Fresh Apple Cake (Printable Version)

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 313g all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
09 - 240ml vegetable oil
10 - 200g granulated sugar
11 - 100g packed light or dark brown sugar
12 - 240g unsweetened applesauce
13 - 4 large eggs, at room temperature
14 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
15 - 30ml orange juice
16 - 360g peeled chopped apples (1/2-inch chunks, about 2–3 large apples)

→ Brown Sugar Glaze (Optional)

17 - 56g unsalted butter
18 - 200g packed light or dark brown sugar
19 - 120ml heavy cream
20 - Small pinch of salt
21 - 60g confectioner's sugar, sifted

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 177°C and thoroughly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice until well combined. Set aside.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange juice until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Fold in the chopped apples until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
05 - Pour and spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 45–50 minutes. Around the 30-minute mark, loosely tent with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - Remove the cake from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before topping or serving.
07 - As the cake cools, combine butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until butter melts, then allow mixture to come to a rapid boil. Boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, stir quickly, and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in sifted confectioners' sugar. Allow glaze to cool and thicken for at least 20 minutes before spooning over the cake.
08 - Top with either a dusting of confectioners' sugar or the prepared brown sugar glaze before serving. The cake can be served warm or at room temperature.

# Handy Tips:

01 - Cover leftovers and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
02 - For depth of flavor, use a mix of sweet and tart apples like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith.
03 - If dusted with confectioners' sugar, note that the sugar will dissolve into the cake after a few hours.
04 - Vegetable oil creates the most moist texture; substituting with butter will result in a drier cake.
05 - The cake can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

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