Jewish Apple Cake is one of my favorite food memories from my high school years. It was one of the cakes that the girls made in Home EC as a project. A lot of you probably have never heard of Home Ec either.
I could always count on the new class making Jewish apple cake, and thankfully I was always asked to sample the cakes the girls in the class made.
This cake truly is an American Classic and is definitely a cake that you need to make. Trust me on this one. Your friends and family will love you forever when you serve them a slice of this delicious apple cake!
What is a Jewish Apple Cake?
A Jewish Apple Cake is a dense cake made with apples. Suspected to have originated in Poland, this delicious cake was well known in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
The Cake is made with vegetable oil, unlike many American cakes, which are usually made with butter. Because it doesn’t contain any dairy products, the cake can be eaten after a meat meal under the Jewish dietary laws that prohibit mixing meat and milk.
Did I mention it’s Ah-mazingly Delicious!
What ingredients do I need to make a Jewish Apple Cake?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make a Jewish Apple Cake. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Why use oil in this cake instead of butter
The use of oil instead of butter makes the cake pareve, meaning Jewish families who observe Jewish dietary laws can serve it at either meat or dairy meals.
Oil cakes also tend to bake up loftier with a more even crumb, and they stay moist and tender longer than cakes made with butter. Cakes made with butter will taste better, but for this cake, oil is definitely a good choice.
How do I make a Jewish Apple Cake?
Start by prepping the apples.
In a large bowl, toss the chopped apples with the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
What kind of apples should I use?
Whenever anyone mentions baking and apples, the first thought turns to Granny Smith. It may be sacrilege, but I don’t like those apples. And because I’m baking for my family, I use the kind of apples I like.
These are the apples I like to use for baking:
- Gala
- Fuji
- Honeycrisp
- Pink Lady
- Winesap
- Jonathon
This is how you should approach recipes. Use ingredients that you like, not necessarily what the recipe calls for (if it’s an easy substitution).
Prepare the Cake Batter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice, and vanilla extract.
Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir to combine with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition (the batter will start out very thick but will get looser and easier to mix as you continue to add the eggs).
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Prepare the tube pan with butter (or margarine) and flour before adding the cake batter to the pan. Lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper will also help with the release.
Add a thin layer of the cake batter to the bottom of the pan, then add one-quarter of the apples on top of the batter.
Add one-quarter of the remaining cake batter over the top of the apples, spreading it with a rubber spatula.
The batter will not completely cover all of the apples (it will spread when baking). Really, it will… I promise.
Repeat this process two more times with the remaining apples and cake batter, ending with a layer of cake batter.
Remember, the batter will not completely cover the apples. Don’t worry, it’s okay… trust me, I’m a chef.
Okay, I admit I had my doubts. It’s been decades since I made a Jewish Apple Cake, but it came out better than expected. And the house smelled of apples and a time long gone.
Do I have to use a Tube Pan?
That’s really a tough question; I would use a tube pan aka angel food pan if you have one. If not, a 12-cup bundt pan should work; a 10-cup bundt pan might be cutting it too close.
Food stirs memories, and this delicious cake certainly brought me back to a simpler time when a delicious slice of cake on the bus home from school made me happy.
How do I get the cake out of the pan?
Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 15-20 minutes before attempting to remove it. Do not let the cake cool completely before removing it.
Most cakes are best unmolded from their pan while they are still warm; otherwise, they may stick to the pan.
If the cake won’t come out of the pan, place the pan on a stove burner on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. That will help the cake release from the pan.
FAQ Jewish Apple Cake
I suggest a tube pan with a removable bottom. These pans are also used for angel food cakes.
You can use a 12-cup bundt pan to make this cake. A 10-cup pan may be too small.
Traditionally, everyone suggests Granny Smiths. Personally, I don’t like them. I suggest using Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady. Winesap or Jonathon.
This apple cake is often made on Rosh Hashana to celebrate the eating of a new fruit such as apples. The use of oil makes the cake pareve, meaning Jewish families who observe Jewish dietary laws can serve it at either meat or dairy meals.
Yes, you can. Oil will make a higher, more tender cake that will last longer, but a butter cake will taste better.
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Jewish Apple Cake
Ingredients
APPLES
- 6 medium Gala or Fuji apples (frozen peeled apples work too) peeled, cored and rough cut from ½ inch to 1 inch. (4½ – 5 cups of peeled apples)
- 5 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoon cinnamon more can be used if you like cinnamon
CAKE
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.*Place a cake circle with a cut out for the tube pan in the bottom of the pan. This will make it easier to remove from the pan.
Prepare the Apples
- In a large bowl, toss the chopped apples with the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Prepare the Cake Batter
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice, zest and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir to combine with a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition (the batter will start out very thick, but will get looser and easier to mix as you continue to add the eggs). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Add a thin layer of the cake batter to the bottom of the pan, then add one-quarter of the apples on top of the batter. The batter will not completely cover all of the apples (it will spread when baking). Really, it will… I promise.
- Repeat this process two more times with the remaining apples and cake batter, ending with a layer of cake batter.
- Place the cake in a 350 degree F preheated oven on the center rack in the middle of the oven.
- Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.Baking times can vary depending upon your pan, and your oven. Start checking the cake at 1 hour 10 minute mark. One of my ovens took 1 hour 30 minutes, while another took 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before serving and enjoy!
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes then carefully remove the cake from the pan. Letting it cool too long in the pan will make it difficult to remove.**Run a knife along the edges of the cake and the pan to help it release from the pan.
Ina Schweitzer says
Made this last night. I don’t have vegetable oil in the house, ever, so I used Olive Oil. Instead of 2 cups of sugar, I used 1 1/4.
The Husband and I are in love with this cake! It’s light, not sweet and you can taste the apples!
Jbean says
Just made this but allergen friendly for my nephew who cannot have eggs or gluten. Used egg replacer and GF flour. Since that flour tends to be a little grainy/pasty and egg replacer tastes somewhat of beans, I added extra flour, OJ, some orange zest, cinnamon, honey and vanilla. I tasted the raw batter (no eggs, so it was ok) and it was fabulous.
Question is; can I freeze this after baking? If so, how do you recommend?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Most cakes freeze well. After letting it completely cool (about 4 hours) double wrap the cake in film wrap and then wrap with foil. If you have large enough ziplock bags you could place it in a bag instead of the extra layer of foil. I wouldn’t keep the cake frozen for more than 6 weeks as the freezer pulls moisture out of anything we freeze.
La Thom says
I see many aspirational comments here; many people planning to bake this cake. I actually made it and I say with certainty that my Jewish mother would be proud of me! This tastes just like what she baked around Rosh Hashanah! I don’t have a Bundt pan in my Covid hideout so I used two loaf pans (had extra on the apples.) Never got to this in Home Ec in my Brooklyn,NY school. I hated Home Ec. I wanted to be in Wood Shop learning to use power tools. Yum and Shana Tova!
Morgan says
Is there an icing that you’d recommend for this cake? Maybe a caramel icing? Thanks!!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I don’t think it needs an icing but a caramel drizzle would be nice.
Barbara Avon says
Yes! We’re Italian and I’m positive that this is also the cake from my childhood. Thank you! Will be making it this weekend.
Anne says
I did not make a Jewish apple cake from Dennis’s recipe. However, it appears to be the same recipe that I do use. I just wanted to say that I make brownies and many other baked goods in cupcake form. People will call them muffins, but these are awesome cupcakes. The only thing is cutting the apples into smaller pieces. You can also stir the apples right into the batter when you’re making cupcakes. I can’t stop eating it though.
Sanna Bhavsar says
What a fabulous recipe! I’ll definitely try it out.
Jo says
Who can say no to apple cake. That is one delicious lloking apple cake. All my favorite flavors in it, simply love it.
Sam says
Wow this cake looks amazing. I wish we made it in home ec! It looks so moist and delicious. Looking forward to trying it.
Heidy says
Your recipe for Jewish Apple Cake should be renamed to award-winning Jewish Apple Cake! The entire family loved it. I will keep this recipe for years to come. It was perfect. Pinning!
MusicCityMissy says
I made this cake last night with early June apples I had in the freezer and it turned out GREAT! This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Paige says
Haha…I took Home EC, though we never made a cake that looked anything as good as this! It really looks moist, and I bet it’s one of those cakes that tastes even better the next day..YUM.
Nicole says
Home Ec was my favourite class (the cooking part, not so much the sewing part). We never made a cake like this, but I really wish we did. Luckily for me, I have all these ingredients on hand (one giant honey crisp apple waiting to be enjoyed, too), and I need to make a point to try this.
Tara says
I took Home Ec and we never made this cake, but I wish we did! It’s moist and delicious and since I’m recently dairy free, it’s the perfect dessert!
Amy says
I think I’m part of the first generation that didn’t have to take home ec — and jeez, I didn’t realize what I was missing! This looks SO amazing! Like an apple pie, but … cake! Which is even better. 🙂 I can’t wait to try it, and make up for all the time I didn’t get to eat this in junior high!