Description
This moist and flavorful Apple Spice Cake combines warm autumn spices with fresh grated apples and apple cider for a beautifully tender crumb. Finished with a delicate cinnamon glaze, this loaf cake is perfect for a cozy dessert or an afternoon treat.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cake
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/3 cup apple cider (not apple juice)
- 1/3 cup fresh apple, peeled and grated (moisture pressed out between paper towels)
Cinnamon Glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 to 5 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing it to hang over the edges by an inch or two to facilitate easy removal of the cake after baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl sides as needed. Mix in the vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt to distribute the spices evenly.
- Mix Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the apple cider beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Fold in Grated Apple: Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the moisture-pressed grated apple using a large spatula to prevent overmixing.
- Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake on the center rack for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly near the end, tent the cake with aluminum foil.
- Cool Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cake out and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare Cinnamon Glaze: In a medium bowl, sift powdered sugar. Add heavy cream or milk and ground cinnamon, whisking until smooth and lump-free. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar if too thin or more cream/milk if too thick.
- Glaze Cake: Drizzle the cinnamon glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Allow glaze to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Store the cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days to retain freshness.
- This cake can be frozen; wrap well in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
