I realize how confusing this must sound. Is it a pie? Is it a cake? Make up your mind, RecipeGirl! It was tough for me to decide, really. In this recipe, a cake batter is poured in and around the apples to hold it all together in the consistency of a cake, but there are so many apples involved that it can officially pass for a pie too. So here you go: Cinnamon Apple Pie Cake
The recipe is one that I spotted while reading through one of the newest cookbooks I have on my shelf: Monday Morning Cooking Club.
Here’s a description from Amazon:
In 2006, a group of Jewish women began meeting every Monday morning. They cooked, ate, drank endless cups of tea and – often heatedly – discussed the merits of different recipes. After just a few weekly meetings, the Monday Morning Cooking Club was born. Five years and hundreds of dishes later, six members of the sisterhood handpicked their favourite recipes to go into their book – the result is a generous, rich and inspiring cookbook featuring the best, most treasured recipes from a culturally diverse community. Each recipe begins with a short story of the cook and their history of the dish, and these stories, interwoven with amazing recipes, take the reader on a heartwarming and delicious journey through a community who finds a deep connection through food and the memory of generations that have gone before.
It’s a rather interesting cookbook indeed. The authors are from Australia, so it’s fascinating to read the stories that go along with the recipes. Some of the recipes have some out-of-the-ordinary ingredients, so it’s not one that I’d cook from every day… but it’s a great one to buy if you’re a cookbook collector. Other recipes I’m eager to try: (there are actually a LOT): Plumb Cake, Souffle Pancakes, Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding, Custard Chiffon Cake, Israeli Couscous Soup, South African Cheesecake, Morroccan Fish, Chicken and Barley Soup, Chicken Paprikash, and Challah From Heaven. There are a lot of neat things included in the book that you don’t typically see here in America. It’s a great way to get exposed to some new food.
How to make an Apple Pie Cake:
You need a springform pan (like the kind you make cheesecake with). Apple slices are scattered around the bottom…
… and they’re piled and piled until you almost reach the top.
The apples get a sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar.
A cake batter is poured on top of the cinnamon apples.
Let the cake batter drizzle down and around the apples, and give the pan a few taps on the counter to settle it all in there.
The batter gets a generous sprinkling of cinnamon- sugar too.
A quick peek into the inside of the pie- cake and you can see my dilemma. It sure looks like a cake, but it’s so full of apples that it can pass for a pie too! I loved this recipe. It’s really different than any apple pies or cakes I have made before, and it was a major hit with my taste testers. Interestingly enough, the author of this recipe refers to this as her husband’s “favorite cake” in the introduction to the recipe, but she named the recipe “Cinnamon and Apple Pie.” Clearly, everyone is confused!
Here are a few more apple cake recipes you might enjoy:
- Chopped Apple Cake with Sticky Toffee Topping
- Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
- Cinnamon Apple Cake
- Apple Topped Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
- Apple Cinnamon Upside Down Cake
Cinnamon Apple Pie Cake
Recipe Details
Ingredients
PIE- CAKE:
- 6 to 8 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 1/4 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups superfine white sugar (see NOTES below)
- 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
TOPPING:
- 1 1/4 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 1/2 to 10-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper and then spray again.
- Layer the apple slices in the pan until they come about 2/3 of the way up the side. (I went a little higher than that and it worked out fine). Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over the apples.
- Prepare the batter by beating the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the oil, applesauce and vanilla and beat well, then stir in the flour. Pour the batter on top of the apples, and sprinkle with additional cinnamon-sugar on top. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to allow the batter to sink down and around the apples.
- Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool *completely* in the pan. If you try to remove the cake from the pan while it is still warm, it will tend to break apart. I refrigerated my cake before slicing, and that worked out well. Serve slices with ice cream (warm individual slices in the microwave, if desired).
Notes
- You want "caster sugar" for this recipe: It is a finer grind than table sugar, but not as fine as powdered. Look for "Baker's Sugar" at the store, or simply put regular white sugar in your food processor and give it a few whirls to create superfine sugar.
I baked for 1 hour 20 mins and the middle did not get done (still batter-like). Do you think covering the pan with foil and increasing the cook time by 30 mins would be the best solution? I wouldn’t have wanted the top to be any more brown and I definitely want to make this again! It is delicious!
I’m not sure! Did you use the right pan?
I can’t wait to make this. I making it for my hubby for Valentine’s. I looks amazing. I will let you know what we think. Thank you.
Could I use tinned pie apples instead of fresh
I haven’t tried that!
Hi,
If I make the cake the night before is it still as good the next day?
Yes, it should be fine.
I’m making this right now and thinking of making extra for a later date. Do you know if this cake freezes well?
I haven’t tried freezing this one.
I made mine in a Bundt pan and it turned out great! I added applesauce after everything else and hand mixed it in while spreading cake mix as I used a box of yellow cake mix instead and it turned out delicious and moist! Thanks for sharing!
Hi, I love this recipe. Could I substitute sour cream for the applesauce?
I haven’t tried that!
Do you have to use Granny Smith apples?
That is what is recommended since this cake is so sweet. You can certainly sub your favorite baking apple.
This looks and sounds delicious. I can’t wait to try! I love the back story. Thanks so much!
So delicious!!!
I made this today and we are really enjoying this Apple Pie Cake. There is so much tho so I plan to share it with some friends who have teenagers. I’ll be making it again.
An apple pie with crust made of sponge cake is Scandinavian from what I know. You can get at IKEA food court. It was also very common at the National Parks restaurants in Iceland.
can you make without apples just use apple sauce
No, that will not work.
Could you make this in a bunt pan?
No, I don’t think that would work.
Thanks Lori for this lovely recipe! I tried it and it was so easy and tasted so good. All my family and friends loved it. I cut down on the oil and sugar by half and it was still moist and sweet. Thanks again and have a wonderful blessed Thanksgiving holidays ?
I never leave comments on recipes. But this, this is just amazing. It’s so good! I’m making it to bring for thanksgiving to my bf’s mom house. I hope they like it! If not more for me. Lmao
I wonder if you can use pumpkin instead of the oil and applesauce. Ive been craving apples AND pumpkin
Hi! I’d like to make this as my son’s birthday cake, because he loves apples! I need a larger version for our whole family…do you think I could bake it in a 9×13? Also, how do you think it would be with a frosting?
Thank you!
Sara, I have no idea as I haven’t tried either. Good luck!!!
I just made this , it was great but I think the Granny Smith apples are too tart, if I used a sweeter apple would it make the cake too sweet?
Here is some information about apples that are suggested for use in baking: https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/the-3-best-apples-to-use-for-baking
I’ve made this several times as a gluten free version, and it is ALWAYS the first dessert gone! I try and scare people off with gluten free but it never works!
Delicious! I baked last night and used 3/4each of oil and apple sauce. Worked perfectly! I put a bag of green apple. Next time, I will slice thicker to enjoy presence of apple. I just found a jewel of recipe. Thank you!
Loved this recipe. I am making it for the second time today. I used the 1/2 oil, 1/2 applesauce, which worked out very well. I will be sure to slice the apples a bit thinner this time, and maybe not pile them so high so i get more of the cake layer on top. Very Nice.
wow, never seen an apple pie, or cake, like this before, looks really good and love how stuffed full of apples it is, thank you for this!
I made this the other day… Fantastic, which is nothing new from the comments. I mixed in a cortland that I had, so not as tart with just grannys. I oops with refrigerating after it cooled, not just before cutting for ease, as the recipe states. This caused the delicious crust to go soggy on me. I will make it again for Thanksgiving, and know to leave it table side until 1/2 before cut n’ serve.
I normally don’t post on blogs but this recipe was sooooo good that I have to share. I followed the recipe for the most part, left the skin on the apples, added a bit of cardamom (love using this spice in apple desserts) and used both granny smith and pink ladies. Instead of using the recommended pan I wanted to make individual servings so I used ring molds that I have. I cut the apple slices in half, placed the molds on a cookie sheet, and WaLa…..individual yummy desserts. I served them with some drizzled caramel and French vanilla ice cream. Family loved, loved, loved, them. I am working on menu items for my business this is a keeper!!!!!
Happy to hear!