• Cinnamon sugar - In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Combine well and set aside for now.
  4 tbsp Melted butter, ¼ cup Brown sugar, 1½ tbsp Cinnamon powder
• Apple mixture - Use a vegetable peeler to peel the apples, and a corer to core the apples. Then, dice them into small 1/4-inch cubes. Place in a medium bowl, and add the lemon juice, salt, and spices. Combine well

  Pro tip - Do not cut the apples too early to prevent them from oxidizing. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent them as well.
  2 cups Apples, ¼ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Cinnamon powder, ¼ tsp Ground ginger, ¼ tsp Nutmeg

Cake batter

• Oven / Pan - Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas mark 3. Grease and line an 8 x 8-inch square cake pan.

  Pro tip - When you line the pan with parchment leave an overhang so you can pick the cake out of the pan.
• Dry ingredients - In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
  2 cups All-purpose Flour, ¾ tsp Baking soda, ¼ tsp Baking powder, ½ tsp Salt, 1 tsp Cinnamon powder, ¼ tsp Ground ginger, ¼ tsp Nutmeg
• Wet ingredient - In a bowl of a stand mixer whip the whole eggs for a minute. Then, gradually add both the white and brown sugar. Whip until sugar is almost dissolved. Next, gradually add the oil while whipping simultaneously. Followed by the apple sauce and vanilla extract.
  ¾ cup Oil, ⅓ cup Brown sugar, ⅓ cup Granulated sugar, 2 large Eggs, ⅓ cup Apple sauce, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• Dry to wet ingredients - Next, add the flour and combine well. Next, fold in the apple mixture and chopped nuts. Combine well but do not overmix.
  ½ cup Nuts
• Assemble - Pour the apple cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Pour the cinnamon sugar on top. Spread it evenly and create a few swirls making sure to combine some of the cinnamon sugar with the cake batter.
• Bake - Transfer the cake to the oven and bake it on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

  Pro tip - the apples do keep the cake moist so make sure to put the skewer into the batter part of the cake to get a correct doneness test.
• Cool - When done baking cool for at least 20 minutes before you cut the cake into slices.

  Pro tip - If you let the cake cool completely, it will cut into pretty slices without breaking apart.