Baked Apple Cake Dutch Style (Print version)

Warm Dutch-style cake with tender spiced apples, golden cinnamon topping, and soft vanilla-infused batter.

# What you’ll need:

→ Apples

01 - 3 large apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
02 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ Dry Ingredients

03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 cup whole milk
13 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
14 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Topping

15 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Toss sliced apples with lemon juice in a large bowl and set aside.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a separate bowl.
04 - Whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs in a large bowl until smooth. Add milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract, whisking until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Fold prepared apples into batter. Pour mixture into greased baking dish and spread evenly.
07 - Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over batter.
08 - Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm, optionally topped with powdered sugar or crème fraîche.

# Cooking tips:

01 -
  • It bakes in one pan with zero flipping required, making breakfast feel actually achievable on a weekday morning.
  • The aromatic spices and soft apples create that cozy feeling you crave without needing to plan the night before.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, which means you might actually have something ready to grab.
02 -
  • Don't overmix once you add the dry ingredients to the wet—stir just until the flour disappears, or your cake will be dense and rubbery instead of tender and soft.
  • If your apples are very large, slice them slightly thinner so they cook through and don't stay crunchy in the center of the cake.
03 -
  • Bring your eggs and milk to room temperature before mixing—they blend into the batter more smoothly and create a silkier crumb.
  • Don't bother with a mixer; a whisk and a bowl are all you need, and there's less chance of overworking the batter.
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