Apple Cake

By Yossy Arefi

Published Oct. 18, 2024

Apple Cake
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi.
Total Time
About 1 hour 10 minutes, plus cooling
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Rating
5(441)
Comments
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This cake is a bit of a choose your own adventure. Make it as is, without any topping at all, for a simple apple-packed treat, or pump up the flavor with a coating of cinnamon sugar (or pumpkin spice) that bakes up into a crunchy crust in some spots and gooey glaze in others. If you really want to take it to another level, add a drizzle of cream cheese icing that takes this cake into cinnamon roll territory. Use tart, firm baking apples: Mutsu, Cortland, Braeburn, Northern Spy and Stayman Winesap are all great options. We’ll leave it to you whether to peel or not to peel.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 (9-by-13-inch) cake

    For the Apple Cake

    • ⅔cup/160 milliliters vegetable or canola oil, plus more for the pan
    • 1½cups/300 grams light brown sugar
    • 3large eggs
    • 1tablespoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice
    • 1¼teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
    • 2½cups/320 grams all-purpose flour
    • 2teaspoons baking powder
    • 1teaspoon baking soda
    • 4cups firm, tart apples, cored and chopped into ¼- to -½-inch pieces (about 3 medium apples)

    For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping (optional)

    • 2tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 2teaspoons ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice

    For the Cream Cheese Icing (optional)

    • 2ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
    • ⅓cup/40 grams powdered sugar
    • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice
    • Salt
    • 1 to 3tablespoons milk
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan and line it with a sheet of parchment paper that hangs over the two long sides.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, whisk to combine the oil, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon and salt.

  3. Step 3

    Mix in the flour, baking powder and baking soda with a flexible spatula until a few streaks of flour remain. The batter will be thick.

  4. Step 4

    Fold in the apples until well combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it in an even layer.

  5. Step 5

    If using the cinnamon sugar, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then sprinkle it evenly over the batter.

  6. Step 6

    Bake until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a bit of apple, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before using the parchment paper to transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

  7. Step 7

    If using the cream cheese icing, prepare it while the cake cools. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons milk and whisk until combined. Add a bit more milk, if necessary, to make the glaze thin enough to drizzle.

  8. Step 8

    Drizzle the icing over the cake and enjoy immediately.

Ratings

5 out of 5
441 user ratings
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Comments

Susan C

Such a classic yummy cake! Many apple skins just nearly melt away in baking! And, some people don’t know the reason oil is used in quick cakes like this is that they stay moister, longer. So oil for its keeping qualities. But not just any oil PLEASE. Many grocery oils are unhealthy. I actually use olive oil or avocado oil in place of most any oil. However, I do prefer the flavor of butter. A compromise by using half butter, half olive oil. I do not worry about the olive flavor, it’s overpowered by the spices, and is a zillion times healthier than almost any mystery “vegetable oil” (canola, rapeseed, or the other seed oils) which research shows is awful for our health. Really! I’ve also nearly given up white flour in baking, and sub more healthful alternatives, such as almond flour, oat flour, barley flour. It’s easy to make most whole grains of nuts into flour in the food processor! And it comes out great!

Shannon

Delicious! Made it with browned butter instead of oil for a slight caramel flavor. Next time I would stick to the cinnamon sugar topping and skip the cream cheese part. The crunchy texture is a nicer contrast to the soft cake and the icing is overkill sweetness in my opinion.

Pan??

Would it be okay to use a ceramic or glass baking pan instead of metal?

CB Alex

I read all of the comments before making this dish, noting those that said it was dry and others who said it was very moist. I made it as written and it was inedibly dry. Why does NYT Cooking not review and correct recipes where there are such divergent results? Not a 5-star recipe as it is written, barely 2 stars. A waste of time and ingredients, neither of which I take lightly. Note: the recipe says the batter will be "thick". Be more specific. Pancake batter can be thick. It's relative.

Pippaismydog

Searched potluck and this came up so I made it because it looked easy. I used tea masala ( tea masala has no tea in it analogous to punkin spice) instead of cinnamon. I put a streusel with pecans, flour butter, and oatmeal on the top. I think it was pretty good even for spring time. Apple cake isn’t the first thing you think of when it’s spring I’m sure I want to make this again.

Stacy

Delicious! Made to directions (no peel) without icing. Cooked in 2 rounds and gave one another family. Served with a scoop of vanilla to rave reviews.

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