A very moist, perfectly spiced Apple Cake! This is incredibly easy to make - no mixer required. This must be made with fresh apples, not canned. See note 5 for information about different measures in different countries & different oven types. Also, I do not recommend substituting butter for all or part of the oil - it does not come out as moist and you can't taste buttery flavour anyway because of the spice flavourings! FREEZES great!
Recipe by Nagi | RecipeTin Eats on September 30, 2016
2 eggs (, large, at room temperature (55-60g/2oz each))
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups apple ( , peeled, cored and cut into 8mm/ 1/3" cubes (~2 large, 3 small) (Note 3))
1/2 cup flaked raw almonds
Icing sugar . confectioners sugar, for dusting
Categories
Cake
Steps
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types).
Grease and line a 21 cm / 9" springform cake pan. (Note 4)
Place flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Whisk oil and sugar in a bowl, then whisk in eggs and vanilla.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a wooden spoon until JUST combined. Stir through apple (optional: add 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts).
Pour into cake pan. Sprinkle over almonds.
Bake for 50 minutes - 1 hr. Check at 50 minutes - it is cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar if using, then serve. This cake doesn't need cream or ice cream because it is so moist, but I wouldn't turn it down!
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 113 g
Calories: 403 kcal
Carbohydrates: 49.9 g
Protein: 5.1 g
Fat: 21.2 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 27 mg
Sodium: 238 mg
Sugar: 24.4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 17.2 g
Reviews
Zan on 2025-10-27 (3 stars): This might be the first recipe on this website that didn’t work for me and I’m not sure what I did wrong. As always, I followed the recipe to the dot (in metrics) and the end result was very oily, too sweet and hard. How could I get it so wrong. Luckily my family is just warming the slices for 10sec in the microwave and then eating with natural yogurt.
Christine on 2025-09-24 (5 stars): One of the best cakes ever! And so quick and easy to prepare. Yum! I did use less sugar though.
Tom on 2025-09-20 (5 stars): Too late for you, but for anyone else thinking the same: yep. Great as muffins/cupcakes. Reduce cook time, of course. I used them to turn it into a dessert with Nagi's butterscotch sauce from the sticky date pudding recipe (less cream to thicken it more), and vanilla ice cream.
Deborah Taylor on 2025-09-06 (5 stars): Live in NZ
I reduced the sugar by a few tablespoons....don't like cakes too sweet.
Added an extra half cup of chopped apples.
Everything else as stated in recipe.
Perfect 👌
Supriya Kutty on 2025-08-18 (5 stars): This apple cake is exactly what fall should taste like—warmly spiced, beautifully moist, and effortlessly simple. I love that it comes together in one bowl using just a wooden spoon, no mixer needed. The generous cubes of fresh apple add delightful texture, and the blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves gives it such depth. Bonus points for freezing so well—I’ll definitely be baking this again.
Sally on 2025-07-28 (5 stars): Great recipe, I made it in regular tin then Bundt tin - both cakes delicious. After reading other comments I will reduce sugar next time.
I had apples in freezer from last years crop and they worked fine .
Bee on 2025-07-16 (5 stars): I made this with half the amount of sugar (I prefer cakes a little less sweet) and it was delicious. I was tempted to use less oil, but trusted the recipe and I'm glad I did as the moisture was perfect – still good three days later. I love the chemical reaction when you add the eggs to the oil and sugar mix, however mine was definitely not pouring consistency. Mine was a thick batter, but the end result was fabulous.
Maya A on 2025-07-02 (5 stars): Nagi always says to spoon the flour into the cup and then level it. Every time I do dunk my cup into the flour pot and level it, dough ends up too dry. Its because flour settles and you end up with too much flour OR youre from a different country and cup measurements are different. This time my dough was dry and I added more liquid in (i did oat milk but you can do more oil) until the texture more runny.
Tracey on 2025-05-27 (5 stars): A truly magnificent cake. Moist, flavourful, very quickly mixed - and eaten!
Nicole on 2025-05-12 (5 stars): I made this for Mother’s Day. So delicious!
Desiree on 2025-04-30 (5 stars): Made this today for the work crew - was a huge hit. Chilly and wet day in Newy, the aromas of the spices just added to the warm hug the cake gave. Entire thing went with several people having seconds and thirds. Easy to make, very moist and tasty
Kel on 2025-04-26 (5 stars): I have made this twice now. My kids love to bite into a new apple every 5 minutes so i end up with a bunch of apples with a few bites out in the fridge each week . Probably wayyyy too much TMI but I triam off the bitten bits and use whatever is left in the cake. It's such a delicious, moist cake. Minimal mess involved (two bowls, a cutting board and knife).
Megan on 2025-04-26 (5 stars): I made this with Woolworths Free From Gluten Free flour, and only 1 cup of sugar and it worked out perfectly. Delicious, will definitely make again.
