This Double Apple Spice Cake includes chopped apples in the batter and sliced apples prettily arranged on top. You’re pretty much guaranteed to get apple in every bite!
I came across a version of this recipe promoted by Kerrygold Irish Butter. I thought it looked amazing, but I wanted to change it to a square pan for easier slicing and freezing and make a number of other little changes, too.
Instead of dusting the top with confectioners’ sugar, I decided to use a technique I also use for my Calvados Apple Galette: brushing honey across the top near the end of baking to add some sweetness and glisten.
This is really such a pretty cake. The spices are gentle, but present enough to boost the flavor of the apples.
Modified from Kerrygold.
Bready or Not: Double Apple Spice Cake
Equipment
- 8×8 or 9×9 square pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
- basting brush
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 8 ounces Kerrygold Salted Butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 3 medium baking apples like Pink Lady, Envy, Granny Smith, etc
- 2 Tablespoons turbinado sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 square pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare the apples. Peel then dice up one of the apples. The other two, peel and slice thinly.
- To a large bowl, add the brown sugar and eggs. Whisk for about a minute until thoroughly combined and creamy.
- Add the sour cream/yogurt, pure vanilla extract, and melted butter. Whisk well.
- In a separate medium size bowl, combine flour, kosher salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and allspice.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Before the dry ingredients are fully incorporated, add the diced apples. Continue to fold in until no streaks of flour remain.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan, then use an offset spatula to smooth it out. Shingle the thinly sliced apples on top. The sprinkle turbinado sugar all over the slices.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Pull out the cake and brush on the honey across all of the nooks and crannies. Place the cake back in oven to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the top is turning golden brown. The apples on top should be fork-tender with the center cake passing the toothpick test.
- Let cool at least 30 minutes before slicing in. Store covered in the fridge. Cake can also be frozen for later enjoyment.