Easy Apple Cake

A tender, moist one-bowl apple cake packed with chunks of fresh apple, warm cinnamon and a crackly cinnamon-sugar top. Baked in a 9x13 pan, no mixer needed.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Cool 30

Total Time 1 40

Servings: 16 pieces

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 330

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour (375 g), spooned and leveled
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup neutral oil (240 ml), such as vegetable or canola
3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
3/4 cup light brown sugar (150 g), packed
3 large eggs room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream (120 g), or plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups diced apples (about 500 g, from 3 to 4 medium apples), peeled, 1/2-inch pieces

Topping

2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch pan and line the bottom with parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a large bowl, whisk the oil with both sugars until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula until just a few streaks of flour remain. Fold in the apples. The batter will be very thick.
Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Stir the topping sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the top.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is deep golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan on a rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Best apples: a mix of tart and sweet, such as Granny Smith with Honeycrisp or Pink Lady.
Bundt pan: grease and flour a 10 to 12-cup bundt pan very well and bake 55 to 65 minutes.
Smaller cake: halve the recipe for an 8x8-inch pan and bake 35 to 45 minutes.
Storage: covered at room temperature up to 3 days, in the fridge up to 5 days, or frozen up to 3 months.