This super easy Spiced Apple Loaf Cake makes the most delicious Fall and Winter dessert. Prepared with a homemade Applesauce and packed with chunks of Apples and comforting Spices, it is a great treat to enjoy for afternoon tea or even breakfast. This recipe is also dairy-free!
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Why we love this recipe
This apple bread is probably one of my favourite Winter dessert, ever. It is such a soft and moist cake that has a great added texture thanks to the chunks of apples. It is also a super easy one to whip up when you have lots of apple to use. This apple cake is packed with warm, spicy and comforting flavours.
Just like for my French Apple Cake, the use of applesauce in the batter gives this apple loaf cake an incredibly moist and fluffy texture. The chunks of fresh apple are soft but still provide that great extra bite.
Ingredients
Scroll down to recipe card for all quantities
- Eggs: medium to large size eggs, at room temperature
- Oil: I used Canola Oil but any neutral flavoured Cooking Oil will work. You can use melted butter if preferred but using oil will keep the cake fresh and moist for longer.
- Applesauce : I used a Smooth homemade Applesauce, but you could also use a Chunky Applesauce if preferred - though it will change the texture of the cake. I also highly recommend using a applesauce that is low in sugar or made without added sugar to control the sweetness of the cake.
- Flour & Leavers: a mix of Plain / All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder & Salt.
- Spices: a mix of Cinnamon, Ginger and Allspice. You could also add a little bit of Ginger or Nutmeg too!
- Fresh Apples: peeled and cut into small chunks. See FAQs section below for best apple variety.
You can also add a little bit of vanilla extract for more flavours.
Optional: I topped the cake Flaked Almonds for extra crunch. You could also add other nuts such as chopped Pecans or Walnuts if preferred!
The apple cake loaf is served as is, but if you want a sweeter dessert, you can also finish it with a simple icing (powdered sugar / icing sugar + milk) or make a glaze.
How to make Apple Bread
This apple cake is very simple and quick to make. No need for an electric mixer or a stand mixer here.
- Preheat your oven on 180 degrees Celsius / 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 25 cm/10inch Loaf Pan by greasing and flouring.
I used an Oil Spray to grease the whole pan, then dusted it with flour. When the pan is fully covered in flour, flip it and tap it against your kitchen bench to remove any flour excess.
- Peal, core and cut the apple into small cubes (about 1cm wide). Set aside.
- Photo 1 & 2: Place the Eggs and Brown Sugar in a large bowl. Whisk for a couple of minutes or until lightly bubbly.
- Photo 3 & 4: Stir in the Canola Oil and Applesauce and whisk until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients: Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Spices.
I like to mix all of the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl to insure they will be evenly mixed with the wet ingredients. This is the best way to insure the cake bakes evenly, but is optional if you want to skip this step.
- Photo 5: Sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients.
- Photo 6: Slowly mix in until you get a smooth, light mixture. Stop as soon as the flour has been incorporated to avoid overworking the batter.
- Photo 7: Add the Apple Chunks and gently fold them into the batter with a spatula. Optionally, keep a few chunks to place on top of the cake before baking.
- Photo 8: Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Optionally, top with some Flaked Almonds and the remaining of the apple chunks.
- Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and leave to cool down completely before serving.
Pro Tip: to get an even crack in the centre of the apple loaf cake, take it out of the oven after 10 minutes and slash it with a sharp knife.
Recipe FAQs & Tips
The type of fruit you use to make this cake will have an impact on its taste. You can go for a sweeter apple if you have a sweet tooth, or alternatively choose a more crisp and tart apple variety.
I personally used some Pink Lady Apples for this cake. They have a delicious crunchy texture that is both sweet and crisp.
Here are a few varieties of apples that bake very well in cakes:
- Sweet: Gala Apples, Golden Delicious or Jazz
- Crisp: Granny Smith Apples, Honeycrisp or Braeburn
- Sweet and Tart: Fuji, Pink Lady or Jonagold
You can read more about picking the right apples for baking in this article.
Yes, although it will change the overall texture of the cake. Grated apples will release more moisture into the cake batter so you might need to slightly increase the flour quantity to balance it out.
Storing & Freezing
This Apple Loaf Cake can be stored at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap or aluminium foil or placed in an airtight container. Alternatively, you can store the cake in the refrigerator but I recommend re-heating it before serving. Individual slices can also be toasted!
Before freezing, make sure to let the apple loaf cake cool down completely. Wrap the cake or individual slices with wrap and/or foil, or keep in an freezer friendly container / freezing bag for up to 3 months.
Made this recipe?
Let us know if you liked it by leaving a comment below, and tag us on Instagram @a.baking.journey with a photo of your creation!
Recipe
Apple Loaf Cake with Applesauce
Ingredients
- 1 medium Apple
- 80 gr (1/2 cup) Brown Sugar
- 2 large Eggs - at room temperature
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) Canola Oil - or neutral flavoured vegetable oil
- 240 gr (1 cup) Smooth Applesauce
- 300 gr (2 cups) Plain / All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Allspice
- Flaked Almond, to taste - optional
Disclaimer
I highly recommend using the measurements in grams & ml (instead of cups & spoons) for more accuracy and better results.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven on 180°C / 350°F. Grease and Flour a 25 cm / 10 inch Loaf Pan (see note 1).
- Peal, core and cut the Apple into small cubes about 1cm wide. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the Brown Sugar and Eggs for a couple of minutes or until lightly bubbly. Add the Canola Oil and Applesauce and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix all the remaining dry ingredients: Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Spices (see note 2)
- Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet mixture. Slowly mix it in until smooth, stopping as soon as you cannot see flour anymore.
- Add the Apple Chunks and gently fold them in. Optionally, keep a few chunks to top the loaf.
- Pour the batter into the prepared Loaf Pan. Optionally, add the remaining of the apple chunks and some flaked almonds (see note 3).
- Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (see note 4). Place on a wire rack to cool down completely before serving. To create an even crack in the centre of the loaf, take it out of the oven after 10 minutes and slash it with a sharp knife, then place it back in the oven.
Tried this recipe? Make sure to leave a comment and star rating below!
Notes
- I used an Oil Spray for the greasing, then dusted the whole surface with flour. Once it is dusted with flour, flip the pan and tap it against your kitchen bench once to remove any excess.
- This is to insure all of the dry ingredients are properly mixed together and insure an even baking.
- I left the centre of the loaf clear of flaked almonds so that the cake would evenly crack in the centre.
- If the cake seems to become brown quickly, it means your oven might be too hot. Simply reduce the temperature slightly. If the top gets very brown but the centre is not baked yet, you can cover the loaf with aluminium foil to finish the baking without burning the cake.
