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What Is Apple Cake?
Apple cake can refer to any type of baked cake that is made with apples; typically, the apples found in an apple cake have been peeled and sliced, regardless of the recipe. The other ingredients in the cake depend on each person's preferences for taste, texture, and sweetness of the cake. Depending on the recipe, this type of cake can be a good choice either for dessert, breakfast, or an afternoon snack with a cup of tea or coffee. The most common iteration of this cake is a small, dense cake made in a square pan, a bundt pan, or even as a loaf similar to bread.
The basis for most apple cake recipes is the same, and involves common baking ingredients like flour, eggs, sugar, and baking soda. Apples are peeled and then sliced into thin strips, and typically do not need to be cooked before they are mixed into the cake. The exception to this rule is if the apples will be used as a topping; in some cases they are baked with brown sugar and cinnamon, and spread across the top of the cake as sweet topping that is a healthier alternative to frosting. For those who do want to frost this cake, a cream cheese frosting is often a good choice.
There are many different ingredients that can be added to an apple cake recipe to give it a more unique flavor or texture. Walnuts or pecans are popular choices that add flavor and texture; cranberries and dates are popular selections as well. To increase the apple flavor of a cake, apple cider or applesauce are two ingredients that accomplish this quite well. Some people even add apple pie filling, though this can make the cake extremely sweet. Coconut is yet another option for sweetness and a different texture.
Often, the basis for an apple cake is a spice cake recipe. Cinnamon and allspice are two common spices used for this, as well as nutmeg. The addition of sour cream can make the cake more moist and dense, and caramel can give it an interesting sweet flavor. There are so many ways to customize apple cake based on the available ingredients and the desired taste, and it can be fun to experiment with recipes to see what taste combinations work the best. There are many different recipes available simply by searching online or looking in cookbooks.
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![Apples.]()
By: PixelblissApples. -
![Brown sugar, which is used in making apple cake.]()
By: HLPhotoBrown sugar, which is used in making apple cake. -
![Applesauce is sometimes used instead of pieces of apples in some cakes.]()
By: rimglowApplesauce is sometimes used instead of pieces of apples in some cakes. -
![Walnuts are a common ingredient in apple cakes.]()
By: matesWalnuts are a common ingredient in apple cakes. -
![Adding sour cream can make an apple cake more moist.]()
By: dream79Adding sour cream can make an apple cake more moist.
Discussion Comments
What kind of apples do you use when making apple cake? Are there any apples that just won't work and can you change up the flavor of the cake by changing the kind of apple?
Apple cake always makes me think of my grandparents house. We would go to visit them in the summers and grandma always had apple cake.
We would go out with grandpa during the day and run through the woods or help him tend to the animals. When we would come back to the house dirty and exhausted grandma would always have big slices of apple cake and orange flavored iced tea waiting for us. It was the best. She was such a sweet lady and any time I smell or eat apple cake she ops into my mind.
Apple cake is one of my absolute favorite desserts. What I love about it is that there are so many ways you can vary the recipe. You can make an apple cake that is light and fluffy and very focused on the flavor of the apples, or you can make one that is rich and gooey and decadent in the way of an over the top dessert.
I like it both ways, it just depends on my mood. But apples have such a great flavor how can you help craving them at the end of a meal?
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