 cups of fruit total.
  • Add-ins: Feel free to add chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds to the batter before baking.
  • Spices: Experiment with different spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom. 
  • Oil substitution: Replace some or all of the oil with melted butter for a richer-tasting cake.
  • Gluten-free: I have not tried making this cake gluten-free but you should be able to use a gluten-free 1-1 all-purpose baking flour instead of all-purpose flour.
  • Dairy-free: If you are dairy-free, you can leave out the milk and butter topping.
  • Sweeteners: For dietary preferences (like keto, low-carb, etc.), you could experiment with 1-1 monk fruit sweetener and various sweetener alternatives.
  • Liquor add-ins: Spike the warm milk mixture with a splash of rum, brandy, or bourbon for an adult twist.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 221kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 115mg, Potassium: 91mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 159IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
COOKED IT? SLAYED IT? 💅
Tag @themodernnonna so I can hype you up 👏 and don’t forget to rate ⭐, drop a comment 💬, and show some love right here on the recipe!

Common Questions

can I make this cake gluten-free?

I have not tried making this cake gluten-free but you should be able to use a gluten-free 1-1 all-purpose baking flour instead.

How can I make this cake dairy-Free?

If you are dairy-free, you can absolutely leave out the milk/sugar/butter topping. This cake is delicious without the topping as well.

Can I use alternative sweeteners to adhere to a keto or low-carb diet?

If you have any dietary preferences (like keto or low-carb), you will have to experiment with 1-1 monk fruit sweetener and various alternatives. Please let us know in the comments of this blog how you made this cake differently so others can learn as well.

Can I add less sugar to the Easy Apple CAke?

You can always adjust the sugar in this recipe as it’s not overly sweet. The bake time will depend on the oven so please keep a good eye on it.

What type of pan do you use?

I use a 7-inch spring form pan for this cake. You can use a bigger springform pan as well but the cake won’t be as tall. Please keep a close eye on it as the baking time may reduce as well.

How do you prepare the pan?

I like to spray and line the springform pan for easier cleanup but feel free to butter and flour it if you wish to do so as well.

How long does this cake last?

I am not sure how long this cake lasts as my family devours it the SAME DAY lol. I would have to guess 2-3 days.

How can I make sure my baking powder is not expired?

When using baking powder, always check the expiration date. Expired baking powder will not help your recipe rise in the oven, and you’ll have a sad, deflated cake. You can test if your baking powder has expired by adding ½ teaspoon baking powder to ¼ cup hot water. If the water bubbles up, it’s not expired; if it does not bubble, it’s expired and should be tossed.

Why are the metric weights of your ingredients different than the results of Google and my kitchen scale?

While 1 cup of flour weighs 130g in my kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 145g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure.

Categorized as:

Hi! I'm Sneji. Nice to meet you!

I am more commonly known as “The Modern Nonna” on social media where I create easy home cooked meals with a modern twist. I was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria and learned how to cook at the best culinary school in the world – my grandma’s kitchen. I lived in Greece on the Island of Crete with my parents for a while and then moved to Toronto, Canada when I was in grade 5. I started to really cook and experiment with food 11 years ago when I was 21 years old. Everything I currently know is a reflection of some part of my life…

More about me

Keep up to date with me on social media! Follow @themodernnonna

4.60 from 401 votes (335 ratings without comment)

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233 Comments

    1. Hi Pamela, my favorite apples to use here are honey crisp. Most apple varieties should work. Also, instead of apples, try using other fruits like pears, peaches, or berries.

      Reply

  4. 5 stars
    Hi
    Beautiful easy apple cake but one question ( for x2) ingredients
    1half tablespoons of baking powder? Just seems like alot
    Not 1half teaspoons?
    Thank you

    Reply

    1. Hi Di, I have not tried freezing this. If you do freeze it, I would wrap the slices in parchment paper, then plastic wrap, and then store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

      Reply

    1. Hi Esther, I have never tried baking this cake in a silicone tin. It should work, since silicone is non-stick and easy to unmold desserts from, but it may change the amount of time needed to bake. Start checking for doneness about halfway through and every 5 to 10 minutes after to ensure it does not overbake.

      Reply

  7. I’ve only got a 9 inch springform tin, the cake generally comes up to about an inch, but it’s a wide boi so I don’t mind. I’ll say for those who are also using a 9 inch tin, your cooking time is 20-25 mins at 375.

    Reply

  8. 4 stars
    I have made this twice. The first time it was wonderful!! I think I misread the recipe and added 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda (rather than 3/4 Tablespoon of baking soda). The next time I noticed it was 3/4 Tablespoon, so even though I wasn’t sure, I did add that amount. It tasted horrible because of the extra baking soda, I think. Could you please confirm that amount?
    I was also confused about the texture it should be before removing it from the oven. The recipe mentions cooking until a toothpick comes out clean…which I did the first time, and it took an extra 10+ minutes to bake. But later in the recipe a custard like texture is mentioned…so I didn’t know how a toothpick could come out clean before removing it from the oven. Could you please comment?

    Reply

    1. Hi PJ! Thanks for trying the recipe. The custard-like texture happens after the milk mixture has been poured onto the fully baked cake. When the cake comes out of the oven, it will not be custardy, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
      The baking soda quantity is correct, but it’s possible it tasted bad because your baking soda is expired. If the first time was wonderful, stick to that quantity of baking soda since it sounds like it worked for you!

      Reply

  9. 5 stars
    I added Madagascar vanilla bean extract and Ceylon cinnamon and coconut sugar and I used heavy whipping cream for milk and coconut sugar again wth alittle salt

    Reply