Serves a Crowd

Rosh Hashanah Apple Cake

Name: Rosh Hashanah Apple Cake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 8-10
Cuisine: Jewish
Ingredients: 4 apples - I used a variety (1 each of Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, and Crispin); lemon juice to prevent apples from browning as you cut (~1T); 2 tablespoons margarine (or butter if making dairy); 1-2 tablespoons sugar; 1 cup flour; 3/4 cup sugar; 2 eggs; 1/2 cup canola oil; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 2-3 tablespoons demerara sugar (optional)

by: zahavah

September 27, 2009

17 Ratings

Photo by zahavah

Prep time 45 minutes
Cook time 1 hour
Serves 8-10

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Author Notes

2018 update: TL;DR - YOU CAN'T MESS THIS UP!

1) Based on questions and comments, you can skip the step of sautéing apples and instead macerate just 3 very thinly sliced apples (16-20 slices per apple) for a half-hour in 1-2 T sugar and a splash of lemon juice to soften them - the apples will bake up just fine, but the top doesn't look as nice in my opinion. I've added a new photo baked this way (on the copper background.) A non-baker friend wrote:
"No precooking of the apples, only own olive oil, don’t even own a baking pan of the right size and it STILL came out great. Also already 1/2 gone gotta go make another one."

2) In addition, I made it with Cup4Cup GF flour and it worked like a dream.

3) This cake freezes well. First wrap tightly in plastic, then in heavy duty aluminum foil. If you want to reheat - make sure to remove the plastic from underneath the foil. Yes, you could just wrap in foil, but it doesn't stay as fresh.

4) See comments for lots of flavor variations.

***
While preparing four holiday meals for friends and family over the span of the two days of Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) last week, I was reminded that there is a beauty in keeping things simple, both in the kitchen and out. So I was overjoyed to discover a cake that nearly bakes itself. I adapted a recipe touted as "The Easiest Cake Ever" -- meant for ripe pears or stone fruits dripping with juice -- to a slightly more traditional apple cake. Given that apples are not particularly juicy, I decided to first saute them in some margarine and sugar, giving them a slight caramelization as I would for a tarte tatin. I had leftover apples and the cake smelled so good in the oven that I whipped up a second batch of batter in about 5 minutes and popped the second cake in the oven while the first was cooling. [NOTE: the batter is adapted from www.notderbypie.com, which is related to the Marion Burros cult plum cake.] —zahavah

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

For the apples
4 apples - I used a variety (1 each of Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, and Crispin)
lemon juice to prevent apples from browning as you cut (~1T)
2 tablespoons margarine (or butter if making dairy)
1-2 tablespoons sugar

For cake batter
1 cup flour
³/₄ cup sugar
2 eggs
¹/₂ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoons demerara sugar (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or springform, or an 8X8-inch square pan. (If you want to plate this, use a springform; otherwise, just serve it out of the pan.)
Peel and core the apples, then cut each apple into ~12 slices. Sprinkle with lemon juice (you don't need much - maybe a tablespoon or so for 4 apples) while the others are being sliced to prevent browning.
Heat margarine in pan over low heat and add apples and 1-2 T white sugar. Stir for ~10-15 minutes until apples soften. Some of the liquid will soak into the apples, but if too much of it starts to evaporate, then turn the heat down.
While the apples are on the stove top, mix together the remaining ingredients (except for the demerara sugar) -- flour, sugar (the 3/4 C), eggs, oil, baking powder, and vanilla. No mixer is required - you can just mix everything by hand even though the batter is quite thick.
Add half the warm apples (juices and all) to the batter and mix. Then pour into the prepared pan and spread the batter evenly with a spatula . Arrange the remaining apple slices on the top of the batter as decoratively as possible (though even a mishmash will look nice).
Sprinkle the cake with demerara sugar if you'd like and bake for 1 hour. As it bakes, the high egg content causes the cake to rise up as the heavier fruit sinks slightly and the demerara sugar helps creates a crackly crunchy crust that caramelizes slightly at the edges and where the fruit juices pool.
Cool in pan and serve. I doubt you'll have leftovers.

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Carly Levy

Food writer, recipe developer, photographer. Some people call me Zahavah, most call me Gayle.

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92 Reviews

Natalie September 16, 2023

Very tasty and easy to make. Definitely benefits from tart baking apples to balance it out, and would benefit from salt and citrus (lemon or orange zest) in the batter. Would make this one again

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barb October 25, 2021

Made my cake in a 10 inch springform and cooked the apples first. They came out glossy and slightly caramelized. I also stuck on a few raw cranberries before baking and sprinkled with granulated sugar since I didn't have the fancy stuff. Very pretty out of the oven and tasted divine. A new favorite recipe!

sue_ann_canvasser August 11, 2022

Did you use 3 or 4 apples? You followed the original recipe?

barb October 29, 2022

Hi Sue, I probably used at least 4 apples since i used a 10 inch springform. And yes i used the original recipe where you saute the apples in butter (didn't have margarine). First I tried the beloved Marian Burros plum torte recipe subbing apples and it came out very dry. This was way better. Good luck!

Fay W. September 7, 2021

Excellent I made this yesterday and it was delicious. Will make it again I am sure. PS very easy to make too.

DaniM September 7, 2021

Excellent cake and super easy for someone that doesn’t really cook .

Stan August 28, 2021

Very easy to make and a huge payback for effort put in. It's fun to see how the designed fruit arrangement on top will look when it's finally cooked.

addaloria December 13, 2020

I make this cake incessantly. I cover the top with apples lined in a circle. It’s just so great to have around.

Amanda H. December 13, 2020

Thanks for your comment!

Ellenedit September 20, 2020

I made this for Rosh Hashanah and it was big hit! I made it exactly as you had it (without sautéing the apples first) and it came out great. Not a piece leftover. I did apples and plums.

Debora A. April 18, 2020

This was a quick, easy cake with great results! The cake was moist and not too sweet. I wonder if the recipe will translate well with other fruits. I was thinking pears, plums or peaches.

zahavah September 15, 2020

So glad you liked it! Yes, this cake works particularly well with stone fruits, no need to sauté - I’ve made plum, plum/strawberry, peach, apricot with amaretti cookie crumbs on top instead of fancy sugar. Pears would be great also; if they’re not very ripe, you might want to sauté them as well.

Jessica October 5, 2019

Sooo Good! This cake is so perfect and beyond easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly but doubled to make 2. I froze 1 and served the other immediately. The fresh out of the over looked nicer but the frozen one tasted just as amazing once warmed up. Microwaved leftovers were amazing too. I can't get over how easy and delicious this cake is. Thank you for the recipe.

JulieS September 9, 2018

I was thinking of substituting honey for the sugar with the apples (and sauté them as in your original directions) to incorporate the “apples & honey” combo for Rosh Hashanah. Have you ever tried it this way?

zahavah September 9, 2018

I haven’t personally tried this, but as long as you’re not replacing the sugar in the cake batter with honey, you should be good - just be careful not to have the heat up too high because honey can burn more easily. Another way to up the honey flavor is to drizzle some honey over the cake after you’ve arranged the apples instead of using Demerara sugar.

Hope September 19, 2020

Thank you for the great recipe, agreed that it’s super versatile! I didn’t have enough apples so I subbed one super ripe peach and put it in the batter. I used cassava flour to make it gluten free and coconut oil instead of margarine or canola. Then I drizzled honey on top and baked for 30 minutes in silicone muffin pans. Beautiful, delicious, portion controlled and super easy to freeze and save for later! The peach made the batter decadent!

zahavah September 9, 2018

HI ALL! PLEASE SEE THIS YEAR'S UPDATE RE: NOT SAUTEING APPLES. ALSO, USING GF FLOUR. SHORT ANSWER - YOU CAN'T MESS THIS UP.

L September 9, 2018

Did anyone try making this yet without sautéing the apples? If yes, how did it turn out?

zahavah September 9, 2018

I made 3 this way - turn out great, a little less pretty in my opinion. See update in headnote for greater detail.

Carolyn September 6, 2018

Can this be frozen ?

zahavah September 6, 2018

Oh absolutely, Carlyn! Wrap it well in plastic, then wrap it again in heavy duty aluminum. Defrost 4-5 hours before. If you want to heat it up before eating, make sure to take off the plastic!

Carly L. September 5, 2018

This may seem like a weird question but I'm making this parve. Is margarine dairy-free? If so, what brand do you recommend?

zahavah September 5, 2018

Hi Carly - not a weird question at all! Margarine is dairy free, and many of them are marked parve - e.g., if there is an O-U or an O-K without a "D" (for dairy) next to it, then you're all set. The brand I like is Earth Balance - get it unsalted - and it's what I use for this recipe. Also, this year, I'm going to try to skip the sautéing step, and instead just let the apple slices sit in the sugar for about a half hour to macerate and soften a bit. Let me know if you have other questions and Shana Tova!

Carly L. September 5, 2018

So you're saying instead of sauteing the apples in margarine, they can be softened just by letting them sit in sugar for half and hour and the cake will still come out good?

zahavah September 6, 2018

That is what I plan to do this year. I haven't done it with this specific cake but have with others. I have friends who have not bothered to saute (or macerate) at all and the cake comes out great. I wish I had already done the maceration experiment so I could provide better direction here.

Carly L. September 6, 2018

Well, I guess I'll do it this year and let you know how it goes 😀.

zahavah September 6, 2018

Carly - my guess (which I know isn't particularly reassuring) is that it'll work out just fine!

Carly L. September 7, 2018

Ok. So just lay the apple slices in two tablespoons of sugar for half an hour? Also, would I be able to use an 8x8 inch square pan? I know your recipe says nine inches but 8x8 is the only ones I can find.

zahavah September 7, 2018

Yes - gently toss the apple slices with the lemon juice and 2 T sugar for 1/2 hour. Every once in a while, stir them around. They should release some liquid as they soften. Yes - an 8X8 square pan is perfect - it has the same area as a 9-inch round pan. I've gone ahead and corrected the recipe - thank you for your comment as it made me double check my numbers. If you want to be able to take the cake out of the square pan, line it with aluminum foil or parchment paper (for parchment, just cut two 8-inch wide strips and lay them perpendicular in the pan). Good luck!

zahavah September 9, 2018

Carly - see above for update. Skipping sautéing works just fine.

Carly L. September 9, 2018

Okay thank you. And when you say 12 slices, do you mean 12 slices an apple or in total for four apples?

zahavah September 9, 2018

12 slices per apple (otherwise you’d have huge apple thirds!) - I believe this was addressed in earlier comments

Carly L. September 9, 2018

Ok. It's in the oven now. The only thing that worries me is that the batter looked really small.

zahavah September 9, 2018

Once you mix most of the apples in with their juices, the batter bulks up and the whole thing rises quite a bit in the oven.

Carly L. September 9, 2018

https://instagram.com/p/BnhK94onPuCLxPNybQHWrRBpypgd92XRPMJM_Q0/ We shall see tomorrow how it tastes.

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joan August 4, 2018

Hello, I want to make this cake and freeze it, for Rosh Hashana. Will this cake freeze well?

zahavah September 3, 2018

Hi Joan. So sorry for the late response. Yes - it freezes extraordinarily well. Wrap it well in plastic wrap, and then in heavy duty aluminum foil. Take it out a few hours before you plan to eat it. You had heat it in the oven if you'd like (just don't forget to remove the plastic wrap!). It's great for breakfast the next day. Shana tova!

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Robyn W. September 15, 2017

What can be subbed for demerara sugar?

Amanda H. September 15, 2017

You could use raw sugar, light brown sugar or even just regular white sugar.

barb48 September 27, 2016

Can vegetable oil sub for Canola?

zahavah September 27, 2016

Hi there. Yes, you can absolutely use vegetable oil instead of canola. Shana tova!

Jennifer F. September 16, 2016

Would olive oil work instead of canola?

zahavah September 16, 2016

Hi Jennifer. I've never made this cake with olive oil (and I've made it many many times, and fruits other than apple), but I think it would work. Just bear in mind that canola has a more neutral flavor than olive oil and is less expensive. If you try it with olive oil, please let us know how it turns out.

Jennifer F. September 16, 2016

I'm going to give it a shot for Rosh Hashanah since I always have olive oil on hand and will let you guys know how it turns out. Thanks so much!

Jennifer F. October 3, 2016

Oli update - I made the cake yesterday for Rosh Hashanah and used olive oil - there were no leftovers so it worked well. I also add a handful or two of dark chocolate chips.

Samantha December 19, 2015

I've made this cake for Rosh Hashana a few times, it's amazingly easy and delicious, specially with a little Haagen Dazs vanilla ice cream on top, people go wild. Last time I made it in a loaf pan and I liked the texture even more. The host at the RH dinner I brought it to last time even asked me to make him another one, he was gonna pay for it cause he liked it so much. Now I'm making it again for my Mother in Law to bring to her Christmas Eve dinner. Kinda ironic, but delicious recipes don't know religion.

zahavah September 3, 2018

So lovely to hear!

barb48 September 13, 2015

There's no salt indicated in this recipe. Supposed to be that way?

zahavah September 16, 2016

Hi there - sorry for not responding earlier. Nope, there's no salt in cake, but you could probably add 1/2 teaspoon if you wanted to try.

Rachel September 7, 2015

Hi, I plan to make this for Rosh Hashanah this year. Quick question about the apples: should each apple be sliced into about 12 slices? Or 12 slices total for all the apples? This might be a silly question haha. About how think should the slices be? Thanks

Rachel September 7, 2015

Sorry, about how *thick

zahavah September 7, 2015

Hi Rachel - you can cut each apple into 12 slices, so they're pretty thin! Shana tova!

nancila September 7, 2015

Yes, each apple = 12 slices. Cut the apple in half and then, cut out the core from both sides. You will now have 4 pieces. Cut each piece into 3 and voila! 12 slices :-)

Rachel September 11, 2015

Thank you!

Taylor S. March 29, 2015

SO GOOD! I made a double recipe and put it in a 10-inch springform pan which was perfect. I ended up eating a huge slice! I did substitute some homemade yogurt for part of the oil which worked out nicely. Very quick and easy to whip up.

zahavah September 9, 2018

Thanks for the tip about yogurt!

[email protected] September 28, 2019

Did you change cooking time? I’m worried about doubling recipe without using a larger pan (I also am using 10”)

zahavah September 28, 2019

You’ll need to bake it longer. Personally, I’d be hesitant to do this for fear that the center might come out raw since it’ll be pretty tall. I’d recommend 1.5x the recipe to play it safe. Please update us on what you do and how it came out!

Lisa R. July 11, 2014

Delicious!!! And so easy to make, that's true. Especially good if using tart seasonal apples. Thank you for the recipe!

Jennifer September 6, 2013

Delicious and easy to make!!! Thanks so much for this fantastic recipe. EVERYONE LOVED IT!!!!!

bebe L. March 24, 2012

Amazing cake. Thank you. I used butter instead of oil, demarara sugar and a bit of maple syrup for sauteeing the apples, a splash of brandy and two tablespoons of Greek yogurt in the batter. I ate some warm with a cappucino, and the rest was devoured by my family in minutes after dinner.

barb48 September 24, 2014

how much butter did you use to replace the 1/2 cup of oil?

zahavah January 17, 2012

Thank you minissimus, Thi, Nancila, and RachaelMR for your comments. I'm so glad that you've enjoyed this cake that has also become one of my go-to desserts. It's great with pears too!

zahavah January 17, 2012

Thank you minissimus, Thi, Nancila, and RachaelMR for your comments. I'm so glad that you've enjoyed this cake that has also become one of my go-to desserts. It's great with pears too!

minissimus January 15, 2012

Made a lovely desert for a brunch I "catered" for my wife. Easy to make from pantry ingredients. The only way to improve it is with a dollop of softly whipped, lightly sweetened cream. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Thi November 19, 2011

I made this last week. Very easy but fantastic. The cake was light and the mix of apples give such great flavor.

nancila November 13, 2011

So, I made this for Rosh haShana, and it was a huge hit. So I made it again for that next Friday night's dessert. And it was loved again by all. So I made it again for dessert a couple of weeks later for out on the Sukkah. Loved it. And then I made it again...well, you get the picture.

rachaelmr November 1, 2011

This cake has become an absolute staple - i made it once for a lovely dinner with friends and now my spouse requests it weekly, i am so glad it is so easy and so delicious - Thank you!

Judy A. October 2, 2011

Made this cake last week for a "culinary challenged" Rosh Hashana at a friend's house. What a gem. Thanks for this. It's a keeper that I will share.

zahavah October 2, 2011

Hi Judy -- I'm so glad that you liked the cake. Shana tova!

zahavah September 2, 2011

Hi everyone - thanks for all the comments and my apologies for my delayed responses. I've been a bit absent from food52 due to a crazy job. But I'm so glad to hear that you guys had great results with this cake. So easy!

gingerroot November 1, 2010

I made this on Saturday for a get together - it was fantastic! So easy to put together and really delicious. The only change I made was substituting one mango for one of the apples (and so used only 1/2 cup sugar). I will definitely make this again.

Julia A. October 19, 2009

The cake was well-received last night. Recipe requested by guests! I also used butter and it was lovely.

Julia A. October 19, 2009

The cake was well-received last night. Recipe requested by guests! I also used butter and it was lovely.

mtrelaun October 19, 2009

This was a snap to put together! I substituted butter for margarine, and brown sugar for demerara, and used Fuji and Stayman Winesap apples. Cake looked and tasted great.

porkchop October 6, 2009

I made this cake as a last minute addition to family dinner invite. Was enjoyed by all.

Amanda H. September 29, 2009

Nice photos. Is that a green flannel sheet? If so, will make me feel better about our props. We're constantly scavenging my house for surfaces.

zahavah September 2, 2011

Amanda - nice to hear from you (the founder!). I have a whole bunch of different colored cloth napkins that I use as backdrops. So many, in fact, that I store them in my wooden coffee table (you know, the kind that's essentially a huge, hinged box that you get when you live in NY and have not room?). As you can see, I never manage to iron any of them...

Amanda H. September 2, 2011

Yes, I know that kind of furnishing. We keep one of our tables inside the fireplace, because there's nowhere else to put it!

Jestei September 29, 2009

This cake was a crowd pleaser. I used vegetable oil rather than canola. because that is what I had, and ditto Turbinado for Demerara sugar. All good. Would make again.

Author Notes

Ingredients

Directions

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Recipe by: zahavah

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92 Reviews