Moist, sweet, delicious, and totally satisfying, this Apple Cake needs no further embellishment. Just make, bake, slice and enjoy.
This is a very special cake and it’s my Dad’s favorite. For as long as I can remember, I’ve made this apple cake for his birthday every year. My Dad hides it because he doesn’t like to share it with others. If you ask him for a piece, he just looks at you and says nothing. I think he pretends he didn't hear the question then changes the subject.
This is the kind of cake you eat and not worry so much about it looking pretty. Instead of focusing on the look, all the focus is put into the flavor. As you can see from the pictures, I didn’t sprinkle it with sugar or pour a glaze over it. I just kept it simple.
What makes this apple cake special?
The apples used for this cake are McIntosh because of their soft texture. As you can see from the photo, there are dark spots here and there on the outer crust of the apple cake. Those are the apples that melted while baking creating sweet spots of flavor.
What adds to the prep time is the peeling and dicing of the apples. I take the time to remove all of the peel along corer.
That includes the endocarp, which is the center of the apple that surrounds the seed. It’s sharp, unpleasant, and it’s not something you want in your apple cake. Once the apples are prepared, this cake comes together very easily. It takes 1 hour 30 minutes to bake, and although that seems like a long time, it’s worth the wait and your house will smell amazing!
To contrast with the super moist interior of the cake, the bundt pan is greased then sprinkled with sugar to create a crunchy exterior that is out of this world.
Cinnamon is combined with the dry ingredients and also mixed with the apples to give it some spice.
The apples are not only distributed throughout the cake but also are layered in between the batter prior to baking to give you extreme apple goodness. You can choose to mix in all the apples if you wish. Either way will give you delicious results.
Oil is used rather than butter which contributes to its moistness and shelf life, should it last longer than a day or two.
Four eggs are whipped for 5 minutes with the sugar until it’s nice and thick.
Both white and brown sugars are used to create a tender sweet cake. Although both sugars contribute to a tender cake, the molasses in the brown adds a caramel flavor.
This cake is usually picked up and eaten by hand and not eaten with a fork or placed on a plate. I don’t know if it’s because the anticipation of eating it makes us forget about proper table manners or if it’s just how this cake should be eaten. Of course, you should serve on a pretty plate and eat this cake properly with a utensil, that is if you can control yourself.
Once it’s baked, let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes then turn it onto a rack to cool. As it cools, the outer layer crisps up creating an unbelievable crust to contrast with the moist interior. This cake is truly delicious!
Want another exceptional cake to make for your family and friends? You must try my grandmother’s pisco cake. It’s out of this world!
Try this apple cake and enjoy the flavors of fall. Once you take a bite through the sugary crust and taste the spicy sweetness of the apples and cinnamon, you’ll see why it’s my Dad’s favorite.
This is for you Dad.
Life is too short for mediocre food.
Apple Cake
PRINT PIN SAVEIngredients
- 2 tablespoons sugar for pan
Prepare Apples:
- 4 medium McIntosh apples peeled, cored, and diced
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
For Cake:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature*
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup neutral oil vegetable or safflower
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 degrees.
- Prepare a bundt pan with baking spray then sprinkle the pan with 2 tablespoons sugar. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs on medium high speed with the sugars until it lightens in color and becomes thick, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, use a hand mixer and beat eggs and sugar until light and thick.
- With the mixer still running on medium speed, slowly drizzle in the oil allowing it to incorporate into the batter. Add the vanilla.
- Add in the flour mixture and walnuts and mix until mostly incorporated. Then add in roughly ⅔ of the apples and beat for about 30 seconds.
- Pour half of the batter into the bundt pan. Add the remaining apple mixture and distribute it evenly. Pour remaining batter over apples and spread the batter evenly to cover.
- Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. My family likes it cooked 10 minutes longer to create a crunchy outer layer. Check after 1 hour 15 minutes because ovens do vary.
- Cool apple cake on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn over onto rack and let cool before slicing. This cake needs no embellishments as it is simply delicious on its own.
Notes
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Momma D
I've made this cake several times, and it's turned out to be the hit of the meal, every time. For the holidays, I did a light caramel glaze just for a special touch. I've even substituted pecans for the walnuts and it was fine! ( My husband snacked on the walnuts!) This is just simply ca solid recipe!
Natalie
Thank you so much for commenting. You have no idea how happy that made me. This was my Dad's special cake and I made it for him every year for his birthday. I haven't made it since he passed and the day I was supposed to post this very recipe, was the day he passed. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.