Jewish Apple Cake

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 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

More Recipes You’ll Love!

While you are making cakes, try my delicious carrot cake recipe or some of the ones below.

Jewish Apple Cake

Chef Dennis Littley

There's a good chance you've never heard of a Jewish Apple Cake. But trust me, once you make this American Classic it will soon become a family favorite.

4.99 from 303 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Jewish, Poland

Servings 16

Calories 260 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

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.

Video

Notes

What type of pan should I use to make a Jewish Apple Cake?

I suggest a tube pan with a removable bottom. These pans are also used for angel food cakes.

Can I use a bundt pan to make this cake?

you can use a 12-cup bundt pan to make this cake. A 10-cup pan may be too small.

What kind of apples should I use for an apple cake?

Traditionally everyone suggests Granny Smiths. Personally, I don’t like them. I suggest using, Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady. Winesap or Jonathon.

Why is it called a Jewish Apple Cake?

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.

Can I use butter instead of oil to make a Jewish apple cake?

Yes, you can.

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. Lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper will also help with the release.

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 4gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 165mgPotassium: 197mgFiber: 2gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 112IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 1mg

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