There’s nothing quite like the aroma of fresh apple cake baking in the oven. This apple cake turns out tender and moist. Enjoy it with coffee for breakfast, or slice it warm on a cozy fall day!
It’s easy enough to bake on a Sunday afternoon, yet impressive enough to serve your guests. Love apple desserts? Try my Puff Pastry Apple Tarts or Apple Cinnamon Muffins!
As the evenings start to cool, I can’t help but get excited about fall baking! This fresh apple cake, much like my classic apple pie recipe, is a family favorite in the fall, though it’s delicious any time of year!
I first shared the recipe in 2020. The original used melted butter, which added a rich aroma but didn’t turn out as tender as I’d hoped. After a few rounds of re-testing, I found that using oil instead keeps the crumb extra soft, tender, and fluffy – just like in my Strawberry Bread and Lemon Raspberry Cake.
I love making my fresh apple cake with crunchy honeycrisp apples. They hold their shape beautifully and keep a crisp tender texture even after baking.
I hope you love my new and improved fresh apple cake recipe! You won’t even miss the butter. This cake will make you feel right at home.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- Fresh apple flavors. Using honeycrisp apples will give a nice tender crunch. Warm, comforting and gently spiced!
- Moist and tender crumb. The oil, yogurt and fresh apples make it happen!
- Versatile. Great for breakfast, as a snack, or dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
- Make ahead and freezer friendly. It warms up nicely!
Ingredient Notes
Many of the ingredients needed are pantry staples. Below are a few notes from recipe testing to make this tasty fresh apple cake.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure, while still allowing for a tender crumb.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Both work together to give the apple cake a lift and an extra tender crumb.
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: These spices go great with apples for a warm spice.
- Salt: Always enhances flavors in baked goods.
- Vegetable oil: The magic ingredient! Keeps the cake moist, tender and soft. Note – I’ve tested this apple cake with butter, and oil always yields a much tender and moist cake.
- Large eggs: Provide structure to the cake and hold the batter together.
- Granulated and brown sugar: For sweetness. The brown sugar, specifically, adds nice molasses flavor and additional moisture, while balancing the sweetness.
- Greek yogurt: Adds tangy flavor and moisture.
- Vanilla extract: For flavor!
- Apples: I recommend fresh Honeycrisp apples, peeled and diced evenly.
- Chopped pecans: Optional.
- For the caramel sauce: unsalted butter, brown sugar, salt, and heavy cream.
As always, ingredient quantities are located in the recipe card down below.
How to Make Fresh Apple Cake
This fresh apple cake is very simple to make and is perfect for fall. Let’s make it!
Step 1: First, preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9×13 baking pan with butter. Dry ingredients- in a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg until evenly combined.
Step 2: In another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients, including eggs, vegetable oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, Greek yogurt and vanilla extract.
Step 3: Whisk the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until evenly mixed. Do not overmix. The batter should be moist and somewhat thick.
Step 4: Fold in the diced apples and chopped pecans using a rubber spatula.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the greased pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50–55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. At the 45-minute mark, loosely cover with foil to prevent the top from browning too fast.
Step 6: To make the caramel sauce, melt butter, brown sugar, salt, and cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring, until thickened. It may look separated at first, but it will come together as it simmers. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Step 7: Remove the fresh apple cake from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes before serving. When ready to serve, cut into squares and drizzle with the caramel sauce. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Use firm apples, such as honeycrisp apples, that hold shape and have a slight crunch even after baking. Other options are Braeburn or Fuji. Don’t use Red Delicious apples as they will turn mushy.
- Don’t overmix the batter. The batter will be slightly thick. I’d recommend mixing everything by hand using a rubber spatula.
- Let the apple cake bake undisturbed to ensure it rises evenly. Opening the oven door many times can disrupt the temperature, causing the cake to deflate.
- Caramel sauce: At first the caramel might look like the butter is separating from the sugar, but it will come together as it simmers.
- If the caramel hardens, warm it up in a microwave for a few seconds before drizzling. Stir every 5-10 seconds.
Make Ahead and Freezing
Make Ahead: This fresh apple cake keeps well in an airtight container for 1 to 2 days at room temperature, or up to 5 days in the fridge.
Freeze: Once cooled, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. For slices, layer with parchment before wrapping. Thaw at room temperature before serving, and warm it up in the oven at 325F until warm to your liking.
Recipe FAQs
Honeycrisp apples are my go-to to make fresh apple cake because they stay firm with a tender crunch even after baking. Another great option is fuji apples. Do not use Red Delicious since they will become too soft.
Yes, the batter will be somewhat thick, so I’d recommend mixing by hand using a rubber spatula. Be sure not to overmix.
No. The previous version of this apple cake recipe called for butter, but after multiple rounds of re-testing, I found that vegetable oil yields a much more tender and softer crumb.
Yes, the caramel sauce is completely optional.
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Fresh Apple Cake
Equipment
- 3-quart saucepan for the caramel sauce
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour - spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg - optional
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil - do not substitute with butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups peeled and diced honeycrisp apples - from about 2 large apples
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- Butter - for greasing the pan
Caramel Sauce
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream - as needed, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with butter. Set aside.
- Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Wet ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, vegetable oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until evenly combined.
- Gradually, whisk in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until evenly mixed, using a rubber spatula. Do not overmix. The batter will be somewhat thick.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the diced apples and chopped pecans.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan and smooth the top over. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. At the 45-minute mark, cover loosely with foil to prevent the top from browning too much.
- Make the caramel sauce: Melt all the caramel sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat, and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until thickened, stirring. Transfer to a bowl to cool slightly. Note: It may look separated at first, but it will come together as it simmers.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. To serve, cut into squares and drizzle with warm caramel on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use honeycrisp apples for best results. Don’t use Red Delicious apples as they will disintegrate.
- Caramel: At first the caramel might look like the butter is separating from the sugar, but it will come together as it simmers. If the caramel hardens, warm it up in a microwave for a few seconds. Stir every 5-10 seconds.
- Make ahead: This fresh apple cake freezes so well and tastes wonderful after it has been thawed and warmed up. You can make the cake as written and let it completely cool.
- Freezing: Once cooled, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then transfer to a freezer bag to keep frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Storage: Place any leftover cake slices in an airtight container and let sit at room temperature for 1-2 days. Any longer than that it can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Apples: Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, Gala
- Pecans: Walnuts.
- Caramel sauce: Omit or use store-bought
David says
This was delicious and so moist! This batch included walnuts which made it even better!