Dutch Apple Cake
This Dutch apple cake is moist and soft, filled with apple pieces and a warm vanilla flavor. The end result is a simple but beautiful cake that’s perfect for an afternoon treat.
This simple cake is perfect for any time of year. The best part is it’s incredibly easy to make. It has a layer of apple slices in the middle and the top of the cake.
Those on top are coated generously in a layer of cinnamon sugar. It brings only a hint of cinnamon to the cake, just enough to complement the apple, but the predominant flavor of the cake is apple and vanilla. The cake has melted butter and oil, which keeps it super moist, even days later.
Ingredients
Find the ingredient amounts for this easy recipe written in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a rundown of the ingredients needed.
- Fresh apples. The apples are the star of this cake, providing a natural sweetness and a lovely texture. like using Granny Smith apples best. They offer great texture, a little tartness, and sweetness. Feel free to experiment with your favorite apple varieties! Or use pears!
- Granulated sugar. Brings sweetness.
- Melted butter. Butter adds a rich flavor and helps create a tender crumb. This can be salted or unsalted butter.
- Olive oil. Adding oil to the mix ensures the cake stays moist even after a few days (if it lasts that long!). Butter can sometimes make a cake a bit dense, so the oil helps to counteract that.
- Vanilla. I love using a vanilla bean paste to bring the extra concentrated vanilla flavor. If you don’t have vanilla paste, you can use vanilla extract.
- Large eggs. Help with the structure of the cake.
- Milk. Helps to combine the batter and loosen it up.
- Dry ingredients. All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cinnamon sugar. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and granulated sugar is sprinkled on top before baking.
- Powdered / Confectioners’ sugar – for dusting the finished cake.
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C.) Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with 3-inch high sides.
Peel and core the apples, then slice in 1/4 inch slices. Add them to a medium bowl. Toss them with 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice to stop them from browning too much. Set them aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, and eggs.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Fold them together, along with the milk until it’s combined. There may be a few small lumps of flour but that’s okay.
Pour half the cake batter into the prepared pan. Arrange half of the apples over the batter, snuggly fitting them on.
Spoon over the remaining cake batter and top with the remaining apple slices. It’s okay if the individual slices overlap a bit. Top generously with cinnamon sugar.
Bake the cake in the oven for approximately 60-70 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake has no wet batter on it, just a few moist crumbs.
Removing the cake
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Use a butter knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the pan gently, then run the knife around the entire circumference of the cake, being careful not to cut into the cake itself.
Place a wire cooling rack or plate on top of the cake pan. Hold the rack firmly against the pan and carefully flip it over, allowing the cake to release onto the rack. Remove the parchment paper.
Add another wire rack on top and carefully flip the cake so it’s no longer upside down. Let the cake cool down to room temperature.
Serving and storing
Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar before serving. Serve the cake slightly warm or at room temperature on its own, or with custard or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Variations and substitutions
- Spiced Apple Cake: Swap half the white sugar for light brown sugar and add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves for a warm, spicy twist.
- Caramel Apple Cake: Drizzle warm caramel sauce over the top of the finished cake, letting it sink into the apple slices.
- Apple Pecan Cake: Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans to the batter for a bit of crunch.
- Gluten-Free: Replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. Make sure your baking powder is also gluten-free.
Related recipes
If you enjoyed this Dutch apple cake, you might like these recipes too!
- Carrot Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- How To Make Boterkoek – Dutch Butter Cake
- Toscakaka (Swedish Tosca Cake)
- Old-Fashioned Apple Fritters
- Apple Puff Pastry Galette
- Strawberry Apple Pie
Dutch Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 4 medium apples I use granny smith apples
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 85 g butter, melted
- 28 g olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 180 g milk, room temperature
Topping
- 40 g granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Serving
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C.) Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with 3-inch high sides.
- Peel and core the apples, then slice them in 1/4-inch slices. Add them to a medium bowl. Toss them with 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice to avoid browning too much. Set them aside.
- Mix the melted butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl.
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl, whisk to combine, and then add it to the wet ingredients. Fold them together, along with the milk, until it's combined. There may be a few small lumps of flour, but that's okay.
- Pour half the cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Arrange half of the apples over the batter, snuggly fitting them on. Spoon over the remaining cake batter and top with the remaining apple slices. It's okay if the individual slices overlap a bit.
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon for the topping and generously sprinkle this over the apples.
- Bake the cake in the oven for approximately 60-70 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle has no wet batter, just a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for approx 10 minutes.
- Use a butter knife to loosen the cake's edges from the pan gently, then run the knife around the entire circumference. Place a wire cooling rack or plate on top of the cake pan. Hold it firmly against the pan and carefully flip it over, allowing the cake to release onto the rack or plate. Remove the parchment paper. Add another wire rack on top and carefully flip the cake so it's no longer upside down.
- Let the cake cool down to room temperature. Then dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Your recipe is also great with these substitutes: sour creme/neufatel rather than oil or less butter; and nectarines scattered with blue n black berries. I added the spared butter to a your finely mixed sugar topping. . . Hoping you’d not mind too much?
Thanks ever so, for your Apple Recipe which was SO yummy also!
Can’t wait to make