Easy-as-Pie Apple Cake

Published December 1, 2015

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Total Time
1¼ hours
Rating
5(4,792)
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The name of this cake is somewhat deceiving, since most apple cakes are easier than pie (which is actually never that easy if you’re making it from scratch). In any case, it’s a simple, excellent cake with a tender crumb, subtle spicing and soft pockets of fruit. Serve it plain, or with a dollop of ice cream, whipped cream or crème fraîche. Melissa Clark

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • 1 cup/125 grams unbleached all-purpose flour, more as needed

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 ounces/57 grams unsalted butter (½ stick), softened

  • 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 cups diced apples (from about 2 apples)

  • ½ cup/57 grams toasted pecans, chopped (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

42 grams carbs; 38 milligrams cholesterol; 279 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 12 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 109 milligrams sodium; 3 grams protein; 28 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

  2. Step 2

    In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the egg and mix until smooth.

  3. Step 3

    With the mixer on low, beat in dry ingredients until smooth (at this point the batter will be quite thick). Fold in the apples and nuts by hand.

  4. Step 4

    Spread batter evenly into a greased and floured 9-inch fluted tart or quiche pan with 1-inch sides. (Alternatively you can use a 9-inch cake pan with 1-inch sides.) Bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
4,792 user ratings
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Comments

This recipe appeared in one of my grandmother's community cookbooks (and I'm no youngster, so it's an old recipe). It's about the only cake I make. I make it with apples, pears, rhubarb, plums, blobs of ripe hachiya persimmon; I use different spices and sometimes cocoa; I use olive oil in place of butter; I add up to half of different flours. It's a wonderful recipe.

In name of all of us from the Old World, I would like to thank the author of this recipe for adding the amounts in grams. All hail universally understandable measurements!

"...a greased and floured 9-inch fluted tart or quiche pan..." is round. That's not the same as a 9" square pan which is 81 sq. in. The area of a 9" round pan is ~63.5 sq. in. An 8X8 pan has almost the same area as a 9" round pan.

Why not add the dry spices to the flour? I’ve added dry cranberries once to rave reviews. Crystallized ginger too, to equal praise. An ordinary pie pan is just perfect. Fabulous recipe; it’s become a family favorite.

I made this as written. The batter was very stiff, and after it was baked, the top had a puffy look, rather than the crinkle top look like a brownie. Can someone tell me why that is?

I'm not a cake person, but this is fantastic!!! I increased the quantity of apples to 4c and used about a cup of walnuts instead of pecans. Also increased cinnamon and vanilla to 1.5t and sugar to 3/4 white and 1/2 light brown because the apples from my tree skew sour. Will make again soon.

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Credits

Adapted from "Food52 Baking"

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