The Silver Palate Apple Cake is one of the most beloved apple cake recipes of all time, and it just screams Fall.
Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso are the dynamic duo that wrote the definitive cookbook of the 1980s, The Silver Palate. The Silver Palate Apple Cake is one of the most beloved recipes from the book, so many of us have made it at one time in our lives. This cake sits tall and proud and is jam packed with apples and spices making it the ultimate fall baking project.
The Silver Palate apple cake is topped with a warm cider/brandy glaze that soaks into every crumb. The combination of apples and brandy is lovely, I’m filing it away for future recipes!
Cakes topped with warm glazes were popular in the 80s. But be warned, it makes for a very moist, almost wet interior. In this case it has a kind of apple pie effect.
tips for baking the Silver Palate Apple Cake
Best baking apples: Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Braeburn, Northern Spy, Granny Smith.
Soggy center? Bake longer; heavy apple cakes need full time. Check for 200–205°F.
Nuts: classic would be walnuts → try pecans or hazelnuts too.
more apple cake recipes to try
Everyone should make at least one apple cake every fall
Bundt: Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
Layer Cake: Apple Butter Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream
Sheet Cake: Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
Loaf Cake: Apple Spice Cake
The Silver Palate Apple Cake
Equipment
- 10" springform pan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground mace, I used nutmeg
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup whole wheat flour, sifted
- 1 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 3 1/4 cups coarse chunks apple, peeled
- 3 Tbsp Calvados, I used brandy because they didn’t have one of those cute tiny bottles of Calvados at the liquor store
glaze
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons Calvados, or brandy
- 1/4 cup sweet cider, I use apple cider
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Grease a 10" round cake pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the vegetable oil and sugar until thick and opaque. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Sift together all-purpose flour, cloves, cinnamon, mace, baking soda, and salt, then stir in whole wheat flour.
- Add the dry ingredients to the oil mixture and blend. Stir in walnuts, apple chunks, and apple brandy. Stir to distribute pieces evenly.
- Pour into a greased 10 inch round cake pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake rest for 10 minutes, then unmold and pour glaze over warm cake or cut cake and pour glaze over slices. (note: I used a 9 inch spring-form pan and cooked it almost 10 minutes longer)
- To make the glaze, mix the ingredients together in a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly, and cook 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Pour while still warm over warm cake.
I have made this wonderful cake for years. The original recipe calls for it to be baked in a 10″ cake pan. I have baked it in both a springboard and a 10″ pan. It seems to bake more evenly in the 10″ cake pan.
Once I found this recipe, it has been my go-to recipe for Rosh Hashana apple cake for many many years now. Absolutely delicious!!!
Well, Sue, I was going to make your Jewish Cardamom Apple Cake, but I think this Silver Palate Apple Cake may be the one to make instead! Do you think it would ship well for the holidays…from South Carolina to Washington state? Of course, I’m doing my annual end-of-year bake-out for my daughter who resides far from me!
I think this would ship well, it’s incredibly dense and moist. Happy Holidays Dionakaye!!
after baking, do you refrigerate?
You can store it refrigerated or at room temp Joan.
I’ve been making this cake for years – it’s my husbands favorite. My only comment is that it takes much longer to for the middle to bake. I’m going to try it in a Bundt pan this time to eliminate the “middle”.