Teddie's Apple Cake

By Amanda Hesser

Updated September 18, 2026

  • Jim Wilson/The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Rating
5(4,012)
Comments
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In a modern world of Cinnamon Hot Pockets and Pecan Pie Pringles, apple-picking is one of the few agricultural rituals we can all still get our hands into. This cake, which appeared in The Times in a 1973 article by Jean Hewitt, is a godsend to anyone who has overloaded at the pick-your-own orchard or overbought at the farmers’ market. Like many simple cakes, this one uses neutral oil that lets the fruit flavor come through, rather than show-offy butter.

Featured in: 1973: Teddie’s Apple Cake

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

  • Butter for greasing pan

  • 3 cups flour, plus more for dusting pan

  • 1 ½ cups vegetable oil

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 3 eggs

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 3 cups peeled, cored and thickly sliced tart apples, like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith

  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

  • 1 cup raisins

  • Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

109 grams carbs; 69 milligrams cholesterol; 962 calories; 33 grams monounsaturated fat; 15 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 56 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 481 milligrams sodium; 10 grams protein; 67 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

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch tube pan. Beat the oil and sugar together in a mixer (fitted with a paddle attachment) while assembling the remaining ingredients. After about 5 minutes, add the eggs and beat until the mixture is creamy.

  2. Step 2

    Sift together 3 cups of flour, the salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir into the batter. Add the vanilla, apples, walnuts and raisins and stir until combined.

  3. Step 3

    Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before turning out. Serve at room temperature with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
4,012 user ratings
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Comments

mjSVCA (Part 2 of 2)

...and the list.

RECIPES CALLING FOR 2 TO 2 ½ CUPS OF FLOUR USE:

4 (6x3x2-in.) mini-loaf pans
1 12-muffins tin (2 1/2x1 ¼-in. ea. muffin)
2 (8x4-in.) loaf pans
1 (9x5-in.) loaf pan
1 (10-in.) springform pan
1 (10-in.) tube, kugelhopf, or Bundt pan
2 (10-in.) deerback loaf pans
1 (9x13-in.) baking pan
2 (8x8-in.) baking pans
2 (9-in.) layer pans
1 (10-in.) fluted deep quiche pan
2 (8x12-in.) fluted baking pans
2 (3-cup) heart molds

Robert

I am SO OLD, I have this recipe snipped from the original 1973 NYTimes pasted onto a recipe card! Bar none - the BEST apple cake you'll ever make!

Catalina

And reduce the sugar to at least 1 1/2 cups. Way to much sugar, like many American cakes.

Maty

One of my favorite fall cakes. I substituted half of the oil with sour cream and I didn't have raisins this time so I used dried cranberries instead. It was absolutely delicious.

note

Cake was dry

Gin

This is so easy and so yummy! I cut the recipe in half, using two eggs and two apples. Following comments, I used half oil and half butter, I floured and sugared, used craisins and sprinkled a little sugar on top right out of the oven. It made a loaf pan (one of the foil ones so my daughter wouldn’t have to return my pan!) and a mini loaf pan for me. Think I’ll try it again this week with some pears that a neighbor gifted me from their tree instead of apples.

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