This Fresh Apple Cake is an unbelievably moist cake that’s loaded with chunks of tart apples and crunchy pecans. Once you have your first slice, you’ll be begging for more!
When it comes to baking with apples, my family has three go-to recipes that we love to make and are always a hit at family gatherings. I have already shared my Mom’s Special Apple Pie with you. I am about to share my Great Aunt Ruthie’s Fresh Apple Cake. And stay tuned because I will be sharing my Great Aunt Ina’s Apple Dumplings in the coming weeks. I honestly don’t know what I would do if all three were on the dessert table at once. Just kidding, I would without a doubt have a generous serving of all three!
I can’t remember a time when I showed up at my Great Aunt Ruthie’s house and there wasn’t a Fresh Apple Cake in the cake stand on the kitchen counter. It is like a decoration in her kitchen except for she probably has to bake one every other day given how fast we “kids” can devour it. This unbelievably moist cake is loaded with chunks of tart apples and crunchy pecans. Once you have your first slice you will be begging for seconds.
It’s a big cake that’s simple to make. Full of fresh apples, sweet coconut and crunchy pecans making it a fabulous fall dessert.
So fresh and so fabulous!
Enjoy!
xoxo,
Fresh Apple Cake
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Yield: 15
- Category: Dessert
Description
An unbelievably moist cake that’s loaded with chunks of tart apples and crunchy pecans. Once you have your first slice, you’ll be begging for more!
Ingredients
- 1–1/4 cups oil (vegetable, canola or coconut)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1–1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 3 cups peeled & chopped apple (use your favorite baking apples, I used Granny Smith)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch (12 cup) round bundt pan. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the oil and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. With the mixer on low speed, add in the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon until well combined. Fold in the pecans, coconut and apples. Batter will be thick. Spread batter evenly into prepared cake pan and bake for 60-65 minutes or until a long wooden pick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert pan on wire rack until cake drops out. You might want to tap the bottom of the pan with a knife a few times to loosen the cake and make sure it came out in one piece. Slice and enjoy!
It was sooooo good! Thank you for this recipe, it’s definitely a keeper.
★★★★★
Hi Susana! So glad you baked and enjoyed it! 🙂
Fresh Apple cake . You don’t indicate if you use the mixer to beat the ingredients or just hand mix ???
Hi Priya! Yes, you use the mixer to beat the ingredients together. I’ll reword the instructions to make it more clear. Thanks for checking. Enjoy!
Can I omit the coconut? My husband dislikes it….
Hi Jor! Yes, you can omit it. Enjoy!
Hi Maegan
My son is getting married and we have to feed a group of people before and after the wedding. Can you make this ahead and freeze? Because it is a great recipe.
Hi Kathy! Congrats on your son’s wedding! Yes, you can definitely bake and freeze this cake. Just let it cool completely and then wrap it twice in plastic wrap and then in foil before placing in the freezer to lock in the moisture and prevent freezer burn. Enjoy & happy celebrating! 🙂
I noticed the batter is very dry and sticky. Is this how it is suppose to be.
Please let me know.
Thanks,
Marcela
Hi Marcela! The batter should not be dry or sticky. It should be very moist yet thick. Did you follow the recipe ingredients exactly?
I have made a similar version for many years but my recipe calls for mixing the batter by hand after beating oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs together and you don’t add coconuts or nuts. The oil is what makes it so moist. I had a similar problem though with your recipe with the batter being crumbly. I tossed the batter and remade using my mixing instructions and your recipe is just as delicious with the batter nice and thick but not crumbly. If anyone has this problem they might try this. I also bake it at 350.
Wait…is this your aunt’s recipe or created as part of your partnership? i tried to make it and it about killed my KitchenAid mixer, so I read back through the post and noticed this discrepancy. Disappointed.
Hi Sam! This is my aunt’s recipe and I posted it as part of my partnership with Gold Medal Flour. I hope that clarifies for you. 🙂 It is a thick cake batter, but a KitchenAid mixer should definitely be able to mix it easily and then you fold in the pecans, coconut and apple. Did you follow the ingredients exactly? I’m sorry you had trouble with it.
I have made this cake for years and it never once affected my KitchenAid and if it affected yours i think its time for a new one they are very strong and the partnership comment was unnecessary
I used my kitchen aid mixer, it’s over 20 years old and still just as good as when it was gifted to me by my mom iwhen I was in college. The batter actually came together perfectly on the paddle with the mixer on low as directed. I added the coconut, then the pecans using the paddle/mixer, then mixed the apples in by hand with a spatula. Came out beautifully. Can’t wait to try it tomorrow at my co-worker’s baby shower!
Trust me, your Kitchen Aid can handle it.
I actually add a tablespoon of unsweetened applesauce each time my Kitchen Aid starts jerking about. I immediately moistens the batter and also adds moisture during baking. Plus a little more apple flavor in an apple cake won’t hurt anybody. In total, I estimate I add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of apple sauce each time I make this cake
My grandmother would make this cake when I was younger. Now I have been making this for years. I love it.
Do you peel the apples?
Hi Paula! Yes, I do, but you wouldn’t necessarily have to. I just updated the recipe. Thanks for asking! Enjoy! 🙂
can this be made in a 9×13 instead and if so for how long?
Hi Diane! Yes, it can. Just start checking the cake every 5 minutes after it’s baked for about 40 minutes. It probably won’t take an hour to bake like the bundt does. Enjoy!
Can you substitute walnuts for peacans?
Hi Wendy! Yes, I think walnuts would taste great in this cake too. Enjoy!
Made this today and was so disappointed. It would not come out of the pan. I had made sure to grease the pan well but the whole cake just fell apart. I do a lot of baking so I am not inexperienced. On the plus side the crumbled cake tasted amazing. Served it with ice cream and it was a hit. If I try it again I will use a 9 x13 pan
★★★
It’s baking in the oven now but the batter was very thick. Is there any liquid missing from the ingredients? I’m hoping the juice from the apples is what makes it moisten in the oven as it bakes. So far, not sure about this recipe (I followed it to the letter).
The batter should be thick and moist (see pic in post). How did it turn out?
This sounds delicious! I can not wait to try it. I think it will make a great cake for my mom’s birthday next month, she loves apple desserts.
Hi! Can I use Gala apples?
Hi Alexandra! Yes, Gala apples would work great in this recipe. Enjoy!
I made this cake exactly as stated. The batter was perfect, but 325 was too low a temp. It was still incredibly undercooked. I’m at a very low elevation. Should/can I do this at 350 for the same amount of time?
Hi Aleshia! Yes, you can bake it at 350, but if it starts to brown too much on the top as it’s baking, I would cover it with foil and let it continue to bake until the middle is done.
This was so good! A wonderful cake for a cold ,damp Fall day. The family loved it, thank you for posting! I am going to make again for Thanksgiving 🙂
I’m so glad you baked and loved it, Judy! It’s a family fave, especially in the fall. Perfect for Thanksgiving!
I have made this twice and indeed the cake is delicious! Both times I made it, the outer crust is pretty crusty/stiff and the inside kinda drops I guess you could say. So I still trying to figure that out but other than that it is so tasty!!! Great recipe! ????
Hi! I was wondering if these could work as cupcakes? And if so, around how many would it make?
Hi Gabby! I haven’t baked this recipe into cupcakes yet, but I think they would turn out great. The baking temperature will be the same, but the time will be reduced…maybe start checking after 15-20 minutes. I’m guessing it would make 14-18 cupcakes. Enjoy!
I made this today and it’s DEEElish! It was a very thick batter and I worried if I folded the nuts, coconut, and apples in evenly, but it turned out fine. I also thought about making a glaze for it, but after trying out a slice, realized it was perfect as is! Loved the recipe. So glad I stumbled upon it on Pinterest. Happy baking!
Yay! So happy you loved it as much as we do! 🙂
Revision: The batter is crmbly, but it sticks together if you press it. It tastes fine, except it tastes like it has a lot like oil. I’m at a high altitude, but I’m not sure if that would make a difference.
Hi Saige! The shredded coconut is a necessary addition and contributes to the texture of the cake. It adds a lot of moisture. The pecans can be left out.
Thank you! Unfortunately, I don’t have any coconut, so I added a little water to make it stick together more. It’s almost done cooking now, and it looks fine, but I’ll just have to see how it tastes! Thanks again!
I had some apples that I needed to use up. I did a quick Pinterest search and came across this cake recipe. I will definitely be making this again. I made mine in mini bundt cake pans. About the size of a large muffin. I adjusted the bake time to 40 minutes. They came out perfect. Just the right amount of crunch on the edges and completely soft on the inside.
At first I thought I misread the recipe because of how thick the batter is… so if this is you, do not worry. It’s very thick. More like a cookie dough.
I also used my mixer dough hook to “fold” in the apples, coconut and pecans. It worked well.
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe! It was definitely a great find!
OMG! This cake is simply amazing! I made it for the first time three weeks ago and have made three more since then. It’s hard to keep this dessert around for very long. So delicious! Thank you!
I made this cake, smells delicious, I have a gas oven and had to cook an additional 20 minutes, to the 60 minutes I had originally put the cake in for . Can’t wait to taste test it .
This cake is amazing!! I cannot keep it around for more than two days. In the last 8 weeks I’ve made six of them and have had five people ask for the recipe. I’m going to try making it into cupcakes this weekend. This is simply amazing! Thank you for sharing it.
I made this cake last fall and it was so great I’m making it for my birthday soon. However, I feel like the first time I made this there was a sauce you poured over it in the pan while cooling? Am I thinking of another recipe or did you change it?
Hi Katherine! No, this recipe is the same as its always been. No sauce. I can’t think of another recipe I’ve shared where you pour the sauce in the pan while the cake is cooling, but if I think of it, I’ll let you know. This cake is amazing! No sauce needed 😉
I made plum sauce and put on mine. It was a hit. Google
Hello!
Made this cake today but the batter is as thick as pizza dough or cookie dough. I used the same ingredients as the recipe stated. What could be cause?
Also, the cake is was done on the outside but undercooked on the inside. It smells insanely good!
Hi Lea! The batter should be as thick as dough, but it bakes up beautifully. If the top of the cake is done before the center is baked all the way through, just tent the top of the cake with foil and let it continue to bake until the center is cooked all the way through. I hope you enjoyed it!
My 5 year old picked this cake on, Pinterest, for his 5th birthday get together with family. It was a big hit. I did add a maple glaze to up the pretty factor since it was for a birthday. I just recently made it with half apples/half pears since I had some I needed to use up. The pears were pretty soft so I ended up baking it for an extra 10 minutes so that it wasn’t undercooked in the center.
Do you think the recipe would work with whole wheat flour?
Thanks for the recipe it is now one of our favorites.
Hi Tricia! Love that your 5 year old picked this cake (he’s got great taste!) and that you added a maple glaze (yum!). It will definitely work with whole wheat flour and turns out great! I’ve actually baked it several times with whole wheat flour over the years. Thanks for sharing! Enjoy! 🙂