This wonderfully moist apple cake has the perfect balance of sweet spices and is studded with tender diced apples and sultanas. An easy melt and mix recipe that you will make again and again. A real favourite!
Why I love this recipe:
I have always loved spiced apple cakes and wanted to create one with just the right balance of subtle sweet spices. I also wanted it to be moist with a slightly crunchy outer with a great ratio of filling to cake batter. The apple pieces and sultanas are tender and contrast with the lovely crunchy pieces of walnuts through the cake. Both the sultanas and walnuts are optional though, so you can make this cake with just apples.
This cake is also extremely easy to make. You just add all the dry ingredients together in one bowl (no sifting required – bonus!) and in another bowl combine the wet ingredients along with the apples. Then you simply add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients (or vice versa) and fold together along with the sultanas and walnuts.
This cake is wonderful served as it is simply dusted with icing sugar and served with cream or it can be served warm as a dessert with custard and/or ice-cream or cream. Delicious!
Ingredients to make this recipe:
- Apples – Fresh apples are used in this recipe not tinned ones. I know it is often recommended to use green apples like granny smith apples in bakes, but I sometimes use gala apples or a combination of both – depending on what I have available in my fruit bowl at the time.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted butter as you prefer.
- Sugar – I use both white and light brown sugars. I have used all brown and all white but prefer a combination of both.
- Eggs – I recommend using x large eggs.
- Vanilla Extract
- Flour – all purpose white flour.
- Baking Soda
- Spices – a combination of cinnamon, mixed spice and nutmeg.
- Salt
- Sultanas – I just love sultanas in this cake however they are optional.
- Walnuts – I also love the addition of walnuts as they provide a lovely texture to the cake. They too are optional.
Step by step instructions:
The flour, baking soda, spices and salt are added to a bowl. 
In another large bowl, the sugars are combined together. 
Then the butter and diced apples are added to the sugar and combined. Then add the beaten eggs and stir again. 
Now the dry ingredients are added to the wet ingredients and folded through gently until almost combined. 
Add the sultanas and walnuts and continue to fold through gently until everything is combined and there are no pockets of flour remaining. Be gentle with the folding – I use a large spoon to do this. 
Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin. 
Using a spoon, smooth out the surface evenly. Bake in a preheated 170°C (325°F) for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. You can also test this cake by pressing gently on the middle of the cake. Always check your cake at the 45 minute mark and every 5 mins thereafter. 
Once ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes. 
Turn out onto a wire cooling rack to continue to cool the cake completely.
Tips and tricks for success:
This really is a very easy cake to make.
I like to dice my apples into 3/4 cm cubes and chop my walnuts into small pieces.
There is no need to sift the ingredients for this cake. When mixing the dry and wet ingredients together, make sure you do this by gently folding them versus stirring. Too much heavy mixing will result in a tougher cake.
When baking this cake in the oven, be sure to check the cake at the 45 minute mark as all ovens are different. I check my bake every 5 minutes or so as then I am better able to tell when it will be ready and not overcook it. I can tell by pressing down gently on the middle of the cake but if you are unsure, insert a skewer into the centre of the cake, and when it comes out clean, the cake will be ready.
This cake will keep in an airtight container for 5 days. I often refrigerate mine and bring it out to come to room temperature before serving. To reheat this cake, I simply do this in the microwave in serving sized portions individually.
This cake is also suitable to freeze.
More delicious recipes for you to try:
Lumberjack Cake – another delicious and moist apple cake. This one is made with dates and has a crunchy, chewy coconut and brown sugar topping.
Orange Olive Oil Cake – another beautiful cake to serve with a cuppa or as a dessert.
Equipment
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 24cm round springform cake tin
Ingredients
- 3 medium apples peeled, cored and diced into 3/4cm cubes (between 300-350gm diced apple)
- 225 g butter melted
- 1 c white sugar (220g)
- 1/4 c soft brown sugar (50g) loosely packed
- 2 eggs (large or x large) beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 c plain all-purpose flour (300g)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 c sultanas
- 1/2 c walnuts (60g) chopped into small pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). Grease a 24cm (9.5in) round springform cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and white and brown sugars. Add the diced apples and vanilla extract and stir everything together. Lastly add the beaten eggs and mix again until combined. Set aside.
- In the other bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg and salt. Mix together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and using a large spoon, gently fold together until they are almost combined. Add the sultanas and walnut pieces and continue to fold until everything is mixed together and there are no pockets of flour left in the batter.
- Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared baking tin and spread the mixture out evenly. Smooth the top. Place the tin into the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If you find the cake is browning too quickly during the baking time, simply add a sheet of tin foil and drape it over the top of the tin to cover.
- When ready, remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the tin and turn out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Place cooled cake on a serving plate.
To serve:
- Once cooled, dust liberally with sifted icing sugar. Serve as is or with cream.The cake can also be served warm as a dessert with custard and ice-cream or cream.Enjoy.
6 Comments
Sandra
April 29, 2022 at 3:28 pmI love this recipe. It has become one of my favourite go to cakes to bake. I love the balance of flavours and texture and the recipe is easy to follow. Always a crowd pleaser when I’ve served this cake.
Katrina
May 4, 2022 at 5:03 pmThanks so much Sandra – so glad you love it as much as I do! 🧡
Trish
May 5, 2022 at 11:51 amMy husband loves this cake. A weekly request actually. I love that it’s an easy recipe and basically foolproof.
Katrina
May 5, 2022 at 2:04 pmThank you for your lovely comment. I am so happy to hear this is made regularly by you and that your husband requests it. Thank you for letting me know. K 🧡
Patricia Witham
May 9, 2022 at 10:08 pmFabulous cake. Really delicious. And lovely rustic charm. And very easy to make. Probably better the day after making I think.
Katrina
July 10, 2022 at 2:02 pmThank you so much Patricia. I really love this cake too so I am so happy to hear that you do as well. Thank you for taking the time to comment and let me know. Kx