Old-Fashioned Homemade Apple Cake: Tender, Buttery and Filled With Sweet Apple Slices in Every Bite

Ingredients for Homemade Apple Cake

This recipe makes one 9-inch round cake or an 8×8-inch square pan, about 10 slices.

• 3 medium apples: about 1 ½ pounds. Two go inside the batter and one is sliced thin for the top.
• 2 cups all-purpose flour: the base of the cake.
• 1 cup sugar: plus 2 tablespoons extra to sprinkle on top.
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter: melted and slightly cooled. It gives that rich, bakery flavor.
• 3 large eggs: at room temperature, for a light and tender crumb.
• ¾ cup whole milk: keeps the cake moist.
• 2 teaspoons baking powder: helps the cake rise high and fluffy.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon: the classic partner for apples.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: adds warmth and aroma.
• ¼ teaspoon salt: balances the sweetness.
• Juice of ½ lemon: keeps the apples from turning brown while you work.
• Powdered sugar: optional, for dusting.

Choosing the Best Apples

Not all apples behave the same way in the oven.

Granny Smith apples are tart and hold their shape, so they are perfect for slicing on top. Honeycrisp, Gala or Fuji are sweeter and become soft and juicy inside the batter.

My favorite combination is one Granny Smith for the top and two sweet apples for the inside. You get a little tang, a lot of sweetness, and that lovely contrast in every bite.

You can peel the apples or leave the skin on. Peeled apples give a softer texture. Unpeeled ones add color and a bit more fiber.