Dutch Apple Cake

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.

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.)

Of course you can get apples year round, but if you make this cake after a day of apple picking you’ve basically won fall.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Reader Rave ~

“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

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3.55 from 117 votes

Dutch Apple Cake

Every bite of this Dutch Apple Cake is sweet and juicy thanks to layers of thinly sliced Honeycrisps, a no fail batter, and a touch of spice.  This easy cake bakes up with a nice crisp sugary crust that makes it irresistible.

Course Breakfast, coffee break, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dutch

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Yield 12 servings

Calories 226kcal

Equipment

• 9 or 10 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 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 or 10 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcal

Make this Dutch Apple Cake your own ~

• 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.