Fresh apple cake is synonymous with fall, isn't it? Many years ago, my husband's Grandma Frieda Haeker passed along her special recipe. I chased her down after a family get-together to get it. I look back with so much fondness to the days when families gathered more often. Depending on the time of year, the dessert table would feature whatever fruit was in season. When fall rolled around, there was invariably some amazing apple creation on the table. This is one of them! But, like anyone who loves to cook and bake, I've made a few changes of my own! Grandma Frieda's recipe called for strong coffee as one ingredient. I decided to try freeze-dried coffee granules instead and love the subtle flavor it gives this simple cake. The fragrance of cardamom brings back happy childhood memories for me so I used it in my version instead of the more traditional cinnamon and nutmeg. I fondly remember the cardamom-scented sweets we ate when my Danish cousins gathered back in Iowa. The old Danes washed down all the goodies with gallons of hot coffee so I consider this combination of flavors a very good marriage! It starts with some nice tart apples. In this recipe, I used Jazz apples but Granny Smith, Braeburns, or your favorite tart apple will work great too! I peeled the apples and cut into wedges then chopped them in my food processor, pulsing as I went along. You can chop them any way you like, but stop when you get to chunks about the size of a raisin. The cake goes together easily. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cream together the sugar and eggs until fluffy, then gradually add the oil and finally the vanilla. Continue beating until thick and smooth. Next, add the dry ingredients alternately with the chopped apples and mix just until it's all blended well. Bake at 350 degrees in a greased 9" x 13" pan for about 40-45 minutes. The cake will pull back slightly from the sides of the pan and a toothpick or cake tester should come out clean. Once the cake is completely cool, slather on the easy cream cheese frosting. The bit of tang in the cream cheese plays nicely with the dense, moist cake. You don't need to get too stylish with the frosting application because we'll add a fun garnish that's one part Fancy Nancy and one part Simple Simon! To make this pretty garnish, all you need is some bottled caramel ice cream topping and a handful of chopped pecans. Toast them if you like! Starting in a corner, drizzle the caramel topping diagonally from left to right and back again until you've covered the whole cake. Now, just take a table knife and pull through the caramel lines in the opposite direction. While everything is still soft and hasn't set, sprinkle about one-half cup of chopped pecans over the top. Ta-Da!! Pretty enough for the Thanksgiving table! A dense moist cake with subtle notes of coffee and cardamom Beat egg and sugar together until fluffy then gradually add oil and vanilla. Continue beating until thick and smooth. I used my food processor to chop the apples. Alternately add apples and dry ingredients. Mix until well blended. Bake at 350 degrees in a greased 13' x 9" pan for about 45 minutes. Sides will pull back slightly from pan. Let cool completely before frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, vanilla, and butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar to the bowl and begin beating at lowest speed. Hint: I wrap a clean dishtowel around the bowl and mixer head to keep the sugar from flying all over my counter! Beat until it's smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. What's your favorite apple dessert recipe? If you enjoyed this recipe today, pleaseshare it on your social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. I’d sure be tickled and ever so grateful, thank you!😊 If you haven’t already, check out myFacebook pagewhere I’ll be posting easy, delicious, and family-friendly recipes every week! Love, GB (Betty Streff)
How To Make This Fresh Apple Cake From Scratch
Here's A Deceptively Easy Garnish
Autumn Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Frosting
Frosting Instructions
FAQs
What is a secret ingredient for cakes? ›
Mayonnaise: The Hidden Gem in Cake Recipes
Made up of eggs and oil, mayonnaise acts as an emulsifier, adding creaminess and moisture to your cake.
Which apples bake best? For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. We call these apples “baking apples” and to namedrop, they include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.
Why does my apple cake fall apart? ›Why Did My Apple Cake Fall Apart? There are two main reasons why an apple cake would fall apart: (1) it was simply too warm when you were trying to cut and serve it or (2) you used too many/the wrong kind of apple.
Why is my apple cake raw in the middle? ›- It may be that your oven is running hot. ...
- If the oven temperature is correct, another issue may be pan size. ...
- If the pans are the correct size and the oven is running true-to-temp, the other issue may be your ingredients.
Use Real Butter
It's also made from plant oils, whereas, butter is made from dairy and rich in saturated fats. That fat helps create moisture in our cakes. So when you're at the store, make sure you reach for butter (I always use unsalted), not margarine.
Most cakes will call for a leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. These create the bubbles you need for the cake to rise. If the flour you use is self-raising, it already has a leavening agent in it. Make sure your butter is room temperature, and beat the butter and sugar together until properly creamed.
What 4 apples are best used for baking? ›- Jazz.
- Pazazz.
- Honeycrisp.
- Pink Lady.
- Jonagold.
- Fuji.
- Rome.
1 pound of apples will make about 3 cups sliced or cubed. 4 tennis ball-sized apples weigh about a pound.
Can you use old apples for baking? ›Apples that are past their prime might not be great for biting into as an afternoon snack or for a recipe with visible apple slices, but they've still got plenty of flavor. Older apples are great for baking (especially if they're one of the varieties best for baking).
Why is my apple cake too moist? ›The ratio of wet to dry ingredients determines a cake's moisture level. If there's simply too much flour and not enough butter, a cake will taste dry. On the other hand, if there's too much milk and not enough flour, a cake will taste too wet. Finding the right balance between wet and dry ingredients is key.
How do you keep apples from sinking to the bottom of a cake? ›
The best way to avoid sinking fruit is to toss the fruit in a couple of tablespoons of the flour (just use some from the measured amount for the recipe) to coat it lightly. Once added to the cake mixture the flour coating will thicken the batter immediately surrounding the fruit and help suspend the fruit.
How do you fix a dry apple cake after baking? ›If your cake is dry, there are a few things you can do to fix it. One option is to add a wet ingredient, like water, milk, or fruit juice. You can also try heating the cake in the oven for a few minutes. If your cake is really dry, you may need to add some oil or melted butter as well.
How do you know when apple cake is done? ›The idea behind this test is you can insert a toothpick or paring knife into the center of the cake to see if the crumb has set. If the tester comes out clean, it's done. If it comes out gummy or with crumbs clinging to it, the cake needs more time in the oven.
How much baking powder should you put in a cake? ›The advice is: For every 150g plain flour, add 2tsp baking powder. Only add baking powder for every 150g - e.g. 150g, 300g, 450g, 600g, etc. If a recipe asks for extra baking powder or bicarbonate of soda in the list of ingredients then leave this out.
What temperature do you bake a cake? ›The majority of cakes are baked in a regular oven at 180c (350F/Gas Mk 4), on the centre shelf of the oven.
What's a good secret ingredient? ›- Fennel Seeds – Fennel seeds with its subtly sweet, and mildly citrusy flavor have a unique flavor that really isn't comparable to other foods. ...
- Fish sauce – Fish sauce offers an umami flavor with salty, savory, and earthy notes, complemented by a subtle sweetness.
- Have the right butter consistency. ...
- Read the whole recipe beforehand. ...
- Prep all the ingredients ahead of time. ...
- Use an oven thermometer. ...
- Keep that oven closed! ...
- Don't skip chilling. ...
- Try storing your cookies with bread. ...
- Don't over mix the ingredients.
Combine ingredients as gently as possible without overmixing. Creamed butter and sugar should be pale and fluffy, never yellow and gritty. Butter temperature is a vital detail that should not be overlooked. Don't open the oven door until goods are done baking.