This is one of the easiest cakes I have ever made. With just a few ingredients, you can create a simple, delicious apple cake that lets the flavor of apple really shine. Moist and full of apple and vanilla flavor, this lovely little cake comes together in no time.
I adapted the recipe from one of my many favorite cookbooks, Savor, by Ilona Oppenheim. I love the recipes in this book because they are centered around pure, seasonal ingredients. I am someone who really enjoys baking, but there are points in life when the time factor discourages me from it. This cake does not take much time at all to whip up, and let me tell you, the house smells sooo good while it is baking! Though I usually make this apple cake to be eaten as a snack or simple dessert, I can imagine it would be great as part of a weekend breakfast too.
It is not from lack of cooking and baking that I have not been as present in this space as I had been before. If anything, I have been cooking and baking more than ever, in an effort to eat at home more and keep super-active teenagers nourished. But sometimes life happens and tosses us around, and I have not gotten the photos taken for new recipes, or I keep making the some of my old standby recipes week after week, if I don’t have time to think, and our afternoons and evenings are full of events (which they often are this time of year).
I would be lying if I said I have not been affected by the overwhelming amount of difficult news events going on around the world in the past couple of months. But baking for me is an antidote to anxiety about an uncertain world, and when I am short on time, baking simple, easy things is the best medicine ever. So I am sharing this lovely little apple cake with you, in hopes that if you try it, you will enjoy it too. The recipe is actually intended to be baked over a campfire. But since we don’t have any camping trips planned for the near future, I made it in the oven and it tastes great, and captures the casual, easy spirit of eating outdoors.
Soon I hope to share more of the recipes I have been testing this fall. I hosted my daughter’s cross country team earlier this week for a team dinner, with the help of a couple of friends who donated some of the food, and it was such a great experience. If you ever want to feel useful and appreciated, feed a bunch of hungry teenagers! They were all so polite and gracious! I was really impressed. If we can’t save the world by cooking and baking, we can at least make someone’s day, and save ourselves in the process.
I hope you all have a great weekend, and enjoy the fall! It is getting really colorful and beautiful around here!
Deliciously Simple Apple Cake
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of all purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
- 1/3 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 cup of apple, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 large apple)
- butter for greasing the pan
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie dish (or a similar baking vessel) with butter. Peel and chop the apple. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla together. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the apples and stir again till everything is combined and evenly distributed. Spoon the batter into the pie dish, smoothing it to cover the whole bottom of the dish. It will look quite flat, but will rise when baking. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm, on its own, or with a side of vanilla ice cream, if desired. Enjoy!
I feel the same way. I think the news these days, my own busy life and just the general mood had put a damper on creativity. I too have been cooking a lot and yet I don’t set up the photography. My dad follows my blog and he’s worried about me because I took the end of summer off. Your daughter’s team dinner sounds fun. It’s nice that kids are still polite. And this cake! So perfect for fall. Apple cake and pies are staples for a good fall season. This recipe is a simple perfect nod to the backdrop of fall. Be well. Always lovely to read you 😉
Thanks, Amanda, it’s good to hear from you. I have missed our being in touch through each other’s blog posts, as we have both been posting less in the past couple of months, and I have missed your posts as well! I have to agree that the general mood in this country and difficult news has put a damper on my creativity as well. But the writing/cooking/photographing is starting to wake back up, I hope! I hope the things that are keeping you busy are going well, and take care! Thanks for stopping by! xoxo
Hi Jenny! I think we are all effected by what’s going on in the world these days and it seems to be effecting all bloggers. You’re not alone. This cake looks amazing!
Thank you, Debbie! Good to hear from you!
A slice of your apple cake and a cup of tea sound perfect.
Thank you so much, Karen! A cup of tea would be wonderful with this cake on a chilly evening or morning!