Baked Apple Cake (Printable)

A warm, comforting Dutch-inspired apple cake with tender spiced apples baked into a soft, golden treat perfect for breakfast or brunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Apples

01 - 3 large apples (such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
02 - 1 tablespoon 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. Set aside.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
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.
06 - Fold in the prepared apples. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish and spread evenly.
07 - In a small bowl, mix the topping sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.
08 - Bake for 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm, optionally with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of crème fraîche.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Its essentially breakfast disguised as dessert, which means you can start your day with something sweet
  • The tender apples soften as they bake, creating pockets of fruity sweetness throughout
  • That cinnamon sugar topping forms a slight crust that makes every bite feel special
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter once the flour is added will make the cake tough, so stop as soon as everything combines
  • Let the melted butter cool for a few minutes so it does not cook the eggs when you add it
  • The cake is done when the edges pull slightly from the pan and the center springs back when touched
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife when slicing the apples so they are uniform in thickness, which helps them bake evenly
  • If your apples are very tart, you can increase the granulated sugar to 1 cup for balance
  • Let the cake cool completely before covering if you plan to refrigerate it, or condensation will make the top soggy
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