What's your favorite type of cake?
For me, the answer is chocolate cake. I'm not fussy about the type, either - it could be this flourless chocolate orange cake, this sticky chocolate cake, or this lighter, fluffier chocolate cake. It just needs to be brimming with rich chocolate flavor, without being too rich or sickly, and definitely not dry and crumbly. Give me a slice of chocolate cake and a cup of tea and I'm one happy camper.
My husband, on the other hand, is an apple cake person. Over the years I've made a number of different apple cakes - some fancy, some more plain, which is more his style. And while the others have all been perfectly good, my search for the ultimate apple cake has continued.
My latest attempt is this spiced Apple Cider Cake. It's brimming with apples - both pureed into the batter and layered on top - and has that rustic look I think any good apple cake should have.
The cake begins with apple slices simmered in a mix of apple cider, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until just tender. A third of that mixture gets pureed and folded into the batter, while the rest gets arranged on top before baking. It's a simple yogurt-based cake - I've used all-purpose flour here, but I think a whole wheat version would be lovely too. While the cake bakes, the remaining soaking liquid reduces into a syrup that gets drizzled over the top the moment it comes out of the oven, for a sticky, moist apple topping over a spiced cake base.
This is the kind of cake that's worth taking a little time out of your afternoon to enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee - or, if you're feeling festive, a glass of apple cider.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Granny Smith apples. Their tartness balances the sweet glaze and they hold their shape well both pureed into the batter and sliced on top. Honeycrisp or Braeburn work as swaps if you prefer a sweeter apple.
- Apple cider. Look for the spiced, unfiltered kind sold in fall. Apple juice works in a pinch, though the flavor will be a bit less complex.
- Greek yogurt. Keeps the cake moist and adds a slight tang. Sour cream is a good one-to-one swap.
- Warm spices. Cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves give the cake its cozy, fall flavor. Out of cardamom? A little extra cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg works fine.
- Vanilla bean. A whole vanilla bean adds real vanilla flavor and those pretty flecks throughout the cake. Swap in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract if you don't have a bean on hand.
Helpful Tips
Slice the apples evenly. Aim for slices about ⅛-inch thick so they layer neatly on top and cook through at the same rate.
Don't skip creaming the butter and sugar. Beating them until pale and fluffy builds air into the batter, which keeps the cake light.
Add the eggs one at a time. This helps the batter stay emulsified instead of curdling, which can happen if you add them all at once.
Let the syrup reduce properly. It should coat the back of a spoon before you take it off the heat - that's what gives the topping its sticky, glossy finish.
Use a springform pan. A 9-inch springform pan makes it much easier to release the cake without disturbing the apple topping.
Variations
- Nutty addition. Fold ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter for crunch.
- Different fruit. Swap half the apples for pears for a slightly different flavor and texture.
- Extra glaze. Double the syrup if you like a really moist, sticky topping.
- Spiced whipped cream. Serve slices with a dollop of cinnamon-spiced whipped cream.
- Mini cakes. Bake the batter in a muffin tin for individual portions - start checking for doneness around 18 to 20 minutes.
Serving Ideas
This cake is lovely served slightly warm, with the syrup still glossy on top - a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream makes it feel extra special. It's also great with a strong cup of coffee or a mug of tea for an afternoon treat, or as a not-too-sweet dessert after a fall dinner.
Storing & Freezing
Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, since the apple topping and glaze keep better chilled. Let it come to room temperature, or warm briefly in the microwave, before serving.
This cake freezes well. Wrap the cooled, unglazed cake tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm gently and add a fresh batch of syrup, if desired.
More Apple Desserts
If you loved this cake, here are a few more apple desserts to try:
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
Apple Topping
- 6 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 cup apple cider
- ½ cup granulated sugar, (or caster sugar)
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 1 cinnamon stick
Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 7 tablespoons butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅔ cup Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Start by making the apple topping. Place the apple cider and granulated sugar in a saucepan set over low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the vanilla seeds and pod, cinnamon stick, and apple slices, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the apples are just tender. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Once the apples are cool, use a slotted spoon to transfer about ⅓ of the apple slices (with a splash of the syrup) to a blender or food processor, puree until smooth, and set aside. Leave the remaining apple slices in the syrup.
- To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and place the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; cream until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the apple puree. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices, and fold into the batter. Finally, stir in the Greek yogurt until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a 9-inch round springform pan lined with parchment paper, and spread until smooth. Starting from the center, lift the remaining apple slices out of the syrup and arrange them in a circle, repeating until the whole top is covered. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- About 10 minutes before the cake is ready, place the remaining apple cider syrup mixture over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until the syrup has reduced and turned a deeper golden color.
- When the cake comes out of the oven, drizzle the top with the apple cider syrup and let cool before serving.
Sneh | Cook Republic says
Such a lovely cake Jen!! My fav would have to be Apple Crumble (although not a cake) 🙂
Jennifer says
Mmmm apple crumble is such a classic. I love it too. 😀
Joanne T Ferguson says
WOW! I am not a baker per se!But the apple and cinnamon combination would make anyone's day!
Jennifer says
I agree, apple and cinnamon is such a great combination. I love cardamon and cloves with apples too.
Rosa says
A delicious treat, I'm sure! I am a sucker for apple cakes. Nice clicks and lovely presentation/props.Cheers,Rosa
Kathryn says
This cake really does sound delicious and it looks beautiful - such stunning pictures!
Jennifer says
Thanks Kathryn. I was quite pleased with how it turned out, and more importantly it got my husbands seal of approval. 😀
Martyna @ Wholesome Cook says
Love that crust on this Jennifer, and the moist crumb on the inside. It screams to be eaten! My favourite cake, it would probably have to be carrot cake, or a good tiramisu with cream instead of mascarpone. Yes, lots of creammmm.... and that's what I'd serve this baby with!
Christine @ Cooking Crusade says
Mmm I just love apple cakes but I think I'm with you that chocolate is the best!! hehe.
Danijela says
When it comes to cakes, I am not really an expert, so I stick to the good old apple pie. But I like your recipe, just lovely!
Jennifer says
I agree, you can't beat a good apple pie. It's another one of my husbands favourites too 😀
Jennifer says
This cake is going on my "to bake" list! (and beautiful photos)I have such a sweet tooth, so it's hard for me to pick one cake, but if I had to, it would be a chocolate layer cake with chocolate icing (and a big glass of cold milk). Simply perfect.
Jennifer says
Great pick Jennifer. It seems we share more than just the same name 😀
Carole says
Chocolate is my favorite too, but this looks amazing!
Jennifer says
Thanks Carole 😀
Daisy@Nevertoosweet says
This is a tough one to answer....what type of cakes? ALL Types of cake 😛 But my absolute favourite would have to Chocolate cake any type of it hehe then followed by carrot cake, hummingbird cake 🙂 I like really moist and dense cakes ~But my boyfriend is like your husband he likes apple desserts lol apple pie, apple cake, apple everything ~
Claire @ Claire K Creations says
Ooh it looks so golden and delicious. I wouldn't mind a slice with my tea right now.
thelittleloaf says
I'm a chocolate cake lover too but this looks divine - I love that photo with the thick cut slice and beautiful apples on top. Just gorgeous.
Stephanie The Dessert Spoon says
I love any cake with chocolate or spices. Your apple cider cake is just my sort of thing! I really look forward to making it.
johannaGGG says
I love chocolate cakes best of all too but I have a young one who tells me she loves apple cakes so I have good intentions of making her one but always get distracted - must try harder - this cakes looks like what I need to make
Von says
Chocolate cakes are definitely my favourite too- and any type of chocolate cake is good for me so long as it tastes chocolatey 😀 I've yet to try apple cake, though I've been meaning too- I love the way you've arranged the apples on this- it's so pretty 🙂
Hannah says
This sounds like it would go brilliantly with a cup of Lapsang Souchong!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love apple cakes, this one looks especially lovely!
Ilan (IronWhisk Blog) says
Wow. I absolutely love apple cake! I never put cider into mine though. I think I'm going to try that out. 🙂
Jas says
A gorgeous cake and something, although I do love a good chocolate cake, something different is called for. I love that this has so much apple goodness in it and the top must be so deliciously sticky!
Joe says
This has just become my favorite apple cake recipe! My darling wife went looking for apple cakes and decided to try this one. It is brilliant! It tastes gorgeous and looks fab :)One of my favorite cake recipes is for a spiced chocolate cake. Its really simple and made with oil as the fat so you just throw all the ingredients into a mixer (ok you have to melt the chocolate first), bake it and slather it in chocolate butter cream.
Joe says
Found the recipe for the chocolate spice cake (I think). It was in an ancient cook book of my mums and is now online - http://www.be-ro.co.uk/recipe/showrec89.html
Jennifer says
Hi Joe,Thank you so much for your kind words regarding my apple cake. I'm so pleased to hear you enjoyed it, and in fact your feedback has made my day! And thanks for sending through the link for the chocolate spice cake. It sounds delicious! 😀
Thanh @ eat, little bird says
I love the sound of this cake, particularly since I love anything with apple in it. I love the use of cider in this cake - it sounds quite unusual but it must give the apples a wonderful flavour. It's hard for me to choose a favourite type of cake, but I do tend towards plain cakes or crumble cakes.
Janet says
This looks delicious and it is beautiful! I wonder if you could guide me to a conversion chart grams to cup ratio. LOL! I think I can figure the cm to inches...
Jennifer says
Hi Janet,Sure 😀 I have a conversion chart available here I hope that helps 😀
Jennifer says
Hi Janet, since I responded I've actually updated the recipe to convert the grams to cups for you. I hope that helps 😀
Chris says
That is a beautiful looking apple cake. From what I see on the list of ingredients this would be a lovely variation from what I tried so far. I especially like the use of cardamon and Greek yogurt.
Jen Laceda @ Tartine and Apron Strings says
I'm bookmarking this and trying this at home! I'm literally in a lunge position now...I want to attack this cake! So mouthwatering...! I like the way you placed the apple slices, too! Like a rosette - so cute!
anna @ annamayeveryday says
I have made a few apple cakes but this one I particularly like the look of - I will give it a try!
Jennifer says
I hope you enjoy it Anna 😀