Every bite of this Dutch Apple Cake is sweet and juicy thanks to layers of thinly sliced Honeycrisps, baked up in a no fail batter with a touch of spice. This easy coffee cake has a nice crisp sugary crust that makes it irresistible.
Dutch apple cake is made with Honeycrisp apples
Once early Fall hits I can’t bake with apples fast enough. I love to cycle through the different varieties and taste the subtle differences in the results. Today’s Honeycrisp was sweetly juicy, and even after baking the thin slices retained that famous crunch they’re known for. This cake will take any apple you want to throw at it, so go with your favorite. (It doesn’t cook long enough for any variety to get mushy, so you’ll be good to go.)
“Everyone I have made this cake for absolutely loves it! It’s such a great, light cake perfect for mornings with coffee. I’m so glad I came across this blog!!“
~ jes
it’s everything you love about apple pie, in cake form!
Every country, every region really, that supports apple trees has their own favorite apple cake, and this one happens to be inspired by the way they do it in the Netherlands…the sliced fruit is folded right into a buttermilk cake batter. The thinly sliced apples create a delicious layered effect in the baked cake, making it almost like a cross between apple pie and cake.
I’ve only lightly spiced this cake with a touch of cinnamon and a little nutmeg so as not to overwhelm the delicate apple flavor. You could spice it more aggressively if you like with a combination of allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
what you’ll need
Nothing too unusual in this list, although the sour cream and buttermilk are worth the trip to the market if you don’t usually stock them.
- apples
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- butter
- sugar
- eggs
- sour cream
- buttermilk
- vanilla extract
Like most of my recipes, this Dutch apple cake is super simple to throw together. It’s moist and not too sweet, which means it’s ideal for a morning or coffee break treat.
we love apple cakes!
One way or another I think everybody loves to make at least one apple cake each fall. If you’ve got the itch, I’ve got several others on the blog for you to try ~
Irish Apple Cake ~ a similar cake using sliced apples with a crumble topping.
Honeycrisp Apple Cardamom Cake ~ the unexpected warmth of cardamom makes this cake so special.
Apple Cider Doughnut Cake ~ no whole apples in this, but applesauce and apple cider flavor it beautifully.
Spiced Apple Cake ~ rich spicy apple butter provides the apple flavor in this cake.
Apple Walnut Zucchini Bread ~ chunks of apple combine with shredded zucchini to make an impressive bundt cake.
tvfgi recommends: USA 9-inch Spring Form Pan
A spring form pan is handy for a recipe like this because the cake is very delicate, and removing it from a regular cake pan would be impossible. With a spring form pan you can release the sides so that even the most delicate cakes can be presented and sliced perfectly. I use my spring form pan for cornbread too because I love to be able to remove it and serve it on the table beautifully sliced. USA makes a whole line of bakeware and I’m slowly replacing all my pans. Plus, they’re made in the USA!
“I made this cake yesterday and it was a HUGE hit! Easy, moist, and full of that great apple taste. Enjoying another piece right now with my morning coffee. This recipe is a keeper! Thanks for sharing it.”
~ Yvonne
Dutch Apple Cake
Equipment
- 9 inch spring form pan
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated is the way to go!
wet ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling later
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 14 ounces thinly sliced peeled apples Note: best to weigh them, but that is approximately 2 and 1/2 cups. That's going to be 3-4 apples.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Lightly spray a 9 inch spring form pan. If you like you can line the bottom with a round of parchment.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and spices, and set aside.
- Cream the soft butter and sugar together in a stand mixer for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl a couple of times.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the vanilla.
- Stir the sour cream and buttermilk together, and then add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl alternately with the wet, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until combined, but don’t over mix.
- Fold in the apples and turn into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top. Sprinkle the surface of the cake liberally with granulated sugar.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake no longer jiggles in the center and the top is golden and slightly crackled. The exact cooking time will depend on the pan size you use. You can insert a toothpick in the center to test. Note: if the top seems to be browning too quickly cover it loosely with a sheet of foil.
- Let cool briefly, and then unlatch the spring and remove the outer ring. I like to run a spreading knife along the edge first to loosen any parts of the cake that are sticking to the pan. Cool completely on a rack before slicing.
Notes
-
Top the cake with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar for a different effect.
-
You might want to try this with custard sauce, the way they love it in the British Isles.
Nutrition
What kind of apples work best?
I use Honeycrisp apples for this cake.
I make this cake all the time as one of our regular breakfast sides at Mornington Rose Bed and Breakfast. It’s so delicious, easy to put together, and freezes beautifully, so I make several at a time. I also sometimes substitute fresh pears when they are in season. I haven’t tried this cake with the custard sauce yet but it sounds wonderful. Thanks for a great addition to my breakfast menu !!!
That’s so cool ~ I’ll have to come visit some day!
Yippee! Metric amounts! Really appreciate this and looking forward to trying the recipe ASAP.
I don’t have nutmeg in the house – would it be terrible if I substituted pumpkin pie spice instead?
No not at all, recipes are meant to be played with 🙂
Sue, this cake is absolutely delicious! It’s so moist and lite and fluffy and the apple flavor is wonderful. Thanks again for another great recipe!
Just a question, does the granulated sugar mean normal white sugar or caster sugar (which is finer). I am in Australia.
That would be normal white sugar Rozie.
I made this cake this afternoon. I let it cool a little, and had a small piece. It’s delicious! I’ll let it cool completely, and have another piece with custard sauce. Yum!
Thanks for the recipe!
I made this cake today. Oh my is it good. I made my own buttermilk. The cake texture is light and the apples almost melt into the batter. The best part is the sugar crust. Love the crunch. Great recipe.