If you have a glut of apples, then you need to try this easy apple sponge cake recipe. Using grated apples spiced with cinnamon, it's a foolproof moist, and tasty cake that's perfect for sharing with the whole family.
I love foraging during apple season. Everyone knows at least someone with an apple tree in their garden. It's a fun time for lots of Summertime apple crumble recipes apple curd on toast and more.
But here's my latest apple sponge pudding that's been very popular with my family. It's an easy, foolproof apple dessert with no sinking fruit, and made with accessible simple ingredients.
And the great news? It's an easy apple cake recipe that needs very little work, no stewed apple or ingredients. It uses grated apple, so no heavy chunks that can sink to the bottom of the pan.
You can also find my grated pear cake recipe version here.
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✔️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Here are a handful of reasons why I think this fluffy sponge cake with apples will be a go-to dessert every Summer:
- It tastes so good
- No stand mixer required
- No need to separate egg yolks
- Perfect coffee cake for apple lovers
- Can be customised with other fruits
- Full of nutrients from the fresh apples
- Great for reducing waste during apple season
- Easy simple recipe made with basic ingredients
- Can be made into an apple Victoria sponge cake
🛒 Sponge Ingredients
Please see the printable recipe card with exact ingredient quantities, preparation instructions and nutritional information at the bottom of this post.
Unsalted butter - softened at room temperature for easy mixing. If using salted butter, skip the added salt
Caster sugar - this is fine white baking sugar, or you can use golden caster sugar or soft light brown sugar for a richer, more golden colour
Large eggs - these are free-range eggs at room temperature so it doesn't firm up the butter if straight from the fridge
Vanilla extract - to add a subtle but scrumptious apple and vanilla taste
Self raising flour - this is plain or all purpose flour with rising agents to help the cake rise
Baking powder - this is to give the rise a boost while it is baked with heavy coarsely grated apples which are stirred into the batter. Note, this is not baking soda.
Pinch of salt - to enhance the flavour, or omit if using salted butter
Ground cinnamon - I use a pinch of cinnamon, so it's not too overpowering and adds a slight golden crumb
Fresh apples - we foraged the Pink Lady variety which are peeled and coarsely grated. Or you can use tart apples like Granny Smith apples, Bramley apples, cooking apples for balance.
Almond slices - these are thin slices to decorate the top of the cake batter before baking in the oven to toast. Or you can simply dust it with icing sugar once cooled
Lemon juice - If grating the apples first, then I recommend tossing in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to prevent browning. I quickly grate them as soon as I've mixed the batter, so they don't have time to oxidize
📋 Instructions
First thing: preheat your oven to 160 c fan, 180c conventional, gas mark 4 or 350 F and grease and line a deep 20cm or 8" round baking pan with parchment paper. See Equipment section for alternatives.
1. Place butter and sugar in a large bowl, and mix until light and creamy.
2. Now mix in 1 beaten egg, until combined, then the second egg and repeat.
Then stir in the vanilla extract.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
Then stir into the egg mixture a little bit at a time until fully incorporated.
Make sure you scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Now peel and grate the apples down to the core.
Gently fold the grated apples into the sponge mixture.
5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
Then smooth the sponge topping with the back of a spoon.
6. Sprinkle the top with almond slices if using.
Then bake in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes until risen and golden.
If the top is wobbly, cover it with tin foil while in the oven (don't take it out as it may sink).
Then bake for another 10 minutes and insert a cake skewer to see if it comes out clean and repeat if needed.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to fully cool while in the tin.
👩🍳 Substitutions
Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few simple swaps you can make to this homemade apple cake:
Apples - make an easy pear cake, but grated instead of sliced apple, or a mix of apple and blueberries
Self raising flour - for a gluten-free apple sponge cake, swap for GF flour
Butter - swap for vegan, dairy free butter if required, such as a baking block at room temperature. You could also try replacing butter with 140g of vegetable oil (30% less) following this rule of thumb
Eggs - for a vegan and eggless sponge cake, you can replace eggs with vegan yogurt and soya milk
Sugar - for a low sugar cake, sometimes I use a natural granulated sweetener
Cinnamon - feel free to swap for allspice or ground spice to compliment the apples
Almonds - swap for a sliced apple layer on top
⚖️ Variations
Here are some different ways you can make the best apple sponge cake apple recipe:
Christmas apple fruit cake - fold in a few tablespoon of Christmas mincemeat or dried fruit like sultanas, raisins, and lemon zest.
Apple crumble cake - make an additional streusel topping using melted butter and sprinkle on top before baking as I do in my rhubarb crumble cake recipe
Sandwich cake - impress your entire family and friends by dividing the mixture into 2 cake pans. Then spread homemade lemon or apple curd and a layer of 150g whipped double cream or cream cheese frosting
Toppings - once baked, you can drizzle an icing sugar drizzle as I do in my lemon drizzle cupcakes or spread on this toffee apple butter sauce
If you want to bite into apple slices, you might like my gooey chocolate and apple tray bake, baked in a baking tray.
🔪 Equipment
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8" springform pan with liner - or a 2lb loaf cake pan. To turn this simple apple cake into a Victoria sponge sandwich, divide the cake mixture into 2 x 20cm cake pans and bake both for 20-25 minutes.
Mixing bowl and wooden spoon - I created this recipe entirely by hand which is easy if using room temperature sponge ingredients, like the eggs and butter. Or you can hand mixer with paddle attachment
Potato peeler - peeling the apple skin off is optional. Feel free to leave it on if you want the extra vitamin A, K, C, calcium, potassium and texture
❄️ Storage
Storing - we prefer eating this apple pie cake on the same day of baking, but it can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2-3 days.
Freezing - cool to room temperature and again, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Then defrost in the fridge overnight.
💡Pro Tips
- Only grate the apples once you've made the cake mix, so they don't have much time to hit the air and turn brown, otherwise you'll need to toss in lemon juice
- Allow the cake to cool completely before serving so it keeps its shape in the pan
- Don't overmix the batter as you don't want to knock the air out and result in a poorly risen cake
- If the cake is golden brown, but still wobbly after my tried and tested baking time, carefully cover with baking foil without removing it from the oven as it may sink if disturbed
- Try gently pressing the top of the cake to see if it springs back. If so, you should be safe to test by inserting a cake tester or cocktail stick. If it comes out clean, it is ready to take out of the oven
- A Gordon Ramsey tip is to always ensure you preheat your oven for at least 20 minutes to bring it to temperature
- If dusting with icing sugar, glazeor buttercream after baking, make sure it is fully cool so that they don't melt
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Here are some serving suggestions you might liek to enjoy with this simple dessert:
Ice cream or custard - whether it is Summer or Winter, we love eating sponge cake hot or cold with a scoop of whipped or vanilla ice cream, or custard
Fresh fruit - enjoy with fresh fruit or your choice like blueberries, strawberries and cream, etc
A good cup of tea - it's the perfect cake to enjoy for a coffee morning where you can wash dow the sugar with a brew. If you have a large amount of apples, you may like to enjoy with homemade apple cider
Sauce - serve with sauces like apple, chocolate, caramel or lemon curd
❓ FAQ
Yes, you can use any apples you have found, such as pink apples for a sweeter taste, or green apples for a sharper, tart taste
Apple sponge cake is a relatively healthy dessert option. It is made with whole wheat flour, which is a good source of fiber. The apples in the cake are also a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.
An apple sponge and eve's pudding are similar in flavours, but a sponge cakes tends to use less butter (or oil) and egg whites are whisked into soft peaks and folded in for light and airy slice of cake. Whereas apple pudding is baked in a dish, spooned out and eaten with custard.
➕ More Apple Recipes
Looking for more delicious food using homegrown apples? Why not try these simple apple dessert recipes? Or you can find a lot of recipes here using apples.
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📖 Recipe
Easy & Moist Grated Apple Sponge Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Round cake liner
Ingredients
- 200 g Butter Softened (7oz)
- 200 g Caster Sugar (7oz)
- 200 g Self raising flour (7oz)
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 Apples Peeled and grated down to the core (250g ½lb)
- 3 tablespoon Almond slices (20g)
Instructions
- First thing: preheat your oven to 160 c fan, 180c conventional, gas mark 4 or 350F and grease and line a deep 20cm or 8" round baking pan with parchment paper.
- Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl, and mix until light and creamy.
- Now mix in 1 beaten egg, until combined, then the second egg and repeat.Then stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the dry ingredients.Then stir into the egg mixture a little bit at a time until fully incorporated.Make sure you scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Now peel and grate the apples down to the core and gently fold into the sponge mixture.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Then smooth the sponge topping with the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle the top with almond slices if using. Then bake in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes until risen and golden.Tips: If the top is wobbly, cover it with tin foil while in the oven (don't take it out as it may sink).Then bake for another 10 minutes and insert a cake skewer to see if it comes out clean and repeat if needed.Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to fully cool while in the tin.
Disclaimer
*This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World. Slimming World's website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/. Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.
Video
Notes
- Only grate the apples once you've made the cake mix, so they don't have much time to hit the air and turn brown, otherwise you'll need to toss in lemon juice
- Allow the cake to cool completely before serving so it keeps its shape in the pan
- Don't overmix the batter as you don't want to knock the air out and result in a poorly risen cake
- If the cake is golden brown, but still wobbly after my tried and tested baking time, carefully cover with baking foil without removing it form the oven as it may sink if disturbed
- Try gently pressing the top of the cake to see if it springs back. If so, you should be safe to test by inserting a cake tester or cocktail stick. If it comes out clean, it is ready to take out of the oven
- A Gordon Ramsey tip is to always ensure you preheat your oven for at least 20 minutes to bring it to temperature
- If dusting with icing sugar, drizzle or buttercream after baking, make sure it is fully cool so that they don't melt
Jacqueline Darby
This cake is nice. Very light, fresh and easy on the tastebuds. Thank you for sharing it. Jackie
Suki
Great delicious recipe, thank you! Really great for using leftover, bruised apples in the fruit bowl. The recipe card is missing the oven temp, but you can find the oven temp if you read the instructional section on the page before the recipe card.
Anonymous
Cake is lovely moist and tasteful l, I make it often and never fails to please. Thankyou