This cinnamon apple cake is loaded with apples and topped with cinnamon sugar. This moist and light, oil-based cake batter takes just 10 minutes to mix and 40 minutes to bake.
Table of Content
It's apple and pumpkin season already. Where did summer go? We had more lockdown than summer time this year. Well, this year is definitely passing by rather quickly, don't you think?
This week, we made apple pie cake and honey cakes to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. I love distributing gifts to friends and people we work with on a regular basis like the kids' teachers, bus drivers, and escorts. This year, I made mini honey cakes, this cinnamon apple cake and some molasses cookies.
About this cake
The combination of cinnamon and apples is absolutely heavenly and this cake is loaded with both.
The recipe is very simple and easy to make. I've used my oil-based vanilla cake as the base for this recipe with eggs, and both brown and white sugar to add a nice flavor and texture.
To enhance the flavor of the apples, I have even used apple sauce along with the apples. My only issue with this cake was that I did not get pretty slices because I cut the cake while it was still warm. So, the apples did not cool enough and I ended up with rather crumble slices.
And yet, I must say that this is one of the most delicious apple cakes you will make. My kids love it so much, which is why we ended up cutting it while it was still warm.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Apples - Today, I used gala and granny smith. Ideally, I like to use a mix of apples. The granny smith is tart, which helps offset some of the sugar. But, it also holds its shape well, which means you get pieces of apple that haven't disappeared in the cake. Honey crisp and gala soften and add moisture, sweetness, and texture to the cake.
- Flour - I think all-purpose flour works best for this cake. So, do not use anything else.
- Eggs - Always use large eggs, about 60 grams in weight, for the best results.
- Sugar - I am using a combination of brown and white. While you can use all white sugar, I do like the little caramel-like flavor from the molasses in the brown sugar.
- Spices - The flavors we have here of cinnamon, ground ginger and nutmeg remind me of an apple pie. You can also add ½ tsp of pumpkin spice or gingerbread spice to the apples and flour.
- Vanilla - Always use a good quality vanilla extract as it makes a huge difference. It can be expensive, but you can also make your own vanilla extract, bean paste or sugar.
Step by step instructions
Cinnamon sugar
- In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
Apples
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the apples, and a corer to core the apples. Then, dice them into small ½ inch cubes.
Tip - It's best to cut the apples small, so you can cut the cake into neat slices. Or you will have rough edges like mine. 😜 - Place the apples in a bowl, add the salt, cinnamon powder, ground ginger, and nutmeg - Combine well. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent oxidization and set aside.
Cake
- Preheat the oven at 340 F / 170 C.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- Grease an 8 x 8-inch square cake pan.
Tip - Do not line the pan with parchment unless you leave an overhang, so you can pick the cake out of the pan. - In a bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer and mixing bowl like me), whip the eggs for a minute.
- Then, gradually add both the brown and white sugar. Whip until sugar is almost dissolved.
- Next, gradually add the oil and continue to whip for a minute more.
- Then, add the vanilla extract, apple puree, and combine well.
- Next, add the flour in three batches and combine well.
- Finally, add the chopped apples and nuts (pecans or walnuts).
- Pour the batter in the prepared baking pan.
- Generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and pour the melted butter a little at at time trying to cover the top surface.
Tip - The melted butter help the cinnamon sugar stick to the cake. - Cool for at least 20 minutes before you slice into this cake. If you let the cake cool completely, it will cut into pretty slices without breaking apart.
- This cake is delicious warm, cold, or room temperature.
Frequently asked questions
This cake will keep at room temperature for 2 days. You can keep it in the fridge for up to a week. Or freeze it for up to a month.
No, this recipe works best with eggs, but I do have an eggless vanilla cake that is very popular with my readers. Perhaps you can use that for the batter and top it with cinnamon sugar.
If you don't want to make a square cake like this one.
Use two 6-inch round cake pans and make it an apple layer cake.
You can double this recipe to a 9 x 13 sheet cake - moist apple sheet cake.
Or pour the batter into a well-greased and dusted bundt pan for a 'Moist apple bundt cake'.
This recipe can also be baked into 18 beautiful apple cupcakes.
No, this cake has been tested with oil, so it's best to use oil for this recipe.
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Printable Recipe
Cinnamon Apple Cake
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Ingredients
Apples
- 2 cups (250 g) Apples diced into ½- inch pieces
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Cinnamon powder
- ¼ tsp Ground ginger
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg fresh grated
Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) Flour
- ¾ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
- ¼ tsp Ground ginger
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg fresh grated
- ¾ cup Oil flavorless cooking oil
- ⅓ cup (75 g) Brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (65 g) Granulated sugar
- 2 Eggs large
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ cup (70 g) Nuts Pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) Apple sauce or sour cream
Topping
- ¼ cup (50 g) Sugar
- 2 tbsp Cinnamon powder
Extra
- 2 tbsp (30 g) Butter melted
Instructions
Cinnamon sugar
- In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
Apples
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the apples, and a corer to core the apples. Then, dice them into small ½ inch cubes.Tip - It's best to cut the apples small so you can cut the cake into neat slices. Or you will have rough edges like mine. 😜
- Place the apple in a bowl, add the salt, cinnamon powder, ground ginger, and nutmeg - Combine well. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent oxidization and set aside.
Cake
- Preheat the oven at 340 F / 170 C.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- Grease an 8 x 8-inch square cake pan. Tip - Do not line the pan with parchment unless you leave an overhang so you can pick the cake out of the pan.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer and mixing bowl like me), whip the eggs for a minute.
- Then, gradually add both the brown and white sugar. Whip until sugar is almost dissolved.
- Next, gradually add the oil and continue to whip for a minute more.
- Then, add the vanilla extract, apple puree, and combine well.
- Next, add the flour in three batches and combine well.
- Finally, add the chopped apples and nuts (pecans or walnuts).
- Pour the batter in the prepared baking pan.
- Generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and pour the melted butter a little at at time trying to cover the top surface.Tip - The melted butter help the cinnamon sugar stick to the cake.
- Cool for at least 20 minutes before you slice into this cake. If you let the cake cool completely, it will cut into pretty slices without breaking apart.
- This cake is delicious warm, cold, or room temperature.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Bhakti
So, I couldn’t stop myself from baking Apple Cinnamon Cake for October Challenge from your recipes! It was fun baking it, and the result was so flavourful and delicious. The spices, walnuts and apple blended together so well and loved the taste of sprinkled cinnamon sugar. My family enjoyed the cake very much.❤️
All your recipes are no-fail recipes and nobody can stop once tries one of them! Thank you, Veena ji ☺️
#octoberchallenge #veenaazmanov #applecinnamoncake
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Bhakti. Happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Susan Kelley
Very moist and light... perfect for fall. I baked in a ring pan and the family loved it! Thank you for a simply delicious recipe!,
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Susan. Happy to hear that