Apple Sponge Cake has a crispy top and a thick filling of sliced apples and raisins. Eat hot or cold for pudding or tea.
This was my aunt's go-to pudding whenever we visited when the children were young. I took the recipe from her, but I've modified it a bit. The original was baked in a rectangular tin and cut into squares, but I rather like this as a round cake as it's slightly deeper.
This is a good cake to make as a thank you for people who have been kind enough to donate apples if you don't have your own trees (which I don't, sadly). You will have to make two though, because you will want one for yourself.
Is it a sponge cake?
My aunt always called this an Apple Sponge cake although, technically it isn't a sponge cake at all. The cake layers are more dense so that they can support the weight of the apples and the moisture that they supply. You don't want a soggy cake!
Key ingredients in Apple Sponge Cake
Cooking apples
Don't be put off by the amount of apples (700g/1½ lb) that you use or the large amount of sliced apple that you get.
They cook down a bit, and give this cake a really thick layer of apple - yummy! There isn't a lot of sugar in the cake mixture, but sprinkling some over the apples means this cake is sweet enough.
What's the difference between cooking apples and eating apples?
Varieties of cooking apple are generally larger and a lot less sweet than eating apples. The flesh is usually less crisp and becomes soft and breaks down when cooked. The most common cooking apples in the UK are Bramleys. If you want to know more about British apples see the Great British Apple website.
Can you use eating apples instead of cooking apples in this cake?
If you use eating apples you will probably need less sugar, depending on how sweet your apples are. The texture of the apples in the cake will be slightly different, again depending on the variety of apple.
Flour
You need self-rasing flour, but if (like me) you only have plain/all-purpose flour, add 1 teaspoon (5ml) baking powder for each 100g flour. So for this recipe you need 2¼ teaspoons, plus the extra 2.
Egg
There is only one egg in the mixture and it can seem as if it won't be enough, but it is. Just make sure it's a large egg. In Europe, that means over 63g in the shell. In the US the same size is XL.
Ring the changes
- Leave out the sultanas if you don't like them
- Use orange zest instead of lemon if you prefer
Secrets of Success
The recipe is fairly easy - slice the apples, blitz the cake ingredients and layer them up - but there are a couple of things to watch for:
Soft butter
The butter must be soft. Room temperature is fine as long as your room isn't cold. If you haven't taken the butter out in time you can soften it in the microwave, but take care! Melted butter doesn't work the same way.
A longer, but safer method is to heat about 500ml water to boiling point in the microwave. Remove the water and put the chopped butter on a plate into the microwave and it softens in about 10 minutes.
Egg size
It's important to use a large egg (see above). If you don't have a large egg, you need about 1¼ medium eggs (use the rest in scrambled egg) or add a scant tablespoon of milk to the mix.
Spread the batter thinly
The batter for this apple cake is stiff to support all the apple. You will have very thin layers of cake mixture. Make sure the bottom layer covers the tin but with the top layer you will probably be able to see the apple in places. Do not worry! That's how it's supposed to be.
How long does Apple Sponge Cake keep?
The cake will keep for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge - if it lasts that long.
Why is my cake dry?
It shouldn't be a problem with this cake but if the cakes turns out too dry, check out my article Why Is My Cake Dry? for some of the most common reasons and the solutions.
What equipment do you need?
- Lemon Zester – This zester changed my cooking life. I know I’m late to this particular party but I relied on my box grater for decades. Now I’ve changed to a Microplane type of zester I don’t grate my fingers and it catches the zest so there’s more of it and it goes where I want
- Apple Corer - I managed to cook for 40 years without needing an apple corer. I have to say that I thought it was totally unnecessary and I wouldn't actually use one. Well, I was wrong. Now I use my Oxo Good Grips Apple Corer every time I use apples in a recipe. It just makes the whole process a bit easier.
If you like this...
...Why don’t you try:
Apple Streusel Cake
Pear and Almond Cake
Apple Scone
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Recipe
Apple Sponge Cake
Ingredients
For the apple filling:
- 700 g cooking apples
- 80 g caster sugar, divided
- 75 g sultanas
For the sponge cake:
- 1 lemon
- 150 g butter, at room temperature
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 225 g self-raising flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (10ml)
Instructions
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/ gas mark 4/ 350°F
- Line the base of the baking tin with baking parchment and/or lightly grease the tin with butter
- Peel and core the apples, and slice thinly
- Mix 50g caster sugar with the sultanas
- Zest the lemon
For the Apple Sponge Cake:
- Beat all the cake ingredients together (easiest with a mixer or processor)(Butter, sugar, egg, lemon zest, flour, baking powder). Note that this is a stiff mixture, more like a dough than a batter.
- Spoon half (or slightly more) the sponge mixture into the cake tin and level with a palette knife or the back of a spoon. You will have a thin layer of cake mixture, enough to cover the base of the cake tin
- Evenly cover the mixture with the sliced apples. Sprinkle the sultana/sugar mix over the apples. Press down with your fingers or the back of a spoon to settle the fruit
- Cover with the rest of the sponge mixture. Level the top and sprinkle the remaining 30g caster sugar over. Don't worry if some apple shows through
- Cook for 50-60 minutes, until the cake surface springs back when you touch it lightly with your fingertip or a cocktail stick comes out clean
- Cool in the tin or serve warm with custard or cream for pudding.
San says
Can you use blanched frozen apples?
Susie Collings says
Yes, they'll be fine.
Mika says
So easy and so tasty! The only question I had was, should the butter be creamed before mixing with the other ingredients? It became a bit lumpy but the result was great.
Susie Collings says
Hi Mika, It depends how soft the butter is. If in doubt, you could cream it first 🙂
Heather jones says
Hello i am going to try and make this cake in the Ninja Foodi 9 any tips ? Thank you
Patricia Pick says
Can this apple cake be frozen, please.
Susie Collings says
Hi Patricia, It can.
Denise Clarke says
Was extremely dubious about the amount of Apple and the difficulties in spreading such a thick dough like mixture.........how wrong could I have been.......it was amazing........just wish I had have the self belief and not cut instead it..( it was meant to be a gift for a visit to my son and his family ). Not enough time to make another.....but I WILL make another for next time.....will just have to eat this ourselves......it’s a difficult job but someone has to do it 😜😜
Susie Collings says
Hi Denise, I know. It looks like it isn't going to work - but somehow it does. Pleased you like it. 🙂
Suzanne Mary Williams says
Hello can this be made gluten free with gf flour?
Susie Collings says
Hi Suzanne, Yes. Use GF self-raising flour plus the extra baking powder.
Frank James says
Hi Susie
I’ve just made your Apple Sponge cake which, despite the fact that I only had a bigger baking tin (23cm) which meant spreading the batter was very thin & difficult - I’m going to buy the correct size, it came out fantastically!!! Absolutely brilliant.
Just two queries please :-
1). The 700g of cooking apples - is that the weight of the apples before they are peeled & cored ? or is it the actual weight of all the slices of apple after peeling & coring ? I only put in enough slices to cover the bottom layer of batter 2 to 3 deep which seemed an awful lot & left over loads of apple slices I’d prepared - how many layers of apple slices should it be ?
2). If I make it again with my 23cm tin, will it be ok to increase all the ingredients proportionately & increase the baking time ?
Susie Collings says
Hi Frank, I'm glad you like the apple cake - it's one of my favourite puddings 🙂
1. 700g is the unpeeled weight of apples. You will have a lot of apple slices and you just put them all in. Don't worry how deep they are, they'll cook down.
2. Increase the proportions by 25% for a 23cm tin, e.g. 875g apples.
James says
LOVE it!!
Also make your Everyday Fruit Cake often - also amazing!
Susie Collings says
Hi James, That's so good to hear 🙂 I'm looking forward to raiding my son's apple trees very soon and making more.
Ken Frape says
Hi Susie,
Yum!
I made this cake twice and both were delicious.
The first one was exactly as per your recipe and then, second time around, I used mixed summer fruits. Had a warm slice yesterday almost straight from the oven with creme fraiche/
Delicious
5*
Susie Collings says
Hi Ken, So pleased you like the cake. Having bags of mixed fruits in the freezer is such a good idea - to use on their own or add to other fruit. 🙂
Pat says
Just made this and thought it wasn’t going to work but it came out amazingly good - so pleased thanks
Susie Collings says
Hi Pat, So pleased you like the cake. I know, it looks like there isn't enough batter, and somehow there is 🙂
Tich says
Fabulous! Made it in a Bundt tin, as I could not find the round one. Also added a rounded teaspoon of cinnamon to the raisin/sugar mix. Husband raved over it.
Susie Collings says
Hi Tich, So pleased you and your husband like the recipe. Cinnamon sounds very nice. I 'll give that a go with my next batch 🙂 Cheers - Susie
Joan Macpherson says
I made this today and think it is awesome. I made it in a fluted ring tin as well, added a little milk and cinnamon and some lemon juice on the apple as I was slicing it. Had it with double cream. Thanks for the recipe.
Susie Collings says
Hi Joan, So pleased you like this cake. Thanks for letting me know 🙂