Old-Fashioned Apple Cake

This moist Apple Cake recipe is an old-fashioned, easy dessert that has been loved for generations! Studded with bits of fresh apples and chopped pecans, the simple Bundt cake is a perfect fall treat.

How to Make Apple Cake | 1-Minute Video

Moist Apple Cake Recipe

This is truly the best apple cake recipe! I grew up on apple cake, which my mom would bake each fall when apple season rolled around. While the dessert is delicious enough to serve for the holidays, it's so simple and easy that it's equally appropriate for a regular Sunday supper. In fact, you probably have all of the ingredients that you need in your kitchen right now!

The old-fashioned fresh apple cake recipe (sometimes called "Apple Dapple Cake") stays super-moist thanks to plenty of oil and juicy apples in the batter. It has nice, crisp edges from the Bundt pan, and absorbs a rich caramel glaze as it cools. You'll love the combination of warm autumn spices paired with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's simple, rustic and oh-so-delicious!

Which kind of apples should I use for Apple Cake?

You can use just about any of your favorite apples in this cake. I picked Honey Crisp here because I had a peck from a local farm, but a combination of Honey Crisp and Granny Smith apples is delicious, too. The mix of varieties adds a nice blend of sweet-and-tart flavors to the cake. Gala, Fuji, Braeburn and Jonagold apples are other sweet options that hold up well in the baking process. In general, you want firm (not mushy) apples for baking.

Should you peel apples for Apple Cake?

Yes, peeling the apples helps them blend into the cake and eliminates a potentially unpleasant chewy, tough texture.

How to make Old-Fashioned Fresh Apple Cake

The process for making this fresh apple cake from scratch could not be easier! You simply mix the wet ingredients together, sift the dry ingredients together, and then combine into one batter. It's a lot like making a quick bread such as banana bread -- no fancy techniques necessary!

Ingredients

• Eggs
• Sugar
• Vegetable oil
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Cinnamon and nutmeg
• Vanilla extract
• Pecans (or sub with walnuts)
• Apples
• Brown sugar
• Butter
• Milk

Step 1: Mix Wet Ingredients

First, use an electric mixer to beat together the eggs, sugar and oil until light and fluffy.

Step 2: Sift Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Step 3: Add Dry Ingredients to Wet Ingredients

Add the flour mixture to the oil and egg mixture, beating until combined. Mix in the vanilla extract and you'll have a nice, thick batter.

Step 4: Fold in Apples and Nuts

Gently fold in the apples and pecans until completely dispersed throughout.

Step 5: Transfer to Bundt Pan

Transfer the batter to a well greased and floured Bundt pan.

Step 6: Bake

Bake the cake in a 350 degree F oven for 70-80 minutes (mine is typically done within 70 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for a few minutes while you prepare the glaze, and then turn the cake out onto a wire rack.

Step 7: Prepare Caramel Glaze

While the cake is hot, make the glaze by boiling brown sugar, butter, milk and vanilla extract for about 2 minutes over medium heat. Whisk frequently while the mixture cooks.

Step 8: Drizzle Glaze on Cake

While the cake is still warm, pour the hot glaze all over the top and sides. A lot of the glaze will run off, but the warm cake will also absorb a lot of it -- adding moisture and flavor to the already very moist cake!

Once the cake is cool, slice and serve!

How to Serve this Easy Apple Cake Recipe

I find that it's easiest to slice the cake cleanly when the cake has cooled to room temperature. It's delicious warm, but the cake may crumble a little bit when you cut into it. The cake is absolutely delicious on its own -- not too sweet, but just sweet enough -- so it works well for breakfast or brunch with a cup of coffee or tea. For a real dessert treat, try topping a slice with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

Storage

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If your house is particularly warm, it's best to store the cake in the refrigerator. Remove the cake from the fridge an hour before serving to let it come back to room temperature.

Wrapped tightly, the cake will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tips for the Best Apple Cake Recipe

• Grease and flour the Bundt pan before adding the batter to prevent sticking. For a convenient shortcut, I like to use this baking spray that has flour in it. Nothing ever sticks to the pan when I use this stuff!
• Drizzle the glaze on the cake while the cake is still hot. The warm cake will absorb the glaze, which adds moisture and flavor to the dessert. If the cake is cool, the glaze will just drip down the sides and onto the plate.
• For easy cleanup, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the cake on a wire cooling rack on top of the foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and allow the excess glaze to fall down onto the foil.
• Substitute chopped walnuts for the pecans in this recipe.
• How much cinnamon in apple cake? I use just 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for this recipe, but you can play around with the spices and add more for a stronger flavor. If you like a lot of cinnamon, increase the amount to 2 teaspoons. You can also add a dash of ground ginger, allspice and cloves to the batter.
• To Bake the Cake in a Regular Pan: The Bundt pan gives the cake a beautiful texture -- moist on the inside and slightly crisp on the edges. If you prefer, however, you can bake the batter in a 9 x 13-inch pan, and decrease the baking time to about 40-45 minutes.

What to Make with Lots of Apples

• Apple Bread
• Easy Apple Crisp
• Homemade Applesauce
• Easy Apple Galette
• Apple Dump Cake
• Old-Fashioned Cranberry Apple Crisp

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4.58 from 7 votes

Old-Fashioned Apple Cake

This moist Apple Cake is an old-fashioned, easy dessert that has been loved for generations!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple cake, moist apple cake recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes

Servings 16 slices

Calories 485kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

CAKE:

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples

GLAZE:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
• ½ cup milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan; set aside.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the eggs, sugar and oil until light and fluffy.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Add vanilla; mix. Gently fold in the nuts and apples.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for a few minutes while you make the glaze, then turn out onto a wire rack. Glaze the cake while it’s still warm.

MAKE THE GLAZE:

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Boil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Pour the hot glaze over the warm cake.

Video

Notes

• Grease and flour the Bundt pan before adding the batter to prevent sticking. For a convenient shortcut, I like to use this baking spray that has flour in it. Nothing ever sticks to the pan when I use this stuff!
• Drizzle the glaze on the cake while the cake is still hot. The warm cake will absorb the glaze, which adds moisture and flavor to the dessert. If the cake is cool, the glaze will just drip down the sides and onto the plate.
• For easy cleanup, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the cake on a wire cooling rack on top of the foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and allow the excess glaze to fall down onto the foil.
• Substitute chopped walnuts for the pecans in this recipe.
• How much Cinnamon in Apple Cake? I use just 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for this recipe, but you can play around with the spices and add more for a stronger flavor. If you like a lot of cinnamon, increase the amount to 2 teaspoons. You can also add a dash of ground ginger, allspice and cloves to the batter.
• To Bake the Cake in a Regular Pan: The Bundt pan gives the cake a beautiful texture -- moist on the inside and slightly crisp on the edges. If you prefer, however, you can bake the batter in a 9 x 13-inch pan, and decrease the baking time to about 40-45 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 156IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg