Description
Ina Garten’s apple cinnamon cake blends classic fall flavors with refined baking techniques. Warm spices and tender apples create a comforting dessert that delights guests with its rich, homemade appeal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 150 grams (¾ cup) caster sugar
- 50 grams (¼ cup) caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (approximately 1 large) red apple, peeled and roughly chopped
- 120 milliliters (½ cup) vegetable oil
- 120 milliliters (½ cup) Greek yogurt
- 210 grams (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
- 30 grams (¼ cup) icing sugar
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) for standard ovens or 160°C (320°F) for fan-forced models. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
- Dry Ingredient Composition: Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Incorporate diced apples, ensuring uniform distribution throughout the mixture.
- Liquid Mixture Creation: Whisk eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and Greek yogurt in a separate bowl until smooth and slightly aerated. Combine wet ingredients with the dry ingredient mixture, stirring gently until just incorporated. Transfer batter to the prepared cake pan.
- Cinnamon Topping Assembly: Blend sugar, ground cinnamon, and melted butter to create a crumbly topping. Generously sprinkle the aromatic mixture across the cake’s surface.
- Baking Process: Place cake in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Verify doneness by inserting a skewer into the center – it should come out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Finishing Touch: Prepare a glaze by whisking powdered sugar with milk until smooth and pourable. Drizzle elegantly over the cooled cake, creating a delectable final layer.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Stir batter gently to keep cake tender and light, stopping when ingredients are just combined to avoid tough, dense texture.
- Apple Prep Matters: Dice apples uniformly and pat dry to prevent excess moisture from making cake soggy, ensuring perfect texture and even baking.
- Check Oven Accuracy: Use an oven thermometer to confirm actual temperature, as home ovens can vary and impact cake’s rise and golden-brown finish.
- Cooling Technique: Allow cake to cool completely on wire rack before glazing, preventing soggy bottom and ensuring glaze sets beautifully without melting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg