With warm spices, tender crumb, and homemade apple butter swirled throughout, this easy Apple Butter Cake brings all the flavors of autumn straight to your kitchen. Whether you serve it as a snack cake, holiday dessert, or with your morning coffee this a cozy Fall dish.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple, brown butter, cake, fall dish, snack cake
180grams/ ¾ cup apple buttersee note for homemade recipe
240grams/ 1 ½ cups plain flour
3grams/ ½ teaspoon baking soda
6grams/ 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼teaspoonsea salt
25grams/ 2 tablespoons Demerara sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and lightly greaseproof a loaf tin.
Whip the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
Add the egg and whip until well combined and fluffy.
Add the apple butter, vanilla extract and milk and whip until just combined.
Sift the dry ingredients into a separate bowl and stir.
Add to the wet ingredients and fold until a batter is formed and smooth and no dry portions remain in your bowl.
Pour into your loaf tin and smooth out.
Sprinkle over the Demerara sugar evenly on top.
Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes until golden on top.
Remove and allow to cool in the tin before placing onto a cooling rack.
Slice and serve.
Enjoy!
Notes
Apple butter: Can be difficult to source outside North America, but it is easy to make so for the portion needed for the cake see the below recipe.
Homemade Apple Butter
350 grams / 3 medium apples, cored and cubed
50 grams / ¼ cup light brown sugar
60 grams / ⅓ cup water
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Place all ingredients into a saucepan on low heat.
Cook covered until soft, approximately 15 minutes.
Blend until smooth and return to heat, covered and stirring every few minutes until it reaches a deep caramel color, approximately 10 minutes.
Remote from the heat and spoon into a container. Keep covered and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Apples: It is recommended to use either Granny Smith or Royal Gala as they have a firm texture that hold their shape during baking and a slight sweetness which requires less added sugar.
Butter: Unsalted butter was used to make the browned or caramelized butter for the cake with 140 grams or 4.9 ounces providing the quantity of butter needed for the cake. You require more due to the loss of moisture that occurs during the browning process.
Loaf tin: The loaf tin used here fits 1 kilo or 2 pounds.
Best stored: Keep covered at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. It also freezes well for up to 2 months.
Freezing the cake: Once fully cooled, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.