Easy Apple Cake

Easy Apple Cake made with fresh apples and a light vanilla sponge, a scrumptious dessert that is simple, but packed with incredible flavours. Particularly delicious in Autumn when there is an abundance of fresh produce, this apple cake can also be enjoyed throughout the year.

Apples may be easily available throughout the year, but there is something particularly delicious about them in Autumn when they are at their best and sweetest. And picking your own apple is such a fun activity for the whole family.

I absolutely love apple desserts, from the good old apple pie, to my delicious apple upside down cake or the fantastic apple crumble with oats. And that's just to name a few, I have lots of other great apple recipes on the blog.

But the simplicity of this super easy apple cake is hard to beat. No unnecessary fillings, cream or other rich ingredients, this cake is light and moist, and it keeps well for days.

Just sprinkle it with some icing sugar for extra sweetness and a more appealing look, and you are in for a treat, this apple dessert goes down well with kids and grown ups alike.

Jump to:

• Ingredients needed
• Step-by-step photos and instructions
• Expert tips
• Other apple desserts
• Easy Apple Cake

Ingredients needed

• flour - I used self-raising flour for a lighter sponge
• sugar - caster sugar, but granulated sugar is also ok
• milk - as with all my bakes, I prefer full-fat milk, but semi-skimmed is also ok
• apples - I used cooking apples, which are slightly tart as compared to the eating apples
• lemon juice - helps prevent the apples from browning too quickly
• baking powder - helps get a better rise in the sponge
• eggs - at room temperature
• oil - it makes the sponge light and fluffy, melted butter can also be used
• vanilla extract - or any other extract of your choice

Step-by-step photos and instructions

1. In a large bowl, crack the eggs and add the sugar
2. Use a hand mixer to beat them very well until you have a pale yellow colour and a creamy texture
3. Sift in the flour, add the baking powder, vanilla extract, milk and oil, and give everything a good mix
4. Peel the apples and thinly slice them on the grater
5. Add the lemon juice from one lemon to the apples, and toss them well to avoid them from browning too quickly
6. Add the apples to the batter, and mix well to incorporate
7. Line a round cake tin (mine is 23 cm in diameter, or 9 inches) with non-stick paper, add the batter, and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 30-35 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean
8. Leave the cake to cool down, then sprinkle icing sugar over it.

Expert tips

There is no need to precook the apples before adding them to the batter, slicing them thinly helps them soften better while in the oven.

I opted for a vanilla flavour for the sponge, but you can also add a pinch of cinnamon for a more Autumn touch, apples and cinnamon are known for making one happy marriage.

You can also make the cake as a traybake, and bake it in a baking tray - I would double up the ingredients for that though, as there won't be enough batter, depending on the size of your tray.

Other apple desserts

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