Spiced Apple Cake

A baked apple cake with a tender crumb, visible apple pieces, and a smooth cream cheese frosting. The batter uses oil for moisture and a simple spice blend to keep the apple flavor clear.

By Julienne

Cook time: 42 minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 5 g butter for greasing the pan
• 15 ml fresh lemon juice
• 450 g fresh apples peeled, cored, and cut into 1.5 cm chunks
• 270 g all-purpose flour sifted
• 10 g baking powder
• 4 g baking soda
• 4 g fine salt
• 6 g ground cinnamon
• 1 g ground nutmeg
• 1 g ground allspice
• 115 g unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 60 ml neutral oil
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 100 g light brown sugar packed
• 3 each large eggs room temperature
• 10 ml vanilla extract
• 120 ml whole milk room temperature
• 225 g cream cheese softened
• 180 g powdered sugar sifted
• 30 ml heavy cream
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• 1 g fine salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 175°C. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment, then lightly grease the parchment and exposed sides with the butter. Toss the apple chunks with the lemon juice and set aside. Oven is fully preheated and the pan is prepared; apples look lightly coated.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice until evenly combined. Dry mixture looks uniform with no visible clumps of leavening or spice.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, neutral oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until glossy. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the vanilla extract and milk. The mixture is thick, glossy, and smooth, with the eggs fully incorporated.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold just until no dry flour remains. Fold in the apple chunks evenly; do not overmix. Batter is thick, evenly speckled with apples, and free of dry pockets.
5. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, until the center springs back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a rack. Cake is golden, set in the center, and fully cooled before frosting.
6. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and spreadable. If needed, add a little more heavy cream in very small splashes, but do not exceed the listed amount. Frosting is smooth, thick, and spreadable without graininess.
7. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Slice into 10 portions and serve. Frosting is evenly spread and the cake slices cleanly.