Moist Apple Spice Cake
A big, bold apple spice layer cake recipe made with rye flour, baking spices, and orange zest for extra depth and flavor. This cake recipe can be easily halved, and keeps for several days.
Servings: 2 9" layers or 24 - 28 cupcakes
Ingredients
- 6 or 7 (900 grams) medium-sized apples such as Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Granny Smith apples
- 3 cups (400 grams) unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (200 grams) rye flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon mace (nutmeg is the best substitute)
- 1 1/3 cups (280 grams) sugar
- 1 1/3 cups (280 grams) light brown sugar
- 2 1/4 cups (500 ml) olive oil
- 1 orange, zested
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (1 teaspoon vanilla extract works, too)
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two 9" cake pans and line the cake pan bases with parchment paper.
- Peel, core, and roughly chop the apples and lightly pulse them in a food processor. The apples should look grated or in very small pieces. Alternatively, you can peel and grate the apples on the wide grate of a box grater.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Put the sugars, olive oil, orange zest, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix on medium speed until lightened and very smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined.
- Stir in the apples and mix just until the batter is smooth and even.
- Divide the cake batter between the cake pans and bake for 45 to 55 minutes until done. The cake will be done with the centers spring back and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean with a few crumbs, moist but not wet.
- Let the cake cool in the cake pans on wire cooling racks for about 20 minutes or until cool enough to touch with your bare hands. Run a knife or small offset spatula around the edges of the cake pan, then turn the cake layers out onto the wire rack to finish cooling.PRO TIP: Why not just let the cakes cool in the cake pans? Two reasons. First, the cakes will be harder to remove once cool. Second, keeping the cakes in the cake pan will produce condensation, making the cakes a bit gummy.
- Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack before layering with buttercream. This cake could also be served on its own as a single layer (freeze the other one) with a simple dusting of confectioner's sugar.
Notes
This apple spice cake keeps well at room temperature for up to three days. I never refrigerate cakes; the humidity tends to dry them out.
To freeze, wrap each fully-cooled cake layer separately in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Defrost, unwrapped, at room temperature.
The best apples for baking apple cake are Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Macintosh, and Granny Smith apples. Choose any apple that is firm and crisp, with a good balance of sweet and tart flavors.
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.
