This Fresh Apple Cake is an unbelievably moist cake that’s loaded with chunks of tart apples and crunchy pecans. One slice and you’ll be begging for more!
The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The Tree
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: My Mom’s Special Apple Pie, my Great Aunt Ina’s Apple Dumplings and my Great Aunt Ruthie’s Fresh Apple Cake recipe. 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, take a generous serving of all three!
If you’re looking for more apple treats, Baked Apple Fritters are always a hit. And these Apple Nachos are the perfect way to enjoy a sweet apple treat that’s so easy and so delicious.
Watch Me Make Fresh Apple Cake
Step into the kitchen with me as I make a delicious Fresh Apple Cake.
The Champion of Apple Cakes
I can’t remember a time when I showed up at my Great Aunt Ruthie’s house and there wasn’t an old fashioned Fresh Apple Cake in the cake stand on the kitchen counter. It was like a decoration in her kitchen except she probably has to bake one every other day given how fast we “kids” can devour it.
Unbelievably moist and loaded with chunks of tart Granny Smith apples and crunchy nuts, this is the champion of apple cake recipes. The taste is like an apple crisp and the texture is divine! One slice and you’ll be begging for seconds. It’s a big cake that’s simple to make. Full of fresh, apples, sweet coconut and crunchy pecans (walnuts would work, too!), just the right amount of spice, making it a fabulous autumn dessert. So fresh and so fabulous and full of fall flavors!
What Do I Need to Make Fresh Apple Cake?
(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details)
Ingredients:
- Oil (vegetable, canola or coconut)
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Pecans
- Shredded sweetened coconut
- Apples (use your favorite baking apples, I used Granny Smith)
Supplies:
- 10-inch (12 cup) round bundt pan
- Electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or hand mixer and large mixing bowl)
How to Make Fresh Apple Cake
- 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 vegetable oil and sugar. Add the large 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 the wet ingredients and dry ingredients are well combined.
- Stir in the pecans, coconut and fresh apples. Batter will be thick. Spread batter evenly into prepared cake pan.
- Bake in preheated oven 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! Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream and you won’t surely regret it!
What Are the Best Apples to Use?
I tend to think the best apples to use for an apple cake are Granny Smith apples because it keeps things from getting too sweet. Jazz and Envy apples also bake well. You can feel free to use your favorite baking apples. After all, it’s cake. It will taste amazing.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover Fresh Apple Cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat, wrap apple cake in aluminum foil and reheat in a 325 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes.
More Fall Baking
No need to wait for the leaves to start dropping to enjoy My Favorite Recipes for Fall Baking! From perfectly-spiced pumpkin bread to pecan pie bites and savory corn bread, you’re sure to fall for these autumn treats!
If you make this Fresh Apple Cake, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 
I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Fresh Apple Cake Recipe
- 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 and 1/4 cups oil (vegetable, canola or coconut)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 and 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 and 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!
I really enjoyed this cake but also had an issue with the batter being very dry, causing my kitchen aid to complain a bit. In my case, I did not have enough AP flour so I used 1 cup whole wheat and 2 cups AP flour. My batter was extremely stiff, like gingerbread cookie dough. I figured the higher fiber/protein content of my flour caused this so I added applesauce until the consistency was a little thinner and not cookie-dough like. The resulting taste and texture were great. Thanks for the recipe!
Delicious!!! Thank you for sharing this keeper of a recipe. It’s a nice way to incorporate the fall apples.
Extremely moist, the apples and the cinnamon compliment each other in this cake.
Made this tonight and it seriously is the BEST apple cake I’ve ever had!! Thank you!!
Just made this cake and all I can say is WOW!! Mixed up exactly as you said it would and is delicious! A big hit in our home!! Thanks!!
Made this on a whim and it was DELISH! I added a simple sugar glaze. Wow. Served it warm to my kids and they loved it! Perfect pre-Fall, cool, rainy day treat!
You might think your batter is too thick. It isn’t… go with it. Also, I used monkfruit instead of sugar and had to sub half the canola with olive oil because I ran out!
It was still fabulous!
the batter turned out to be so thick, couldnt pour it in the mold, i placed it instead, for almost a whole hour it looked like it was baked, i let it cool, and cut a piece, looks semi uncooked, but still delicious lol, what could be the reason?
Hi! The batter should be very thick yet moist and spreadable. Did you follow the ingredients and instructions exactly? Did you test it with a toothpick or knife for doneness before removing it from the oven. Oven temperatures vary so if the top looks done but the inside needs to continue to bake, I recommend tinting the cake with foil and let it continue to bake until it is baked all the way through. Hope this helps and that you get to try it again soon!
I’m wondering if you need to adjust anything if you don’t add the nuts? Or a non-nut substitution yiu might recommend?
Hi Kelly! No, you can omit the nuts and bake as directed. They add a nice little crunch, but are not necessary to achieve the overall cake texture. Enjoy!
For any curious, I mixed the entire recipe by hand. It’s still in the oven but the batter was beautifully thick and creamy looking
Thanks for that question about omitting the coconut. I needed that answer.
Best ever apple cake. My niece introduced me to it and I’m hooked.