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Soft, warmly spiced apple cinnamon cake with tender crumb, chunks of juicy apple throughout, and a crunchy cinnamon-sugar topping that stays moist for days. This single-bowl oil-based cake comes together in under 15 minutes, needs no mixer, and delivers bakery-quality texture on your first attempt.​

Why This Recipe Works

This cake relies on oil instead of butter to keep the crumb exceptionally moist for up to five days. Oil is 100% fat with no water content, so it coats flour particles completely and slows gluten development, resulting in softer texture that doesn’t dry out. Butter-based cakes firm up faster because butter contains 16–18% water that evaporates during baking.​

The batter uses yogurt or sour cream for tang and structure. Acidic dairy tightens gluten slightly and creates a fine, stable crumb—sour cream delivers the softest interior, while yogurt offers lighter texture.​

Tossing apple chunks in flour before folding prevents sinking. The flour coating helps fruit “stick” to the batter rather than sliding to the bottom as the cake heats.​

Ingredients

Wet ingredients:

• 120 g (½ cup) neutral oil — long-lasting moisture​
• 150 g (¾ cup) caster sugar — sweetness and tenderness​
• 120 g (½ cup) full-fat yogurt or sour cream — tang, moisture​
• 2 large eggs (100 g), room temperature — structure
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract — flavor
• 60 ml (¼ cup) milk — hydration

Dry ingredients:

• 210 g (1¾ cups) all-purpose flour — structure
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder — leavening
• ½ teaspoon baking soda — lift and browning
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon — spice
• ⅛ teaspoon salt — balance

Apple filling:

• 200 g (2 small–medium) apples, cut into 1 cm cubes — texture (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady)​
• 1 tablespoon flour — prevents sinking​
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon — coating

Topping:

• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Equipment

Required: 20 cm / 8-inch round pan, parchment paper, mixing bowls, whisk and spatula, kitchen scale, oven, skewer​

Nice-to-have: Offset spatula, fine-mesh sieve, instant-read thermometer (doneness at 96–98°C)​

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep (5 minutes)
Preheat oven to 170°C / 338°F (160°C fan) with rack in center. Line pan with parchment. Bring eggs and yogurt to room temperature—cold eggs create dense crumb.​

Step 2: Prepare apples (3 minutes)
Peel and core apples, cut into 1 cm cubes. Toss with 1 tablespoon flour and ½ teaspoon cinnamon until dusted.

Step 3: Make wet mixture (3 minutes)
Whisk oil, sugar, yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and milk for 1–2 minutes until smooth. Visual cue: Batter should fall in thick ribbon that holds shape for 3–4 seconds.

Step 4: Combine dry ingredients (2 minutes)
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until distributed.​

Step 5: Fold dry into wet (2 minutes)
Add dry ingredients in two additions. Fold gently with spatula using broad strokes from bottom up. Stop when no flour streaks remain—over-mixing creates tunnels. Visual cue: Batter should be thick, not pourable.

Step 6: Fold in apples (1 minute)
Gently fold flour-coated apples with 8–10 strokes—don’t stir aggressively. Apples should be evenly distributed.

Step 7: Transfer and top (2 minutes)
Pour batter into pan and spread evenly. Mix topping sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle uniformly over surface.​

Step 8: Bake (30–40 minutes)
Bake at 170°C without opening door for first 25 minutes. Check doneness at 30 minutes: skewer should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Tent with foil if top browns too quickly. Visual cue: Edges pull away from pan; center springs back when pressed. Internal temperature: 96–98°C.​​

Step 9: Cool (10 + 15 minutes)
Cool in pan 10 minutes, then lift onto rack using parchment. Cool 15 minutes before slicing—cutting early makes crumb gummy.​

Troubleshooting

Cake sinks in center: Underbaked, too much leavening, or door opened early. Fix: Bake to 96–98°C internal; reduce baking powder by ¼ teaspoon; avoid opening door before 75% bake time.​

Apples sink: Skipped flour coating or apples too large. Fix: Toss apples in flour; cut into 1 cm cubes; pat dry if juicy.​

Dry, crumbly texture: Overbaked or too much flour. Fix: Check doneness 5 minutes early; weigh flour with scale.​

Dense, gummy crumb: Over-mixed or eggs too cold. Fix: Fold just until combined (max 20 strokes); use room-temperature eggs.​

Cake domes or cracks: Oven too hot. Fix: Lower temperature by 10°C; place on center rack.​

Substitutions and Variations

Egg-free: Replace eggs with ½ cup applesauce + 1 teaspoon baking powder. Cake will be denser.​

Dairy-free: Use plant-based yogurt (coconut or almond) and plant milk. Choose full-fat versions.​

Gluten-free: Substitute with 210 g gluten-free blend. Add 1 tablespoon extra yogurt; bake 5–7 minutes longer.​

Spice variations: Add ½ teaspoon nutmeg or ¼ teaspoon cardamom for chai-spiced cake.​

Nut addition: Fold in 50 g chopped walnuts or pecans with apples.​

Scaling for 6-inch pan (halve recipe): 60 g oil, 75 g sugar, 60 g yogurt, 1 egg, 105 g flour, ¾ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, 100 g apples. Bake 25–30 minutes.​

Storage and Make-Ahead

Counter: Store in airtight container for up to 5 days. Oil keeps cake moist—tastes better on day 2.​

Fridge: Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 7 days. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.​

Freezer: Wrap cooled cake in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge or 2–3 hours at room temperature.​

Make-ahead: Bake 1 day ahead and store at room temperature. Add icing before serving.​

Serving Suggestions

Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. For breakfast, pair with black coffee or chai latte.​

Drizzle with cinnamon icing (2 tablespoons icing sugar + ½ teaspoon cinnamon + ¾ teaspoon water). Or spread with salted butter while warm.​

For special occasions, layer with cream cheese frosting (100 g cream cheese + 50 g butter + 100 g icing sugar + ½ teaspoon vanilla).​

FAQs

Can I replace oil with butter?
Yes, use 120 g melted butter. Cake will taste richer but dry out faster—best eaten within 2–3 days.​

Can I use whole wheat flour?
Yes, substitute equally. Cake will be denser with nuttier flavor. Add 1–2 tablespoons extra yogurt.​

How do I double the recipe?
Double all ingredients and bake in 9×13-inch pan for 45–50 minutes at 170°C.​

What’s the best apple variety?
Granny Smith for tartness, Honeycrisp for sweet-juicy balance, or Pink Lady for all-around flavor. Avoid Red Delicious—they turn mushy.​

Notes from My Kitchen

Batch 1: Used Honeycrisp apples without flour coating—apples sank to bottom, creating dense layer. Adjustment: Toss apples in flour.

Batch 2: Flour-coated apples stayed suspended! But over-mixed batter created tunnels. Adjustment: Fold gently, max 20 strokes.

Batch 3: Perfect crumb at 15 strokes, but top browned too fast at 175°C. Adjustment: Lower to 170°C.

Final method: Room-temperature eggs and yogurt, fold flour-coated apples gently (max 20 strokes), bake at 170°C for 30–35 minutes. Produces tender, moist crumb with evenly distributed apples. Oil-based batter stays soft 5 days—better on day 2 as cinnamon deepens.​

Nutrition and Disclaimer

Approximate per slice (9 slices): Calories: 280 | Fat: 12 g | Carbs: 38 g | Protein: 4 g​

Note: Values are estimates. Actual nutrition varies with ingredients used. Contains eggs and dairy unless substituted. Refrigerate after 2 hours if room temperature exceeds 25°C.​

Final Thoughts

This apple cinnamon cake proves the best baking doesn’t require fancy equipment—just quality ingredients, gentle handling, and patience. The oil-based batter forgives beginner mistakes while delivering professional moisture that lasts days. Whether for weekend brunch, lunchboxes, or fall gatherings, this cake brings warmth and the irresistible aroma of cinnamon and baked apples to any occasion. Make it once, and it’ll become your go-to recipe for apple season and beyond.

Apple Cinnamon Cake Recipe (Moist & Easy!)

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

280

kcal

Total time

55

minutes

Soft, warmly spiced apple cinnamon cake with tender crumb, chunks of juicy apple throughout, and a crunchy cinnamon-sugar topping. This single-bowl oil-based cake stays moist for days and comes together in under 15 minutes with no mixer required.

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients:

• 120 g (½ cup) neutral oil (sunflower, canola, or light olive oil)

• 150 g (¾ cup) caster sugar or light brown sugar

• 120 g (½ cup) full-fat yogurt or sour cream

• 2 large eggs (100 g), room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 60 ml (¼ cup) milk (dairy or plant-based)

• Dry Ingredients:

• 210 g (1¾ cups) all-purpose flour

• 1½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ⅛ teaspoon salt

• Apple Filling:

• 200 g (2 small–medium) apples, cored and diced into 1 cm cubes (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady)

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:

• 2 tablespoons caster sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

• Prep and preheat (5 minutes): Preheat oven to 170°C / 338°F (160°C fan-forced) with rack in center position. Line 8-inch round pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides. Bring eggs and yogurt to room temperature.​
• Prepare apples (3 minutes): Peel and core apples, cut into 1 cm cubes. Toss apple cubes with 1 tablespoon flour and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl until lightly dusted. Set aside.
• Make wet mixture (3 minutes): In large bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and milk for 1–2 minutes until smooth and slightly frothy. Mixture should look pale and creamy with no streaks.​
• Combine dry ingredients (2 minutes): In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until evenly distributed.​
• Fold dry into wet (2 minutes): Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in two additions. Fold gently with spatula using broad strokes from bottom up. Stop as soon as no flour streaks remain—do not over-mix.​
• Fold in apples (1 minute): Gently fold flour-coated apples into batter with 8–10 broad strokes. Apples should be evenly distributed throughout.​
• Transfer and top (2 minutes): Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Mix topping sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle uniformly over surface.​
• Bake (30–40 minutes): Bake at 170°C / 338°F without opening oven door for first 25 minutes. Check doneness at 30 minutes—skewer inserted in center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Tent with foil if top browns too quickly.​
• Cool and serve (25 minutes total): Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then lift onto rack using parchment overhang. Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

• Notes
  Room temperature ingredients: Bring eggs and yogurt to room temperature for best texture. Cold eggs create dense crumb.​
  Don’t over-mix: Fold batter just until combined (max 20 strokes) to prevent tunnels and dense texture.​
  Flour-coated apples: The flour coating prevents apples from sinking to the bottom during baking.​
  Apple variety: Granny Smith adds tartness, Honeycrisp stays juicy, Pink Lady balances sweet-tart. Avoid Red Delicious—they turn mushy.​
  Test for doneness: Edges pull away from pan; center springs back when pressed. Internal temperature: 96–98°C.​
• Storage
  Counter: Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Cake tastes better on day 2 as flavors meld.
  Fridge: Wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 7 days. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
  Freezer: Wrap cooled cake in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge or 2–3 hours at room temperature.
• Nutrition (Per Slice, 9 servings)
  Calories: 280 kcal
  Fat: 12 g
  Carbohydrates: 38 g
  Protein: 4 g
  Fiber: 2 g
  Sugar: 22 g
  Sodium: 180 mg
  Note: Nutrition values are estimates and may vary based on specific ingredients used.