A few years ago, while traveling the Prosecco Road in Veneto, we paused between winery visits for a long, leisurely lunch. At the end of the meal we decided to indulge in dessert — a rustic apple cake made with ground almonds, served warm alongside a scoop of vanilla gelato. The first bite was unforgettable: moist crumb, tender apple slices and a gentle almond note. I resolved to recreate that cake at home.
This version stays true to that memory, pairing naturally sweet apples with the rich, nutty texture of almond flour for a simple yet elegant cake. Choose baking apples that keep their shape when baked: Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Winesap, Fuji, or Pink Lady. I usually use Fuji apples because they’re widely available and their firm slices remain distinct and attractive in the finished cake.
Finely ground almond meal gives the crumb a tender, moist quality. If you can’t find almond meal, pulse blanched almonds in a food processor until very fine, taking care not to overprocess into almond butter. For serving, a scoop of vanilla gelato is a lovely nod to the cake that inspired this recipe, while a spoonful of cinnamon-spiced whipped cream is an equally delicious alternative. For breakfast or an afternoon treat, a light dusting of powdered sugar keeps things simple and refined. No matter how you serve it, this rustic apple-almond cake always feels like a small celebration.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Fall Apple Almond Cake
Makes 1 (10-inch) Cake
15 minutes
55 minutes 50 seconds
1 hour 10 minutes 50 seconds
A very moist cake made with thinly sliced apples in an almond flavored batter.
Table of Contents
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Ingredients
- 4 baking apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 3 large egg yolks at room temperature, beaten
Topping:
- 3 tablespoons sliced or slivered almonds
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 10-inch springform pan with baking spray or grease and line the base if desired.
- In a medium bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat 2 whole eggs with 4 tablespoons of the sugar at medium speed until pale and slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the melted, cooled butter and vanilla extract, and beat just until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, the remaining sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the flour mixture to the egg-and-butter mixture alternately with the milk, mixing gently after each addition until just combined. Remove 1 cup of batter and whisk it together with the 3 beaten egg yolks.
- Fold the thinly sliced apples into the cup of batter combined with the egg yolks, reserving about 1/2 cup of apple slices for the top.
- Spread the apple-and-yolk batter into the prepared pan, then pour and spread the remaining batter evenly over it.
- Arrange the reserved apple slices decoratively on top and sprinkle with the sliced or slivered almonds.
- Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the remaining bake time.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then release the springform and transfer the cake to a rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, dust with powdered sugar, slice, and serve. Serve warm with vanilla gelato or whipped cream if you like.
Notes
Adapted from French Apple Cake by BakedFromScratch.com.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 448Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 225mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 4gSugar: 42gProtein: 8g
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