Jewish Apple Cake
This Jewish Apple Cake is a wonderfully dense and moist cake batter studded with tons of cinnamon-sugar coated apples. It’s the perfect fall dessert for any occasion!
I know that fall doesn’t OFFICIALLY begin until next Friday (September 22nd), but I’m totally in the camp that once Labor Day is in the rearview mirror, all bets are off on apple and cinnamon and hot chocolate and jeans, hoodies, and blankets. Bring it all on!
I’m ringing in apple season this year with this absolutely spectacular Jewish apple cake. It was sent to me last summer by a reader, Linda, who said she had been making it for years and that it’s a big family favorite. Thank you, Linda, for sending this amazing recipe over! There are countless recipes for Jewish apple cakes floating around online, and you may have your own version, but if you’ve never tried one, this is an absolutely phenomenal apple cake that’s perfect for any fall occasion.
You start with a TON of granny smith apples (perfect if you plan an apple picking trip!) and toss them in sugar and cinnamon. While they’re taking a cinnamon-sugar bath, mix up the cake batter. The mixing method is a little different, as you add the eggs last, and it’s a thick batter, but trust me, this works!
MY OTHER RECIPESWhen Linda emailed me the recipe, she said that she intentionally “ribbons” her batter in layers over the apples without covering them completely so that the cake has apples all throughout and not distinct layers of cake and apple. It totally worked with mine (as you can see), and I just loved having chunks of apples in every single bite!
The crumb of this cake is compact but OH SO velvety smooth and super moist. Linda talked about how much her family loved the crust on this cake and I agree – I think it was my favorite part! The texture of the cake really reminded me of the Russian pound cake that my aunt and grandma used to make around the holidays (I need to resurrect that cake!).
Linda said that this particular recipe is from Chef Robert Bennett of Classic Bakery in Cherry Hill, New Jersey; when I Googled “Jewish apple cake” I found tons of recipes nearly identical to this one, so it may be one of those recipes that has been floating around in grandmas’ kitchens for decades!
If you need something a little extra special in the dessert department this fall, give this Jewish apple cake a try – it’s dessert comfort food at its best.
And if you have your own recipe for Jewish apple cake, I’d love to hear how it’s similar or different to this one! Tell me all about it!
Five years ago: Oatmeal-Raisin Ice Cream
Jewish Apple Cake
This Jewish Apple Cake is a wonderfully dense and moist cake batter studded with tons of cinnamon-sugar coated apples. It’s the perfect fall dessert for any occasion!
Ingredients:
For the Apples
- 6 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped (about ½-inch pieces)
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the Cake
- 2¾ cups (390 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (397 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (198 grams) vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice
- 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
Special Equipment
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
- Prepare the Apples: In a large bowl, toss the chopped apples with the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Prepare the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir to combine with a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition (the batter will start out very thick, but will get looser and easier to mix as you continue to add the eggs). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Add a thin layer of the cake batter to the bottom of the pan, then add one-quarter of the apples on top of the batter. Ribbon one-quarter of the remaining cake batter over top of the apples; the batter should not completely cover all of the apples (it will spread when baking). Repeat three more times with the remaining apples and cake batter, ending with a layer of cake batter, but again it will not totally cover the apples, that’s okay!
- Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature before serving. Leftovers can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes:
- I used a slotted spoon to transfer the apples so that not too much juice transferred, but there still was some and it didn’t appear to negatively affect the cake at all.
- You could also use a standard-size Bundt pan if you do not have a tube pan.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
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This recipe looks so delicious and so FALL! My question is, would it be possible to bake this in a regular cake pan or maybe even muffin tins? I don’t have a tube pan or a bundt pan, and with minimal storage space along with moving every 2-3 years, I would rather not purchase another kitchen item that would rarely get used. Thank you so much!!
It works in a 9″x13″ pan
I have used a 9×13″ pan before for a similar recipe, but it had less apples. You might need to cut down on the spples. I dont want your cake to overflow…
Amy, here are a couple of links to pages which give baking pan conversions.
http://comfortablydomestic.com/2013/05/food-dork-fridays-baking-pan-conversion-chart/
http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Hi Amy, I think it’s way too much batter for regular cake pans, but I see that Judy mentioned it does work in a 9×13 so you could try that!
Very similar to my family’s version, but we add a layer of cinnamon/sugar streusel in the middle before adding the 2nd half of the batter.
What do you use to make the streusel? Sounds yummy
That sounds delicious!
I’m with you… school has started, apples are dropping, garden harvest accelerates. Summer is over! Bring on Autumn.
Perfect timing! With the Jewish New Year coming up which prodominantly features apples, this will be a great dessert (or breakfast treat) to have. I so love that you are posting family recipes from readers. There is something just that much more special about those.
I love Jewish apple cake! Haven’t made it in ages but have been thinking about it recently. This looks delicious!
This, along with honey cake, is a sweet recipe for the upcoming new year Rosh Hashana) holiday.
Do not try cutting the oil. Some people try subbing some of the oil with applesauce. It’s not the same cake! You won’t get the nice, velvety texture. It is worth the calories!!! This recipe has a lot more apples, which sounds great.
This looks amazing! C an’t wait til my daughter and I can make…and eat this!
My recipe for Jewish Apple Cake includes chocolate chips and walnuts. My family and friends love it. We use apples from our trees. I make it in a 9×13 pan. Love fall!
Ooooh those sound like fabulous additions, will need to try that!
This looks amazing! Can you tell me a little about what it means to “ribbon” the batter?
Hi Nicole, Sure, I tried to explain as best I could in the instructions, but you basically just want to drizzle it over the apples so that they aren’t totally covered be each layer of batter. Does that make sense? You can kind of see what it looks like in one of the prep photos above.
Nice….Your cake looks so yummy and delicious, i love cakes so i will make it form jewish apple cake. Thanks for the sharing and keep shared your new idea and yummy recipe….!
This is definitely going on my fall baking list!
This looks very moist and delicious! One question I do have though is, do you have any suggestions on how to keep the apples from touching the sides of the cake pan? I always feel like they look burnt because they are sitting right up against the pan wall while baking, and oftentimes even smell like they’re burning while baking because of that. Grrrrr . . . . . I’m heading to Shenot’s this morning for apples 🙂 I’ll get some extra just for the purpose of trying this cake. Can not wait to make it! The suggestion of one reader about adding a layer of streusel in the middle sounds like a winner; maybe I’ll try that idea with it.
P.S. I made your Better Than Brownie Cookies last week or so. I added espresso powder to the tops after baking (only because it was an after thought) and wow! it added just a little something special to it. Nothing too pronounced, but just an extra layer of yummy. And after a few days, the cookies were starting to become a little stale. I accidentally spilled coffee on to the tops of a few sitting on a serving plate. That accident was the greatest! They did not become soggy, but rather absorbed the coffee and well, you know how good coffee and chocolate are together.
Hi Michelle, I would just make sure you add the apples in sort of a “tunnel” in the center of the pan, instead of just sprinkling them haphazardly (like I did, ha!). And so awesome to hear you enjoyed the chocolate cookies!
Do you think the salted caramel sauce could be used as a side to drizzle over the cake?
Omg yessssss!!
I did use Michelle’s salted caramel sauce to drizzle over it, and it was sooo good!
I grew up with this cake! I loved it so much that when each student had to make a recipe for the class in 2nd grade, this was my pick. We also add a drizzle of confectioner’s sugar mixed with water and vanila over the top while it’s still warm. The only difference is we never ate it for dessert but it was always a breakfast item for us! Made the night before, warmed up and served with coffee there are few things better.
Cake for breakfast is the best!
This is the identical recipe that my Could-Not-Have-Been-Less-Jewish mother made for our family in the ’60s and ’70s. It is delicious and absolutely reliable. The batter looks WEIRD. Do not be deterred. This cake bakes up moist and flavorful. Mom always sliced the apples as if for a pie, with a layer on top that got a little crusty. Delicious! You should make this right away.
So awesome to hear! I love old recipes that have stood the test of time!
Made the Apple Cake this morning!! It is so good, I’m on my second piece! Very moist, perfect amount of sweetness. Can be dessert, (with ice cream), a snack, or breakfast food. Yummy!!
Yay! So, so thrilled that you enjoyed the cake!
I used dark bunds cake pan, starting check cake at 45 minutes, it took 50-55 minutes to bake. Absolutely delicious
Hi Christine, Thanks for the review! So great to hear you like the cake!
Looks delicious!!!
Has anyone made it in a loaf pan?
saw this in the weekend summary, have to thank you for it since this recipe is completely new to me and I love these flavors (apple, cinnamon) and love all of the apples that go into this! thank you for sharing it!
I made this for a potluck the other day and there wasn’t any leftover! I also made your salted caramel sauce to drizzle over the pieces after they were sliced and it was so good that way! Like a caramel apple cake! The only thing I changed was the type of apple. All I had were Fuji, and it came out great with that type of apple. It’s a keeper!