Nanna’s Apple Cake

Nanna’s Apple Cake is a simple, no-fuss cake that really lets the apples shine. It’s an ugly cake – no doubt about it – but what it lacks in looks it makes up for in flavor. Nanna made this apple cake for years – since I was wee little, and now that she’s not cooking any more, she entrusted the recipe to me and has let me share it with the world. It’s delicious – I hope it becomes one of your treasured recipes, too!

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Nanna’s Apple Cake recipe is all about the simple, humble goodness of apples. Best made in the fall with fresh, seasonal apples, this easy apple cake takes a while to bake but that’s about the most complicated thing about it.

I’ve made this cake sooo many times. I grew up eating it – my mother would make it for work events, or just as a dessert at home. Of course, it gets gobbled up down to the last crumb. Perfected over probably 50+ years, this vintage apple cake recipe is a keeper.

Ingredients

• Butter – I use salted butter.
• Granulated white sugar
• Eggs
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Apples – peeled, cored, sliced
• Ground cinnamon
• Icing sugar

What are the Best APples For This Apple Cake?

Use Honeycrisp, Gala, or another crisp apple that’s not too sweet. The cake itself isn’t overly sweet so the apple flavor can really shine through.

How to make Nanna’s Apple Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 325-F. Line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper and spray the sides with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Peel, core, and cut the apples into 1/3-inch thick slices. Set them aside.
3. Melt the butter and add it to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer). Add the sugar and mix well. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between.
4. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl until combined.
5. Add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar-eggs mixture and mix until combined.
6. Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan and press the apples into the batter in the shape of a ring. The apples should be seated in the batter but not fully covered. The top bit of the apple can stick out. They should be close but not quite touching. Add a second ring inside the first until the batter is filled with apples.
7. Dust the apples with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and bake at 325-F for about 50 minutes.
8. Melt the remaining butter and transfer it to another bowl. Add the remaining sugar and mix until well combined. Mix in the eggs one at a time until blended.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and pour the topping over the cinnamon-dusted apples. Return the cake to a 350-F oven for about 30 minutes or until cooked through.
10. Dust with cinnamon sugar and serve – ½ teaspoon mixed with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.

Chef Jenn’s Tips

• Use fresh, semi-sweet and super crisp apples for the best flavor in this vintage apple cake.
• The cake is done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• For an added twist, consider adding a sprinkle of nutmeg along with the cinnamon.

Make It A Meal

Nanna’s Apple Cake can stand alone as a delectable dessert. However, if you want to make it a complete meal, consider serving it alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. I love it for dessert after a hearty meal of Chicken and Dumplings, German pork loin or a tasty pot pie. It’s also perfect on its own with a cup of tea or coffee.

Storage

To keep Nanna’s Apple Cake as fresh as the day it was made, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you’d like to keep it for longer, freeze the cake. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw it at room temperature.