Apple Cake

I always end up buying more apples than I know what to do with, especially this time of year. After making a batch of slightly dry and crumbly banana muffins earlier in the week, something with really moist apples seemed too good to resist. I ended up making this cake instead of muffins however, because as I flipped though my cookbooks, it sounded exactly like what I was craving. Maybe sometime I'll try it as muffins instead! I got up early Sunday morning to try this recipe out, and my husband and I ate warm apple cake with tea before heading out the door for church. It was perhaps a little sweet for breakfast in my opinion. And in my husband's opinion- well, nothing is ever too sweet for him, no matter the time of day. Enjoy!

Apple Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1/2 whole wheat flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, or regular milk
1/2 vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped apples, with skins on
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)


Optional Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour an 8-inch square baking pan or line the bottom with wax or parchment paper.

Whisk together in a large bowl the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Be sure to pinch out any lumps in the brown sugar. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla and stir together until smooth. Then stir in the apples and the nuts, if using.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. If desired, use additional thinly sliced apples to garnish the top of the cake before baking. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack.

Meanwhile, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk to create a glaze. If the glaze is too thin or thick, add a few more drops of milk or a little more powdered sugar as needed.  After the cake has cooled, but is still warm, drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. Or, drizzle the glaze on individual pieces right before serving.

Source: Joy of Cooking (2006)