It’s apple season! Which means that is is time to start delving into all the great apple recipes. Of all the many apple recipes my family has collected over the years, Jewish apple cake is probably the family favorite. This cake is just so versatile and delicious, nothing really compares to it. The cake is moist and dense and studded with cinnamon coated apple slices throughout. It smells and tastes absolutely amazing.
Any Jewish apple cake is delicious, but this Jewish apple cake is pure perfection. Since it travels well and is a crowd pleaser it has been one of my mother’s go-to recipes for quite some time. She has made this cake countless times for various parties, functions, picnics, bake sales and other get-togethers. As such, it has gained quite a bit of notoriety.
The best example of this cake’s popularity was a charity bake sale I had volunteered my mother and I for. We pulled out all the stops for this sale and baked all day. Originally we had planned on only baking two apple cakes then moving onto other recipes since they do take a little bit longer in the oven. However, as soon as word got out that Wendy was baking apple cake the pre-orders started coming in. It seemed like every time my father answered the phone he was telling us about someone else who would take an apple cake, so we kept making more. Eventually we had to tell him to stop taking orders. After all, we still needed cakes to bring to the sale. On the day of the bake sale a bidding war ensued for the last remaining apple cake and it sold for a whopping $150.
Tips and Tricks:
Now this cake is fairly easy. However, there are some tips and I have found along the way to help ensure Jewish apple cake baking success.
Watch your Layers
For the best results you want three layers of batter and apples. This just requires a little patience when spreading the batter. Also, when layering the apples its good to keep more towards the center of the pan. This keeps them from sticking to the sides.
Use a Variety of Apples
There are so many different types of apples out there, each with their own unique taste and texture. Personally, I have found that the best apple cakes, pies, preserves, etc. have more than type of apple mixed in. The kinds that I use often depend on what is currently being picked. Some apples like McIntosh and Honeycrisp are ready in early September, but other great varieties like Arkansas Black don’t ripen until much later in the season. I have used all kinds of varieties and combinations, but I always try to find a nice mix of hard and medium soft, sweet and tart. The only varieties that I really avoid when it comes to baking are the very soft varieties like red delicious. They just don’t hold up to the heat well and can make your cake too soggy.
Trust the Toothpick
Since I am always using different apples types there is some variance in my cook times. If the apples are wetter it may take longer to bake. Just because it’s been in the oven for an hour and a half doesn’t mean that it is actually done. Sometimes this cake takes an hour and a half to bake and sometimes it takes almost 2 hours. However, as long as you’re trusting your tooth pick and waiting for it to come out clean before pulling the cake, you shouldn’t have any problems.
Wrap your Tube-pan
It is just a great precaution whenever using a baking pan with a removable bottom, like a tube pan, to wrap a some tin foil around the outside. This way you have a layer of protection in some of the cake decides to drip out of the bottom mid bake. Trust me there is nothing worse than having your pan leak. It will fill your house with smoke and leave you with a nasty burnt on mess to have to scrape off of your oven. Do yourself a favor and wrap it!
Bake Ahead
Like soups, stews and tomato sauce this cake is actually better on the second day. You can eat it as soon as it cools and it will be good, but it won’t peak until the next day. As long as you cover it well over night bake it ahead of time.
Jewish Apple Cake
Equipment
- tube pan
- 2 mixing bowls
Ingredients
Apple Mixture
- 5-6 average sized apples
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp sugar
Cake Batter
- 3 cups flour
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs large
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 5 Tbsp orange juice*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and grease and flour the tube pan and set it aside.
- Peel, core and slice the apples. Mix the apple slices with cinnamon and sugar in a mixing bowl and set aside.
- With a spoon combine flour, oil, salt, vanilla, sugar, eggs, baking powder and orange juice in a second mixing bowl. The batter will be very thick.
- Spoon ⅓ of the batter into the tube pan then ⅓ of the apple mixture. Repeat 2 more times so that you have 3 layers of batter and 3 layers of apples, ending with a layer of apples on top.
- Bake for 1½ to 1¾ hours or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
I hope you enjoy this recipe, and be sure to like, share, comment and subscribe!
This is a family favorite of mine, too! My Mom, Jason’s grandmother used to make this a lot. I’ve substituted lemon juice for the orange juice and it comes out just as good. You can also use apple cider when in season.
I really want to try this one!!! I really need to quit my job so I can cook these fabulous recipes.
Solid recipe! Simple and delicious. And cake does develop a richer flavor the next day. This will be my go to. Thank you for posting.
I’m so glad you liked it! 🤗