This cake is adapted from this NYT recipe that I made after apple picking in October. I simplified it, added whole grains, and swapped a little coconut sugar for a lotta brown sugar. This cake is dense, lightly sweetened, and full of caramel cinnamon apple flavor. It’s best at room temp or just warm and topped with lots of whipped cream (or ice cream).
I’m not a huge pie person, so this cake would definitely be on my Thanksgiving dessert table with a generous amount of sweetened whipped cream alongside. If you’re not into that idea, save it to make another week! It’s low in sugar and packed with whole grains and fiber – a perfect snack or breakfast warmed up with Greek yogurt.
Servings 10 People
10 minutes Total Time 35 minutes Ingredients
For the apples:
- 4 tbsp butter*
- 2 large or 3 medium baking apples, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the cake:
- 1 stick butter (8 tbsp), melted*
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving
- *I only buy salted butter because I mostly eat it with bread, but you could use salted or unsalted, it doesn’t make a big difference.
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the apples, sugar, and salt and cook/simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are softened a bit, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool completely (stick it in the freezer to speed things up and stir every 10 minutes, we don’t want them warm!).
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with some butter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a rubber spatula to gently fold it in until most of the flour is mixed in. Fold in your room temp caramel apple mixture until just combined, making sure to incorporate all that caramel apple liquid.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared skillet, spread into an even layer and bake for 25-30 minutes or until it feels firm in the center, then broil for 1-2 minutes just to brown the top (keep an eye on it the whole time!).
- Enjoy the cake warm or at room temperature served with ice cream or whipped cream.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop up 2-3 apples
- Make caramel apples (these have to be at room temp when making the cake. You can make ahead and store in the fridge. Let them come to room temp before adding to the batter.
- Mix together the dry ingredients.
Substitutions:
- To make gluten-free, substitute the flour with a gluten-free all-purpose substitute.
- To make dairy-free, you can try substituting with coconut oil and using a dairy-free ice cream or whipped cream (coconut whipped cream!)
- Remember the Whipped Yogurt from week XX? That would go great with this one, just saying!
Storage:
- Store leftover cake in the fridge for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Pop refrigerated leftovers in the microwave in 10 second intervals to gently warm the cake. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.
- Enjoy warm with some Greek yogurt for breakfast.
