Jewish Apple Cake - Unpeeled Journal

This easy Jewish apple cake recipe bakes a sweet, dairy-free cake with a hint of orange, folded with lots of cinnamon-sugar apples. This is a favorite family recipe we've made for generations, and a wonderful cake for fall-winter apple season, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. It stays moist for days, and freezes well.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 35

Servings: 10 to 12 servings (one tube pan)

Calories: 635kcal

Essential Equipment

▢
1 standard tube pan

Ingredients

For the Apples

▢ 2 teaspoons cinnamon
▢ 2 tablespoons sugar
▢ 6 Apples, peeled and sliced thin Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or other tart, firm baking apple are best

For the Cake Batter

▢ 1 cup neutral vegetable oil, such as canola oil
▢ 2 cups sugar
▢ 4 large eggs
▢ 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour
▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
▢ 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt I use Diamond Crystal brand
▢ 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
▢ 1/4 cup cold water

For the Vanilla Glaze (Optional)

▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
▢ 1/8 cup water
▢ 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Apples

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a standard-sized tube pan. I also like to line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent any cake from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Peel the apples. Slice into 1/4" to 1/3" -thick slices or chunks, and place them into a medium mixing bowl. Add the 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon. Toss and allow them to sit and get juicy while you make the cake batter.

Make the Cake Batter

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and vegetable oil until light and emulsified. Scrape the bowl with a silicone or rubber spatula to make sure everything is well blended.
With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract. Add each egg when the previous one is mostly mixed in.
Increase the mixer speed to medium, and cream until lightened, fluffy, and smooth, about three minutes. Scrape the bowl.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients on low until two-thirds combined. Scrape the bowl.
Add the orange juice and water and mix batter on low until fully combined. Scrape the bowl and make sure the batter is completely smooth. Do not over mix.

Assemble and Bake the Apple Cake

Pour about a third of the batter into the prepared tube pan. Layer a third of the apples on top. Repeat twice, ending so that apples cover the entire top of the cake.
Bake for about 1 hour 35 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. (It may need to go another five minutes.)
Transfer the cake to a wire rack. When pan is cool enough to handle and the cake has set up a bit (around 20 minutes), invert onto a plate, and then flip right-side up onto the wire cooling rack.
PRO TIP: To invert a cake properly, run a small offset spatula or thin knife around the cake pan's edges to loosen the cake from the pan's walls. Flip the cake over onto a plate or second cooling rack, so it is now upside-down. Then, place the cooling rack on top of the inverted cake, flip it back over so the cake is right-side up again. Let cool completely.

Make Powdered Sugar Glaze (Optional)

In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, and water. Whisk until smooth.
Spoon glaze over the top of the cake, allowing some to pool on top, and some to drip down the sides. Let the glaze set up and harden for several minutes before slicing and serving the cake.

Notes

Storing the Jewish apple cake: This cake keeps well in an airtight cake dome or wrapped loosely in aluminum foil or plastic wrap for about three days.

You can freeze this apple cake by wrapping it tightly in foil or plastic wrap once fully cooled. Defrost at room temperature on the countertop, never the fridge, which will make it stale. It will keep in the freezer for up to three months.

Alternate Baking Pans: Though it is the most traditional, you don't have to use a tube pan to make this cake. You can also use a large bundt, or two standard loaf pans. The layering process is the same, but the baking time will be different.

Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.