No Peel Apple Cake (Very Moist, Made with Yogurt)
Apple cake made with this recipe will be your go-to apple cake recipe simply because it’s so easy to make, delicious and moist!
Autumn means apples, and with the start of baking season, what could be better than a simple, yet delectable apple cake?
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You may recognize this cake texture if you’ve made my Sicilian whole orange cake or Sicilian whole lemon cake! Well, it works beautifully for apples, too! It’s not too sweet, and is super easy to make (without having to peel apples) with a fabulous texture and crumb; what’s not to love?
I’ve gone and made a WHOLE PEAR CAKE, too!!
What Apples are Best for Apple Cake?
For this particular apple cake, you can use any apple variety that you like. In the US, I would gravitate towards Granny Smith or a less sweet eating apple, like Honeycrisp, or Lady Alice, however, I have also used Gala apples and the cake was still wonderful.
Do you Peel Apples for Apple Cake?
For this particular cake, as long as you’re using organic or homegrown apples, DO NOT PEEL THE APPLES. This is because you’re going to process the apple in a food processor or blender and the peel will be unnoticeable, except it gives the cake added flavor and nutrition.
Should you Refrigerate Apple Cake?
There’s no need to refrigerate apple cake. If you plan to take longer than three days to finish it, then freeze it.
You may also enjoy this recipe for a simple Eve’s Pudding,
a traditional British apple dessert.
How about making apple scones, too? They’re totally scrumptious!
Can I Freeze This Easy Apple Cake?
Yes, this moist apple cake freezes very well. Cover the cake in parchment paper then aluminum foil or place in a freezerproof container. Use within a month.
Apple Cake Recipe (Using Whole Apples)
slightly adapted from my Sicilian Orange Cake serves 10
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/8 c (250g) sugar
- 1 3/4 c (275g) all purpose flour (plain flour in the UK)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (or 1 packet Italian Paneangeli vanilla baking powder)
- 1/3 c (100g) butter, softened
- 1/3 c (110g) plain Greek yogurt
- 2 or 3 large organic apples, about (300g), washed and cut into pieces (do not peel, but remove the core/seeds) I recommend using a scale
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh lemon zest/peel
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Make the Apple Cake Batter
Prepare an 8″ springform pan by spraying with oil (or butter) and lining in parchment paper (sides optional, if you want really clean sides), then spray the paper, too.
In a food processor, or blender, process the apple pieces and lemon juice until it is almost pureed.
Place the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy. Sift the flour with the baking powder then add to the mixture in the bowl a little at a time along with the softened butter. Continue to mix until completely blended, then stir in the yogurt.
Add the processed apples and grated lemon rind to the cake batter and stir until evenly combined.
Pour into prepared cake tin.
Bake the Apple Cake
Bake for 50-60 minutes (depending on your oven), but test with a cake tester or skewer to make sure the apple cake is done before removing from the oven. If desired, sprinkle lightly with some granulated sugar immediately. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then remove the side of the springform pan.
Let cool completely before cutting and serving.
The easy apple cake can stand on its own, but you can also serve it with a fruit sauce, dollop of whipped cream, custard or vanilla ice cream. I prefer it plain with a cup of tea!
Let me know what you think if you make it! I love it! Just look at that crumb.
Want a recipe for Butterscotch Apples with Rice Pudding? Here you go.
Apple Cake (Very Moist, Made with Yogurt
A very moist and easy to make apple cake!
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 large organic apples, about (300g), washed and cut into pieces (do not peel, but remove the core/seeds)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/8 c (250g) sugar
- 1 3/4 c (275g) all purpose flour (plain flour in the UK)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (or 1 packet Italian Paneangeli vanilla baking powder)
- 1/3 c (100g) butter, softened
- 1/3 c (110g) plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh lemon zest/peel
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Make the Apple Cake Batter
- Prepare an 8″ springform pan by spraying with oil (or butter) and lining in parchment paper (sides optional, if you want really clean sides), then spray the paper, too.
- In a food processor, or blender, process the apple pieces and lemon juice until it is almost pureed.
- Place the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy. Sift the flour with the baking powder then add to the mixture in the bowl a little at a time along with the softened butter. Continue to mix until completely blended, then stir in the yogurt.
- Add the processed apples and grated lemon rind to the cake batter and stir until evenly combined.
- Pour into prepared cake tin.
Bake the Cake
- Bake for 50-60 minutes (depending on your oven), but test with a cake tester or skewer to make sure the apple cake is done before removing from the oven. If desired, sprinkle lightly with some granulated sugar immediately. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then remove the side of the springform pan.
- Let cool completely before cutting and serving.
- The cake can stand on its own, but you can also serve it with a fruit sauce, dollop of whipped cream, custard or vanilla ice cream. I prefer it plain with a cup of tea!
Notes
Some of you have written to ask about using pears instead of apples. Although I have yet to try this, I would guess that it would work well. Let me know if you try!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 320Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 147mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information is only estimated.
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This is similar to the yoghurt cakes we used to make at altitude in ski resorts as they always rise.
The big difference was that you used oil instead of butter.
3 cups of flour,
2 cups of sugar,
1 cup of oil,
1 cup of yoghurt,
3 eggs.
Throw everything in a bowl with some kind of flavouring, stick your hand in to mix and pour into the cake tin.
Cakes baked by the time breakfast is over!
My favourite was chocolate orange.
I’ve never baked at high altitude, so truly know nothing about it. That sounds like a very sweet cake!
Hi Christina. I love to bake. But just recently I have slowed partly cuz my mother recently got diagnosed with diabeties. It hard to figure out how much sugar to decrease in recipes. And I can’t find diabetic sugar. Any reccomendations? Use your receipe it calls for 250grms of sugar. What would be a good amount enough to add abit of sweetness? Can I subsitute something else rather than sugar? I myself don’t like too much sugar. Plz advice. I thankyou for your reply and recipe that I look firward to make. Love from Canada.
Hi Sylvia, unfortunately, I don’t know anything about adapting recipes to diabetic friendly ones. I would say you could probably cut the sugar in half, but I don’t know if that’s enough to make it low-sugar enough for your mother. Good luck and let me know if you try it. CC
I know that I’m a year late seeing this, but I can answer that question. I am also diabetic. I have replaced sugar with Monkfruit. It’s a 1:1 all natural sugar replacement. You can bake with it; I do all the time. It also tastes like sugar.
Thank you so much, Sue! People are always reading the comments so I’m sure it will still be helpful! :)
Thank you, sounds gorgeous. Will make it tomorrow. And thank you for stating the “cup” quantities in grams for the English amongst us!!
Guaranteed results with weighing, not with cups! I wish I didn’t have to add cups at all :(
Can I substitute this with gluten free flour?
If so do I need to add anything else.
Many thanks
I have done so with my gf orange cake and gf lemon cake, so I would assume this would turn out too. Check out those recipes, Anna.
I’m in the UK. What should I use instead of all purpose flour? Plain or Self Raising flour? Many thanks, from Christine x
Hi Christine, all purpose is plain flour. Enjoy!
Plain flour
This looks awesome and I am glad you mentioned using Gala apples, as they are in the market here and I have several pounds at home. Making this tomorrow!
Fantastic! Let me know what you think, David! Enjoy!
Can I substitute Gluten Free flour
Hi Susan, I have successfully made the orange and lemon versions with gluten free flour, and they turn out fabulous. So, on that basis I would say yes, but I will also add a qualifier by saying that I haven’t made the apple cake with gluten free flour yet. Here is the gf orange cake recipe you can follow if you decide to try as it’s different than the original. Let me know how it turns out if you give it a go. CC
This cake looks divine and I can’t wait to try it with some organic gala apples I just bought! However, I’m a little confused… in describing the cake you state that it has no butter and an entire cup of yogurt, but the recipe states 1/3 c butter and 1/3 c yogurt. Which instructions should I follow?
I have the same question for Christina.
Please make the recipe correction. Was butter part of the orange cake??
Sorry! I had the wrong title, but the recipe is correct! It does have butter; I got it mixed up with my muffin recipe! Follow the recipe as written, it’s good as is. Thanks for catching that, Sandi and Lori!