Apple Pie Cake combines the best of two beloved desserts: the spiced, sweet filling of an apple pie and the soft, moist texture of a cake. This dessert is perfect for apple lovers and makes an excellent centerpiece for any gathering. The warm spices, tender apples, and buttery cake base make this treat irresistible!
Ingredients:
For the apples:
- 4 large apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work well)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the cake:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk (or regular milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar)
For the crumble topping (optional but recommended):
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan with parchment paper.
- Prepare the apples:
- In a medium bowl, toss the sliced apples with cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and lemon juice. Set aside to let the flavors meld while preparing the cake batter.
- Make the cake batter:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a separate large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Assemble the cake:
- Spread half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Layer half of the spiced apple slices on top of the batter.
- Spoon the remaining batter over the apples and spread it gently to cover the apples. Layer the remaining apples on top of the cake.
- Make the crumble topping (optional):
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the apples.
- Bake the cake:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the apples are tender.
- Cool and serve:
- Allow the Apple Pie Cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for extra indulgence.
Enjoy this Apple Pie Cake, a delicious combination of pie and cake that’s perfect for any fall gathering or holiday dessert!
