Description

A moist, cozy autumn dessert cake sweetened with honey and packed with diced apples. This simple, forgiving recipe yields a tender cake that pairs perfectly with coffee or ice cream.

Ingredients

Scale

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup honey
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), peeled and diced
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and honey together until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes with a mixer).
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla extract and mix again.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed or stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
Toss diced apples with lemon juice in a separate bowl. Gently fold the apples into the batter using a spatula until distributed.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip onto a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are crucial for proper emulsification. The cake stays moist for days due to the honey. It can be stored at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for 5 days. For a gluten-free version, swap all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. You can also add nuts or chocolate chips for variation.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 280
Sugar: 24
Sodium: 180
Fat: 10
Saturated Fat: 6
Carbohydrates: 42
Fiber: 2
Protein: 4

Keywords: apple cake, honey cake, autumn dessert, fall baking, cozy dessert, easy cake recipe, honeycrisp apples