I remember the first time I tried my Bubbe’s Jewish apple cake. Normally, I am not a cake girl. Frosting, sure. Chocolate, yes please. Bacon Kosher brisket, I’ll take seconds! But cake- and cake with fruit in it no less- just doesn’t tempt my fancy. (How old am I that I just used that phrase?) But you just try saying “no” to Bubbe, especially when it comes to food. “Oy, just try a sliver” she said as she placed a huge chunk of cake in front of me. So of course I had to sample it. And believe me when I say, this cake is freaking fantastic. Delicious, cinnamony hunks of apple, and ridiculously m-word that I hate moist. Jewish Apple Cake is traditionally served during Rosh Hashanah to ensure a sweet New Year, but who wants to wait until fall to enjoy this delectable treat? I sure don’t.
Time to make your own Jew-licious Apple Cake. This cake borders on a breakfast bread, so I thought I would propel it straight to dessert-ville by adding a sugary icing. Oh yeah I did.
First, mix up your dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make sure to level off the flour. Then, make a well in the middle. Add in your wet ingredients: oil, eggs, juice and vanilla.
Beat until blended. And your dough looks this good.
Yum!
Next, it’s apple time.
It is best to chop your apples after making the dough, so they don’t get brown and mushy. Just a tip! Peel and core your apples, and slice into thin wedges. Cover with cinnamon and sugar.
Spoon 1/3 of your batter into a greased bundt pan. Top with 1/2 of the apple mixture. Repeat with another 1/3 of the dough, the other 1/2 of the apples, and the last 1/3 of the dough. 1 hour later or so, and you have one tasty cake!
Oh but we aren’t done yet. Mix confectioners sugar with water to get a tasty sugary glaze. Then go to town and cover that bad boy to your heart’s content. This glaze is also perfect for covering any blemishes on your cake. Luckily, mine was perfect as is.
Come to mama.
Jewish Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 6 granny smith apples
- 2 cups sugar plus extra 5 tablespoons sugar for apples
- 5 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 cup flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup oil canola or vegetable
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup orange juice no pulp
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease bundt pan with butter and a dusting of flour, or nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Make a well in the middle, and add in oil, eggs, juice and vanilla.
- Beat all ingredients until well blended.
- Peel and core apples and cut into thin wedges.
- Combine apples with 5 tablespoons sugar and 5 teaspoons cinnamon.
- Spoon 1/3 batter in pan. Add 1/2 apple mixture, add another 1/3 batter. Follow with other half apple mixture and last 1/3 batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hours or until toothpick comes out clean
- Mix confectioners sugar with enough boiling water to make a runny glaze. Drizzle all over your cake!
When you start cooking better than your Bubbe it’s time for her to hang up the old apron. Oy vey.
Bube
Oy Bubbe! If you give up cooking, you could be a stand up comedian instead.
This looks delicious! And I’m the same way – I love chocolate, frosting, any dessert that includes those two but I’m really not a fan of cake…especially with fruit. I definitely think this would change my mind!
Thanks, Dawn! I think adding the glaze helped. This would be tasty with chocolate chips too!
Delish! Just ate some at my desk over here.
Thanks! Glad you like it.
Great blog, i know i will be back here. I am married to a Jewish man and during the tradtional holidays i am always looking for new Jewish recipes but hard to find, so now i know where to go 🙂
Thank you so much! Let me know if your husband has any requests.
Amy!
I just made the apple cake and brought it to work today – big hit! also I made your moo shu pork recently which was super yummy! thanks for the great recipes!
Jane! Glad you enjoy the recipes- that means a lot. Hope to see you at a P. Reunion soon!
I made it without the glaze and instead of adding in the apple mixture little by little I added it all in at once. It tasted delicious!!!!
Yay! Glad you liked it, Maggie!
Oy. This reminds me of home. It is a very Philly thing. Also known as German Apple cake. As you mentioned, great for breakfast.
It reminds me of home too. I haven’t made this in a while- now I think I need some!!
Love your little blog! Looking forward to reading more of it! As my best friend Stefani from Baltimore and I used to say, “J’eat j’et, what j’ew eat!”
Thanks! Love that!
The jewish apple cake looks awesome! I can’t wait to get this into my oven. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Thanks, Mike!
How many cups are there in 6 apples? They come in different sizes these days. Thank you for the recipe. It does sound delicious!
About 3 1/2 cups! Enjoy!