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Prep time
10 minutes
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Cook time
35 minutes
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makes
1 8x8-inch cake
Author Notes
Snacking cakes are my favorite category of baked goods because it makes sense to eat them at any point in the day. Not that desserts need rules, but I do love the clear all-day appeal of this one. I’ll have this cake for breakfast with a cup of coffee, as my little something sweet after lunch, and naturally for capital D dessert to punctuate the day. The balance of flavors and sweetness make this an ideal anytime bake.
Snack cakes are truly baking's gift to the world, especially this simply spiced and tender apple one. This apple cake comes together in just one bowl, making it the perfect last-minute baking project when the urge to turn on your oven strikes. It’s oil-based, so it only gets better as it sits in your kitchen (though it’s sure to go quickly!). The apples in the cake are peeled and grated before being folded into the batter, allowing for maximum distribution of apple flavor without the density you normally get when you bake with bigger apple pieces. The cake is glazed with a bright and delicious turmeric-vanilla glaze that adds layers of warmth and spice to this cake on top of the cinnamon and ginger in the batter. —Becca Jacobs
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Ingredients
- For the cake:
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3
large eggs, at room temperature
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1/2 cup
vegetable oil, plus more for greasing pan
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1/2 cup
full-fat Greek yogurt
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1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
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1/2 cup
granulated sugar
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1/2 cup
light brown sugar, packed
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2 cups
all-purpose flour
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1 1/2 teaspoons
baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon
baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
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1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
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1/2 teaspoon
ground ginger
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2
apples (such as Honeycrisp or Braeburn) peeled and grated, about 2 cups
- For the glaze:
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1 cup
powdered sugar
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2 tablespoons
whole milk, plus more as needed
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1/4 teaspoon
ground turmeric
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1/4 teaspoon
vanilla extract
Directions
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Make the cake: Heat oven to 350°F with an oven rack in the center. Grease a parchment-lined 8x8-inch cake pan with oil.
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In a large mixing bowl, add the wet ingredients: eggs, oil, yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Add the sugars and whisk again until a homogeneous mixture forms.
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Fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula until there are no white streaks, try to avoid over-mixing. Then fold in the grated apples.
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Pour cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and after 10 minutes, flip upside down on a wire rack.
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While the cake cools, make the glaze: Whisk together the sugar, milk, turmeric, and vanilla extract, adding up to 1 more tablespoon of milk to achieve a pourable consistency (still thick, but flowing).
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Pour the glaze over the completely cooled cake, let it set for a few minutes and then slice and serve. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
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