The fact that this Apple Cake can be for breakfast, dessert, or with a cup of coffee in the afternoon makes it a big winner. The smell of this cake while baking is amazing as well. Your house will smell heavenly!
One thing I love about this recipe is that it is not too sweet, it is simple, and the combination of flavor and texture make it glorious. It is delicious any time of year but during apple season, it should be mandatory to make one! We love to go apple picking in the fall and this is always the first thing I make.
I always dust the top with confectioners’ sugar, and it makes for beautiful presentation – yes, I do this even when it is just for the family! If I am feeling fancy, I will add a dollop of whipped cream on top when I am serving pieces.
I have made this recipe for baby showers, bridal showers, brunches, birthdays, and afternoon tea – every time I receive compliments and requests for the recipe. That alone tells you that this is one recipe you will crave and make quite often.
Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
3 large apples – peeled (if desired) and cut into pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup whole milk yogurt
½ cup butter – melted and cooled
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioner sugar for dusting
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Line a 9-inch round baking pan with parchment paper, or grease well with butter or spray with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the sugar and eggs until you obtain a creamy and fluffy texture. About 5-8 minutes.
Using a wooden spoon, fork, or spatula, stir in the yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Don’t use the electric mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Combine the dry ingredients with the wet mixture and stir gently until well combined.
Add the apples and mix gently.
Place the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
If the cake starts to brown too much on top, tent the top with foil during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Cool and dust cake with confectioner sugar. If desired, serve with freshly whipped cream.
NOTES
Apples: There are certain varieties that work best in recipes that bake apples. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, and Jonagold are all perfect for this Apple Cake. You can use what you have on hand or one that is your favorite.
Baking Time: Depending on the moisture content of the apples, the baking time might be a bit longer.
Gluten Free: I have used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 in place of the regular flour and it turned out great.
Butter: If you prefer to use oil, the cake will be delicious, but you won’t have the flavor that butter provides, and the texture will be a bit different. If you do use oil, I suggest olive oil. It may sound odd but trust me, it gives the cake wonderful flavor.
Yogurt: The whole milk yogurt is important to the texture. Sour cream is a good substitute. If you want to use a low fat yogurt, find one that is good quality and thick.