Triple apple cake contains apple goodness in three ways: applesauce and/or apple butter, apple cider and fresh apples! This recipe is a delicious way to enjoy so many of the different products that come from apple harvest season.
Autumn is my favorite time of year to gather and eat together communally. The days are often still warm, but there is a crispness to the air. The leaves are beginning to change, as well as the light and the length of the days but there is still so much to be harvested and enjoyed. An old fashioned cake recipe like this tripe apple cake is ideal to share at a picnic or gathering because it never fails to remind someone of their grandmother’s recipe for apple cake. Simple, straightforward and sweet, this recipe is full of flavor, easy to make and feeds a crowd.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS TRIPLE APPLE CAKE
- -Full of apple flavor: This recipe uses at least three and up to four types of apple products. Applesauce, apple butter, apple cider and fresh apples all find their way into both the batter and the glaze of this recipe. Every bite is undeniably apple-y!
- -Easy to make: The cake batter come together very easily since their is no creaming of butter involved. It mixes up very much like a quick bread. And even though the glaze is briefly cooked on the stove, it is also a simple process.
- -Keeps well: Once baked, this cake is delicious for days and also freezes beautifully. I recommend freezing the cake without the glaze for best results.
- -Feeds a crowd: This recipe makes a 9 x 13 inch cake pan, making it perfect for potlucks or holiday gatherings.
KEY INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- –Unbleached all purpose flour: To make this triple apple cake a little heartier, you could try substituting half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour.
- Warming spices: This recipe calls for lots of autumnal spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice!
- Canola oil: This is the oil I prefer to bake with, however any neutral oil could work. I do not recommend replaced the oil with melted butter because the resulting texture will be drier. I also do not recommend replacing any of the oil with applesauce since there is already quite a bit of applesauce called for in this recipe.
- Applesauce and apple butter: I have used all applesauce, all apple butter and half of each in this recipe with good results. Note that the apple butter will make the cake sweeter as well as a deeper brown when baked.
- Apple cider: I do not recommend replacing the cider in the glaze with apple juice because the cider has much better flavor. If you are in a pinch, you can replace the apple cider in both the batter and the glaze with milk, however it will affect the final flavor and texture of the glaze. Do not use apple cider vinegar!
- Fresh apples: I love baking with a mixture of sweet and tart apples. Some of my favorite varieties are Ida Red, Pink Lady, Honey Crisp and Granny Smith.
HOW TO MAKE TRIPLE APPLE CAKE
To make the cake batter, a bowl of dry ingredients is mixed (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices). Next, both granulated and brown sugars are mixed with the wet ingredients (eggs, oil, applesauce and/or apple butter, apple cider and vanilla extract). The wet ingredients are added to the dry and mixed briefly. Finally, fresh chopped apples are folded into the batter.
The triple apple cake batter is then poured into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan and baked in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 40 – 50 minutes.
TO MAKE THE GLAZE
In a small saucepan the butter, granulated and brown sugars are melted together. Apple cider is added and cooked briefly. The glaze cools for about 15 minutes before sifted powdered sugar is whisked in. The warm glaze is then poured over the warm cake.
As an alternative to making the glaze, let the cake cool completely and then simple dust with powdered sugar before serving!
This recipe was adapted from and inspired by Grandma, King Arthur and Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Triple Apple Cake
Equipment
- 1 9 x 13 cake pan
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 1/2 cups (313 grams) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (210 grams) dark or light brown sugar
- 4 extra large eggs
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 cup (240 grams) applesauce or apple butter (or 1/2 cup each of applesauce and apple butter)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp apple cider (NOT apple cider vinegar)
- 3 cups (360 grams) apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2" inch chunks (2-3 large apples)
For the glaze
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) salted butter
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (210 grams) dark or light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (119 ml) apple cider
- 1/2 cup (119 ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat a conventional oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan with non stick spray. Lining the pan with parchment paper is optional.
- In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground spices. Whisk together to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together both sugars and eggs until combined. Then add the oil, applesauce and/or apple butter, apple cider and vanilla extract. Whisk them all together to combine thoroughly.
- Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient mixture and gently stir with a spoon or spatula until almost combined. Finally add the chopped apple and give a final mix.
- Pour the batter into the greased 9 x 13 cake pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out of the center "mostly" clean. Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the glaze.
For the glaze
- While the cake is cooling, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, add the butter and both sugars. Cook the mixture over medium low heat until the butter is almost melted, stirring occasionally.
- Add the apple cider and milk and stir to combine. Let the mixture come to a boil, lower the heat and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the glaze cool for about 15 minutes before adding the powdered sugar.
- Finally, whisk in the powdered sugar until the glaze is smooth. Take note that if the powdered sugar isn't sifted first, the glaze may stay a bit clumpy. Pour the warm glaze over the slightly warm cake and let it cool to room temperature before enjoying.
