Home » Recipes » Grandma’s Apple Cake Recipe
posted by Zainab Mansarayon Oct 3, 2017 (updated Dec 6, 2018) 10 comments »
Happy Tuesday friends! I have a very special recipe for you today! Mr J’s grandma’s apple cake recipe handed down from my wonderful mother-in-law to me and now to you. It’s the perfect example of a family heirloom recipe filled with love, tastes comforting and brings back memories of your childhood.
A classic apple cake spiced with cinnamon and baked with chunks of apples in every bite. So sweet, so lovely and filled with grandma’s love and comfort at its finest. My MIL made this version pictured here recently when she came over to visit. She brought the whole pan over and I had to take a few pictures to share with you all.
As many of you know, I didn’t grow up baking so I didn’t inherit any grandma or family recipes. In fact, that is one of the reasons why I started this blog; to teach myself how to bake so I can create memories with my future kids and they can have family recipes to pass on down.
Luckily for me, my husband has some favorite family recipes and my in-laws have been great at sharing. A few years ago, my father-in-law shared his mom’s homemade fried donutswhich are my go-to for anything fried cake donut. Today’s apple cake recipe is now a fall must-have in my kitchen.
The simplicity of older recipes is just incredible. Our grandma’s apple cake recipe starts with a lightly spiced cake batter wrapped with fresh apples and nuts for choice. The light spice allows the apple to shine in the cake and nuts add a bit of crunch. The resulting cake is moist, soft and comforting. Each slice is packed with warm apples and walnuts. There’s a sweet glaze ti top it all off but it’s not necessary in my opinion.
I hope you enjoy this special family recipe. Share with your family and let me know how you enjoy it. For more apple favorites, check out these apple recipes:
Spiced Apple Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting
Spiced Apple Cupcakes with Maple Marshmallow Frosting
Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Yield: 1 9x13-inch cake
Grandma's Apple Cake Recipe
This is my Grandma's Apple Cake Recipe that's perfect for all your fall gatherings. With lightly spiced apples and a sweet glaze, each slice is comforting.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Ingredients
For Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 medium apples, thinly sliced
- 1 cup toasted nuts (I used walnuts), chopped
For glaze:
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and line a 9 x 13-inch pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs until pale in color, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice.
- Gently mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the apples and nuts.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth evenly. Bake for an hour or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
- While cake cools, whisk the icing ingredients together, until spreadable. While cake is still warm, pour frosting over cake.
- Enjoy!
Cakes Fall Recipes
originally published on Oct 3, 2017 (last updated Dec 6, 2018)
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10 comments on “Grandma’s Apple Cake Recipe”
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Alice Norris —Reply
Regarding my question concerning the apple cake recipe; sorry, the correct magazine title is Taste of Home.
Alice Norris —Reply
I just read the artlcle about you in a recent issue of Taste of Cooking. The magazine recipe specifies peeled apples thinly sliced and yet the photographs show unpeeled apple chunks. Hmmm, I’m sure the cake is tasty either way. But can you clarify?
Zainab Mansaray —Reply
Alice, thank you! You can use peeled or unpeeled. The cake turns out the same 🙂
Macy —Reply
Me too…I didn’t grow up baking. I learned to bake in a combination of home economics classes in Jr. High and high school..and then LOTS of practice after school with my best friend from high school. Our go to cookbook was the old red Betty Crocker cookbook. We made all kinds of old school items..pineapple upside down cakes, oatmeal cookies w clove spice of all things n choc chips. Sounds weird but they were so good. Lots of other items..we were fearless in our baking.
I am so excited. I have everything to make this cake. Love the story behind the cake and how neat that you now do have the babies to enjoy your self taught baking finesse😊
I’m still fairly new to your blog so I am really enjoying reading your recipes.Joanne Bruno —Reply
When a recipe is passed down by grandmas, you KNOW it has to be amazing. This looks so incredibly moist! A perfect cake to have with a cup of hot coffee.
Zainab Mansaray —Reply
I know! It’s been through the test of times 🙂
Katherine | Love In My Oven —Reply
Baking with apples is the best! I love that you have the original recipe – so adorable. This looks so comforting and delicious!!
Zainab Mansaray —Reply
Thanks Katherine!
CakePants —Reply
Ooh, I could definitely go for a slice of this right now! It looks so fragrant and moist. Gotta love family recipes…and in-laws who come bearing cake!
Zainab Mansaray —Reply
Hahha yes!! In-laws coming with cakes are the best!!
