Easy One Bowl Apple Cake Recipe

This easy one bowl apple cake recipe makes a tender, warmly spiced 9-inch square cake with just one mixing bowl and everyday ingredients. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare and bakes in 40–50 minutes, creating approximately 8–10 servings of moist apple-filled cake.

Every bite combines soft baked apples, fragrant cinnamon, a lightly crisp golden top, and a rich, tender crumb from neutral-flavored oil. Serve it plain, finish it with powdered sugar, or add whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for a simple dessert that tastes right at home with coffee, tea, or after dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This one bowl apple cake is the kind of recipe that earns a permanent place in a home baker’s collection. There is no separate creaming step, no electric mixer, and no complicated preparation, yet the finished cake is beautifully moist and full of fresh apple flavor.

The batter comes together quickly with a whisk and a spoon. Oil keeps the crumb soft, while eggs provide structure and richness, and cinnamon gives the entire cake a cozy bakery aroma as it bakes.

• Simple cleanup: Everything is mixed in one large bowl.
• Flexible fruit: Use one apple variety or combine tart and sweet apples.
• Comforting texture: The cake is tender, moist, and generously filled with apples.
• Easy finishing: Powdered sugar, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream are all optional.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You will need three medium apples, which should provide about 3 cups once peeled, cored, and chopped or thinly sliced. Granny Smith apples create a pleasantly tart cake with firm pieces, while Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn, and Golden Delicious give a sweeter flavor. A mixture of tart and sweet apples offers especially good balance.

Three large eggs, one cup of granulated sugar, one-half cup of neutral-flavored vegetable oil, and one teaspoon of vanilla form the wet ingredients. Choose an oil with a mild flavor, such as canola or a similarly neutral vegetable oil, so the apples and cinnamon remain the focus.

The dry ingredients are straightforward: one and one-half cups of all-purpose flour, one teaspoon of baking soda, one-half teaspoon of fine salt, and one teaspoon of ground cinnamon. You may also add one-half cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch, although the cake is delicious without nuts.

Have powdered sugar ready if you want a snowy finish. Since this is a thick, fruit-filled batter, a 9-inch square pan is important for the stated baking time and finished thickness.

How to Make It Step-by-Step

Step 1: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C), then grease a 9-inch square baking pan. If you want especially easy serving and cleanup, line the bottom with parchment, leaving a little overhang to help lift the cooled cake.

Step 2: Peel, core, and prepare the three apples, cutting them fairly small or slicing them thinly. Smaller pieces soften fully while the cake bakes, and evenly sized pieces help prevent some bites from being crisp while others become overly soft.

Step 3: In one large bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until the mixture looks smooth. A hand whisk is all you need; mix long enough to blend the ingredients, but there is no need to whip the eggs.

Step 4: Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon directly to the wet mixture. Stir just until no obvious streaks of dry flour remain, because excessive mixing can develop the flour and make the finished cake dense.

Step 5: Fold in the chopped or thinly sliced apples and the optional walnuts or pecans. The mixture will be thick and heavily studded with apples, which is exactly what you want rather than a loose, pourable cake batter.

Step 6: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Use the back of a spoon or a small spatula to nudge the batter into the corners without pressing the apples down too firmly.

Step 7: Bake for 40–50 minutes, watching for a golden top and a set center. Insert a toothpick into the cake portion rather than directly into an apple piece; it should come out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.

Step 8: Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 15–20 minutes before cutting. Dust the top with powdered sugar once it is warm or cool, then slice and serve.

Pro Tips for a Tender Apple Cake

Do not overmix once the flour has been added. A few small, harmless streaks can be stirred away, but stop as soon as the dry ingredients disappear so the crumb stays soft instead of heavy.

Cut the apples fairly small or slice them thinly. Especially juicy apples release moisture as they bake, so avoid adding any extra liquid to the batter. The fruit itself supplies plenty of moisture and flavor.

Use the toothpick test thoughtfully. Apple pieces can make a toothpick look wet even when the cake is baked, so test the center cake crumb in several places and look for a clean pick or a few moist crumbs.

For the stated thickness, bake the cake in a 9-inch square pan. A larger pan will spread the batter into a thinner layer and may shorten the baking time, so begin checking earlier if you make that adjustment.

For a slightly different flavor, the optional nuts add a pleasant toasted crunch. Some related versions also replace part of the oil with melted butter or include one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, but the recipe is complete and warmly flavored without either change.

Serving Suggestions

This apple cake is wonderful while slightly warm, when the cinnamon aroma is most noticeable and the fruit tastes especially soft. A light dusting of powdered sugar is enough for an everyday snack or breakfast-style treat.

For dessert, serve each slice with a spoonful of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cool, creamy topping contrasts with the warm spiced cake and makes the simple recipe feel festive without requiring additional preparation.

• Enjoy a plain slice with coffee or tea.
• Add powdered sugar just before serving.
• Serve warm cake with vanilla ice cream.
• Pair with whipped cream for a lighter dessert topping.

Storage & Reheating

Allow the cake to cool completely before covering it so condensation does not collect on the surface. Keep it covered at room temperature for short-term enjoyment, or refrigerate it when you want to store it longer.

Because the cake contains fresh apples, refrigeration helps preserve its texture and flavor over several days. Bring individual slices to room temperature before serving, or warm them gently until just heated through.

If you plan to refrigerate the cake, powdered sugar may slowly disappear into the moist surface. For the prettiest presentation, add a fresh dusting immediately before serving.

Easy One Bowl Apple Cake

A tender, cinnamon-scented apple cake made in one bowl with chopped apples, pantry staples, and optional walnuts or pecans. This simple 9-inch square cake makes approximately 8–10 servings.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 minute min

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Cake

• 3 medium medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped or thinly sliced
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Optional Finish

• as needed powdered sugar

Method

 

Step-by-Step

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper if desired.
2. In one large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, neutral oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to the same bowl. Stir only until the dry ingredients are incorporated, taking care not to overmix.
4. Fold in the prepared apples and optional chopped walnuts or pecans. The batter will be thick and heavily studded with fruit.
5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 40–50 minutes, checking the center with a toothpick until it comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.
6. Cool the cake in the pan for at least 15–20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before slicing and serving, if desired.

Notes

Choose Granny Smith for a tart cake, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious for a sweeter result, or combine tart and sweet apples. Store covered at room temperature for a short period or refrigerate for longer storage.

Final Thoughts

This easy one bowl apple cake delivers everything you want from a homemade fruit dessert: a tender crumb, soft cinnamon-scented apples, and a golden top with very little work. The batter is forgiving, the ingredients are familiar, and cleanup is wonderfully quick.

Choose your favorite apples, add walnuts or pecans if you like extra crunch, and let the cake cool before slicing so it holds together neatly. Whether served with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream, this simple 9-inch cake is a dependable treat for family gatherings, afternoon baking, and cozy weekends.