Homemade Apple Cake
This homemade apple cake is one of the best ways to use your favorite orchard-fresh apples. Flavored with warm spices and packed with tart apples and crunchy walnuts or pecans, this cake is delicious as-is or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Servings 12
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 heaping tablespoon homemade apple pie spice
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 pounds Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 cups chopped walnuts or pecans optional
- ⅓ cup coarse sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, apple pie spice, and baking powder.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugars on high speed for 5 minutes. The mixture will increase quite a bit in volume. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add in the oil, sour cream, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Gradually add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the apples and optional nuts.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine the coarse sugar and ground cinnamon and sprinkle evenly across the top of the cake. Bake cake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream and salted caramel sauce.
Notes
2 pounds of apples is about 5-6 medium to large apples.