Easy apple cake with oil Recipe
An easy Polish-style apple cake in which cinnamon-coated apple cubes are folded through an airy, oil-based batter. Five medium apples should weigh about 750–800 g before peeling, or roughly 600–650 g once peeled and cored; this keeps the cake moist and fruit-filled without overwhelming the crumb. The finished cake is softly springy, with tender pockets of apple and a light powdered-sugar finish.
Simple apple cakes are a familiar part of Polish home baking, especially when apples are plentiful. This is not a single codified regional szarlotka; it belongs to the everyday tray-cake tradition, using an uncomplicated batter, accessible ingredients and a powdered-sugar finish suitable for serving with afternoon coffee or tea.
The contrast defines this cake: the egg foam gives it a light, sponge-like lift, while oil and a generous amount of diced apple keep each square moist for longer than a traditional butter cake. Cinnamon is used both on the fruit and in the flour, so its flavour runs through the crumb without masking the apples.
Why this version works
- Defining five medium apples as about 600–650 g after peeling and coring removes the uncertainty caused by widely varying apple sizes.
- Beating the eggs and sugars to the ribbon stage creates the aeration needed for a light crumb, while adding the oil slowly helps it blend without collapsing the foam.
- Uniform 1.5 cm apple cubes soften during the 35–40 minute bake but remain distinct instead of disappearing into the batter.
- Dividing the cinnamon between the apples and dry ingredients seasons both the fruit and the surrounding cake.
- A broad, shallow 25 × 35 cm tin allows the centre to bake through before the apple-rich edges become dry.
Chef's tips
Bring the eggs close to room temperature before whipping, as they usually gain volume more readily than refrigerator-cold eggs. Keep the apple cubes close to the stated size: smaller pieces can turn soft and indistinct, while larger chunks may sink and leave damp pockets. When folding, rotate the bowl after every few strokes so no flour remains hidden at the bottom.
How to serve
Cut the cooled cake into squares and serve at room temperature with coffee or black tea. It is especially good on the day it is baked, when the top is delicate and the apple pieces are still clearly defined, but it remains moist when covered and kept at room temperature for another day.
Watch out for
- Do not use substantially more than 650 g of prepared apple. Excess fruit can make the centre heavy, wet and difficult to slice cleanly.
- After the flour is added, fold rather than stir vigorously. Prolonged mixing knocks out the egg foam and develops gluten, producing a dense or rubbery crumb.
- Very juicy apples may leave liquid in their bowl after being tossed with lemon juice. Do not add that pooled juice to the batter.
- A skewer pushed through an apple piece will look wet even when the cake is baked. Test two or three crumb-only areas near the centre.
- Wait until the cake has cooled before adding powdered sugar; on a warm surface it quickly dissolves and becomes patchy.
Substitutions
- Any firm, tart-sweet apple is suitable; avoid very soft or mealy apples that collapse quickly during baking.
- Use a neutral-flavoured cooking oil. An assertive oil can dominate the mild apple-and-cinnamon flavour.
- A rectangular tin close to 25 × 35 cm may be used. In a slightly smaller tin the cake will be deeper and may need several extra minutes; in a larger tin, begin checking before 35 minutes.
Ingredients
- apple - 5 piece
- wheat flour - 280 g
- sugar - 180 g
- oil - 150 ml
- egg - 4 piece
- baking powder - 12 g
- vanillin sugar - 10 g
- cinnamon - 1.5 teaspoons
- lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
- salt - 1 pinch
- powdered sugar - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Heat the oven to 180°C using conventional top-and-bottom heat. Line the base and sides of a 25 × 35 cm rectangular tin with baking paper, creasing the corners so the paper sits flat.
- Peel and core the 5 apples. Aim for approximately 600–650 g of prepared fruit, then cut it into even 1.5 cm cubes. Toss the cubes gently with the lemon juice and 0.5 teaspoon of the cinnamon; the surfaces should be lightly coated without collecting liquid at the bottom of the bowl.
- Place the eggs, sugar and vanillin sugar in a large bowl. Beat on high speed for 5–7 minutes, until very pale and at least doubled in volume. Lift the beaters to check the texture: the mixture should fall in a broad ribbon that remains visible for 2–3 seconds before sinking back in.
- Reduce the mixer to medium-low speed. Pour in the oil in a thin, steady stream over 60–90 seconds, then mix only until the batter looks smooth and lightly glossy, with no separate beads of oil.
- Combine the wheat flour, baking powder, remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and salt. Sift this mixture over the egg batter in two additions. After each addition, fold with a wide spatula, reaching to the bottom of the bowl and turning the batter over itself. Stop as soon as no pockets of dry flour remain.
- Add the prepared apples in two or three additions and fold briefly after each one. This distributes the fruit without forcing too much air from the batter. If the apples have released noticeable juice, leave that excess liquid in their bowl rather than pouring it into the cake.
- Transfer the batter to the lined tin and level it gently, making sure the apple pieces are spread into the corners. Bake on the centre shelf for 35–40 minutes. The surface should be evenly golden and spring back lightly when touched. Test a section of cake rather than an apple cube with a skewer; it may carry a few moist crumbs but should show no liquid batter.
- Let the cake stand in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift it out with the baking paper and cool on a rack. Once cool, sift the powdered sugar evenly over the surface so it remains white rather than melting into the warm crust.
Storage
The cake tastes best on the day it’s baked and the next day; after that it starts to dry out slightly. You can freeze it cut into pieces and briefly reheat in the oven after defrosting to refresh the texture.
I prefer the apples in clearly visible 1.5 cm cubes rather than thin slices here. They give each square a juicy centre while leaving enough uninterrupted batter to rise into a soft, even crumb.
