This easy and quick apple sponge cake has just the right amount of sweetness, soft and fluffy cake texture, and unbelievable flavors. There is nothing more satisfying than a cheap, tasty, and easy apple cake.
So, if you try it, I guarantee you will fall in love with this simple recipe. The cake will become your go-to dessert to enjoy at any time.
With the hectic schedules and busy times with children, cooking, especially baking, is not really an option for many people nowadays. But baking this cake, even on weekdays, is a real thing!
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The batter requires very little work - it takes only a few minutes for me from start to finish.
All this means that this quick treat always finds its place on the top list of my favorite desserts.
What is apple sponge cake?
Apple sponge cake is a soft and fluffy sponge cake topped with juicy apples or thin slices evenly distributed in the cake. It is usually made with simple ingredients like sugar, eggs, and flour with added oil or sour cream.
This sponge apple cake slightly resembles the Russian apple cake Sharlotka (Polish Szarlotka is another apple dessert), but there is some uniqueness about this particular recipe.
The cake has an entirely different ratio between its sponge and apples. It is more like a sponge cake with apples than an apple cake.
Apple sponge cake recipe
- This easy apple cake recipe is very quick to make. It only has a few basic ingredients and requires 10 minutes of hands-on time.
- The cake has an exciting and creative design unlike any other. The apple slices are strategically placed on top of the sponge to be beautifully hidden beneath the sponge after baking. As a result, the cake is easy to slice when you get around apples.
- The sponge apple cake is a perfect pairing for any occasion and can be enjoyed year-round.
- There is nothing to be more satisfying than an apple dessert for kids. This cake will please any child.
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
- Eggs: Use large eggs to make the recipe. Separate the egg whites from egg yolks using an egg separator. Then, bring the whites and yolks to room temperature.
- Sugar: The recipe calls for granulated or caster sugar.
- Oil: Use any oil you desire, from vegetable to olive oil. I usually choose grapeseed oil since it is flavorless.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour to make the cake.
- Baking powder: Use fresh aluminum-free baking powder.
- Salt: A pinch of salt is necessary to enhance the flavors of the cake.
- Apples: One large or two medium apples are enough for this cake. Choose tart apples to balance out the sweetness of your cake. This variety of apples best works for the recipe:
- Granny Smith apples,
- Bramley apples,
- Gala,
- Pink Lady,
- Cortland,
- Honeycrisp,
- Fuji.
- Powdered sugar is used for dusting the top of the cake. Feel free to omit this ingredient.
How to make apple sponge cake
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Using an egg separator, separate the egg whites from the yolks. Sift the flour with baking powder and set aside.
Step 2. Butter an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan and line it with parchment paper (you can also use a Le Creuset springform pan of the same diameter).
Step 3. To make the sponge batter, place egg whites with a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until foamy. Add sugar in three batches and beat until stiff and glossy (photo 1).
Step 4. Reduce the speed of the hand mixer and mix egg yolks, oil, and sifted dry ingredients into the mixture (photo 2). Mix to combine the ingredients; avoid overmixing the sponge mixture.
PHOTO 1
PHOTO 2
Step 5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use a vegetable peeler and an apple corer to peel, core, and slice the apple into ½-inch (1 ½ cm) slices.
Step 6. Put apple slices on top of the batter, slightly pressing them (photo 3).
Step 7. Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (photo 4).
PHOTO 3
PHOTO 4
Step 8. Take the cake out of the oven and rest it in the pan for 10 minutes.
Step 9. Remove the cake from the baking dish, unpeel the parchment paper from the sides, and let it cool on a wire rack.
To serve, transfer the cake to a serving plate and sprinkle it with powdered sugar.
Expert Tips
- It is a personal preference to peel apples or to leave them unpeeled.
- Use chopped apples to arrange them as a top layer of the cake if desired.
Recipe variations
It is a classic apple sponge cake based on a sponge cake recipe with added apples. If you aren't a fan of the classic, there are new things to try and see how they turn out.
- Apples: Experiment with a different variety of apples and a sliced or grated apple. Using stewed apples opens up another cake variation.
- Other fruits: Try this sponge with other fresh fruit, for example, strawberries, plums, etc. Just remember that some fruit may sink more than others.
- Flavorings: Add some vanilla extract, lemon juice or zest, or a pinch of cinnamon to your cake batter for an additional flavor.
- Sheet apple sponge cake: Make the cake in a rectangular shape or even a sheet sponge cake (the baking time might vary). To re-calculate ingredients, use this simple cake pan converter.
How to serve it
Dust your apple sponge cake with powdered or cinnamon sugar. Just mix ground cinnamon with confectioners' sugar (aka icing sugar) and sprinkle some on top for an extra special treat.
Serve the cake alone or with vanilla custard, sugar-free whipped cream, creme fraiche, lemon curd, or vanilla ice cream.
Storing and freezing
Store sponge cake with apples in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Can you freeze apple sponge cake? You can freeze the cake tightly wrapped in plastic film and aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or the countertop for a couple of hours.
Recipe FAQ
For the best results, use apples that hold their shape with baking. Opt for Granny Smith, Bramley apples, Gala, Pink Lady, Cortland, Honeycrisp, and Fuji.
You need to peel apples to make this apple sponge cake. However, if you are short on time, you can leave the skins on, and the cake will still taste delicious.
There is no need to cook apples in advance. Instead, cut up fresh apples, and you are good to go.
Since apples can quickly turn brown once cut and exposed to the air, it is not recommended to prepare apples in advance. Instead, for optimal results, peel your apples and cut them at the very last minute.
Love apple recipes? Try these next!
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PrintRecipe card
Easy Sponge Apple Cake
This easy and quick apple sponge cake has just the right amount of sweetness, soft and fluffy texture, and unbelievable flavors. Nothing is more satisfying than a cheap, easy, and tasty apple cake.
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
For the cake batter:
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (125 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¾ cup + 1 ½ tablespoon (105 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 large apple
For greasing pan:
- 1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter
For decoration:
- 1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar
*Don't you have the correct baking pan on hand right now? Try this simple Cake Pan Converter!
** If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Using an egg separator, separate the egg whites from the yolks. Sift the flour with baking powder and set aside.
-
Butter an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan and line it with parchment paper (you can also use a Le Creuset springform pan of the same diameter).
-
To make the cake batter, place egg whites with a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until foamy. Add sugar in three batches and beat until stiff and glossy.
-
Reduce the speed of the hand mixer and mix the yolks, oil, and sifted dry ingredients into the mixture. Mix to combine the ingredients; avoid overmixing the cake mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
-
With a vegetable peeler and an apple corer, peel, core, and slice the apple into ½ inch/1 ½ cm slices. Put apple slices on top of the batter, slightly pressing them.
-
Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
-
Take the cake out of the oven and rest it in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the mold, unpeel the parchment paper from the sides, and let it cool on a wire rack.
-
Once cooled, transfer it to a serving plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Notes
- It is a personal preference to peel apples or to leave them unpeeled.
- Use chopped apples to arrange them as a top layer of the cake if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 198
- Sugar: 19.7 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 6.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4.6 g
- Cholesterol: 93 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
Marlynn says
First, I made a sponge cake using your recipe. Then I tried this sponge apple cake. If all your recipes are delicious, I'll make them one by one. Thanks a lot!