Fresh Apple Loaf Cake Recipe
Fresh apple loaf cake. This easy and moist cake is baked in a loaf pan. No icing needed. Just what one needs on a chilly, fall day. A rustic apple loaf cake.
This recipe for apple loaf cake is easy. The ingredients are simple. Pure and simple. One apple, spices, flour and butter. The apples are layered between two layers of cake batter. They bake up into a rich and moist loaf cake. Yummy.
Baking a cake from scratch doesn’t take any longer than breaking out that boxed cake mix. If you have never baked a cake from scratch, I highly encourage you to try this recipe. You won’t be disappointed.
I am not a fussy cake baker. In reality, I am more of a rustic type of cake baker. Cakes with lots of buttercream piled all over, is just not me. Oh, granted I like to make a fussy cake for a birthday celebration. However, for every day snacking, give me a loaf cake drizzled with a bit of icing. That is enough.
Loaf Pan
Use a 9 x 5 inch size loaf pan to make this cake. Or use a decorative pan with a design already formed in the pan. Just be sure what your loaf pan size is since not all loaf pans are standard in size.
I used Nordic Ware’s Apple Loaf pan which has a capacity of six cups. The details of the apples on top are spectacular but the basket weave on the sides are what sold me on this loaf pan. Baskets are one of my favorite containers. They are so pretty.
Most of the time, I don’t even bother with icing a loaf cake. Baked in a beautiful Nordic Ware pan is enough to make this cake pretty.
Ingredients Needed For This recipe
- Brown sugar
- I prefer light brown sugar but this is your preference.
- Spices
- Ground cinnamon and ginger that go perfect with apples.
- Granny Smith apple
- This is a good apple for baking since it holds up well and doesn’t get mushy. It’s what I use in my apple crumble pie and cinnamon apple muffins.
- Granulated sugar
- Butter
- This needs to be soft so it can easily be creamed into the granulated sugar.
- Eggs
- I always use large size eggs.
- Vanilla extract
- Use real vanilla extract not imitation.
- All purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Milk
- I use two percent milk but use what you have.
Follow my steps below and you will be baking an apple loaf cake like a pro in no time at all.
How To Make This Recipe
Begin this recipe with a beautiful Granny Smith apple. Granny Smith is the perfect baking apple. Not too sweet. Firm enough that it won’t lose it’s shape in the cake.
Peel and chop the apple. Give it a rough chop. Not too small. You want some chunks in the apple filling.
Add Brown Sugar
Pack the brown sugar into a dry measuring cup. Don’t use a liquid measuring cup. Your measurements won’t be accurate.
Pour into a medium size bowl. Add the cinnamon and ginger. Mix well.
Add the chopped apples to the cinnamon sugar mixture. Set aside.
Creaming The Butter And Sugar
Place one stick of softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Or use a hand mixer. Add the sugar to the butter in the bowl. Mix till fluffy. You are looking for a creamy texture.
Add The Eggs
I always crack my eggs into a small bowl before adding them to my mixing bowl. This way if any stray shell finds its way in my egg, I can remove it easily. Try doing that after the egg is cracked into your batter. Not fun.
Whip the eggs into the creamed mixture.
Add the remaining ingredients. Mix till just combined. Do not over mix. This will toughen your cake. You don’t want that.
Your batter should look like this. Beautiful.
Pour The Batter Into The Pan
Pour half of the cake batter into the greased loaf pan. Spread evenly in the pan.
Layer the apple filling on top of batter in the loaf pan.
Pour the remaining cake batter over the top of the apples. Spread the batter so it completely covers the apple filling.
Bake
Place the loaf pan in a preheated 350°F oven for 50 minutes or until done. Use a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake to test. Use the least amount of time to bake. The toothpick should have only a few crumbs when the cake is done. If not, continue baking in increments of five minutes till done.
Such a treat. No need for icing on this loaf cake. It is delicious as is.
How To Store
Store tightly covered for up to three days at room temperature.
Here’s a hint for you. Wait till the cake is completely cooled before slicing. Otherwise you may end up cracking the sides. Oops.
Apple Loaf Cake
Equipment
- 9 x 5 inch loaf pan
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- 1 large Granny Smith apple or two small (peeled and finely chopped)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
- Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger together in a bowl. Add chopped apples and stir till combined. Set this aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the granulated sugar and butter till fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time till combined. Add vanilla. Beat on medium speed until combined. Whisk or sift flour, salt and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Add to creamed ingredients. Stir together. Slowly add milk to the batter. Mix till just combined. Do not over mix.
- Pour half of the batter in greased loaf pan. Add the apple mixture on top of the batter. Spread the apples evenly over the batter. Pour the remaining batter over top of the apples. Spread the batter so none of the apples are showing.
- Place the loaf pan in a preheated 350° F oven. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into middle of loaf comes out nearly clean.
- Cool in the pan for ten minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.
- Store this apple loaf cake tightly covered for up to three days at room temperature.
This cake has been such a hit, everywhere I take it! And it’s so easy to make!
I’m so happy to hear that! This is one of my favorite cakes. Thank you for the lovely comment!
Taste great, but I substituted almond milk and used gala apples. It came out a lot lighter in color with cinnamon and brown sugar leaking through. I probably needed to do a better job leveling next time. Overall still happy with it for the first try!
I will have to try this with gala apples. Sounds delicious. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!