Warm Baked Apple Cake (Printable version)

A warm, comforting casserole-style cake with tender apples and aromatic spices—ideal for cozy breakfasts.

# Needed ingredients:

→ Apples

01 - 3 large apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
02 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Dry Ingredients

03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 cup whole milk
13 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
14 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Topping

15 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice to prevent oxidation. Set aside.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly distributed.
04 - In another large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until smooth. Add the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract, whisking until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix to maintain a tender crumb structure.
06 - Fold in the prepared apples carefully. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish and spread evenly to ensure uniform baking.
07 - In a small bowl, mix the topping sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the batter surface.
08 - Bake for 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm, optionally with powdered sugar dusting or crème fraîche.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything bakes in one dish, leaving you time to sip your coffee while the oven does the work
  • The texture strikes that perfect balance between tender cake and soft, pudding-like apple pockets
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the fastest way to turn this tender cake into something tough and rubbery
  • Slightly underbaked is better than overbaked, the residual heat finishes the cooking while it cools
03 -
  • Slice your apples about 1/4 inch thick so they soften but don't completely disappear into the batter
  • Let the melted butter cool slightly so it doesn't scramble the eggs when you add them
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