Sometimes you just need cake. No long ingredient list. No complicated steps. No wondering if you creamed the butter enough or folded the batter correctly. This apple cake is the answer to those moments—one bowl, basic pantry ingredients, and apples. That’s it.
The batter comes together in about 10 minutes. The apples keep it moist for days. And it tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll make over and over because it works every single time.
What You’ll Need
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups peeled and diced apples (about 3 medium Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
For Topping (Optional):
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Tools:
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Vegetable peeler
- Chef’s knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wire cooling rack
Preparing the Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease your 9×13-inch pan with butter or cooking spray.
That’s it. No parchment paper needed. No flouring the pan. Just grease it and move on.
Making the Batter
In your large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Add the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract directly to the dry ingredients. Don’t mix them separately first. Just dump everything in.
Whisk or stir vigorously for about a minute until the batter is smooth and well combined. It will be thick.
Fold in the diced apples and nuts if using. Make sure the apples are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
The mixture will seem heavy with apples. That’s correct. There’s almost as much apple as there is batter.
Baking
Scrape the batter into your prepared pan. Spread it evenly with a spatula, smoothing the top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
The edges might pull away slightly from the pan. The whole thing should smell warm and spiced and impossibly good.
Cooling and Serving
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.
You can serve it warm, at room temperature, or even cold from the refrigerator the next day. All versions are good.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving if you want it to look a bit more finished.
Or serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you’re going the dessert route.
Cut into squares. This makes 12-15 servings.
Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week. The apples release moisture as the cake sits, so it actually gets more moist over time rather than drying out.
This cake is endlessly adaptable. Swap the apples for pears. Add raisins or dried cranberries. Use apple pie spice instead of separate cinnamon and nutmeg. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Make it in a Bundt pan instead and bake for 50-55 minutes.
The point is that it’s easy and forgiving. You can’t really mess it up. Even if you overmix the batter or cut the apples too big or too small, it will still turn out moist and delicious.
This is the cake to make when someone’s coming over in two hours and you forgot you offered to bring dessert. Or when you have apples that need to be used before they go bad. Or when you just want something sweet and comforting without spending all afternoon in the kitchen.
One bowl. Minimal measuring. Maximum apple flavor. That’s easy apple cake.
