A while ago, my friend attended a conference in sunny San Diego, and I tagged along to visit my grandparents. Since the conference’s sessions ran all day and late into the night, leaving almost no room in his schedule to socialize or explore, we arrived a day early to do a few touristy things (my friend had never been to the area before!) and spend some quality time with my grandparents.
Because my family used to come down to visit at least once a year, I let my friend decide what we would do. His eyes lit up when my grandparents and I mentioned the zoo, so we drove over to walk around the park, take pictures of the exotic animals, and collect a few souvenirs. We love those penny-press machines that flatten and stamp a picture onto coins, and there were lot of image choices all around the zoo!
Seeing as I’m slightly directionally-challenged, my friend took charge of the map and led us all around the enclosures. We started with the bears at the front of the park, worked our way up past the pandas and bald eagles and zebras until we reached the polar bears (the #1 animals my friend wanted to see!), then back around to the lions (holy moly, those cats are massive!) and elephants, and finally back around to the empty penguin exhibit (my favorite animals… I was sad they were gone!).
Before we started our safari-like trek, we failed to realize one thing… The zoo is shaped like a massive bowl! It dips really far down in the center with corresponding smaller hills around the outer rim as well, so our legs worked much harder than we anticipated in the hot afternoon sun marching up and down and all around the park. By the time we left, we thought a relaxing evening at home sounded perfect!
So we all could spend most of the night lounging on the comfy sofas and chairs in the living room catching up on life and chatting about the day, my grandparents kindly picked up groceries from the store down the street to cook an easy, laid-back dinner with minimal prep. Grandma tossed chicken, steak, and mixed veggie kebabs on her indoor grill before heating creamy mashed potatoes and cinnamon apple slices to serve on the side.
Other than in pies, crumbles, and cobblers for dessert, I had never seen warm cinnamon apples served at the table for dinner. Maybe I’m just behind the times, but that serving bowl emptied faster than the other side dishes or entrée platter because everyone reached for seconds. Grandpa may have even snuck a third serving later!
That sweet side dish actually served as the inspiration for this healthy cinnamon apple cake! Full of the same warm spices as my favorite zucchini bread, every bite tastes cozy and comforting. It even looks impressive enough for a special occasion…
But it’s incredibly easy to make!
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A HEALTHY CINNAMON APPLE CAKE
Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make this healthy apple cake! I’m assuming you already have common baking staples like baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt… So we’ll focus on the more interesting and important ingredients right now!
Flour. This recipe starts with white whole wheat flour. I know it sounds a little confusing, but it’s not a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour! Instead, this flour is made by finely grinding a special type of white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. White wheat has a lighter taste and texture (but the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour!), making it perfect for baked goods like cakes and pastries.
Hint: Many grocery stores have started stocking white whole wheat flour on the baking aisles, but whole wheat pastry flour would be a great substitute if you can’t find it.
Tip: If you’d like to make this healthy apple cake gluten-free, then check the Notes section of the recipe! I included my top recommendations there.
Spices. I’m obsessed with cinnamon and nutmeg right now. They pair perfectly with apples and provide that irresistible warm, cozy backdrop reminiscent of fall. Although the cinnamon flavor is more prominent, the nutmeg still adds an important richness, so don’t skip it!
Greek yogurt. This entire cake only contains 1 tablespoon of butter, so the rest of its tender texture comes from my favorite ingredient in healthier baking: Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt provides the same moisture as extra butter or oil for a fraction of the calories, and it adds a little protein boost too. I include it in many of my recipes, from cupcakes and muffins to cheesecake and even frosting!
Sweetener. Instead of granulated sugar, you’ll sweeten your healthy apple cake with pure maple syrup. It’s the kind that comes directly from maple trees and only includes one ingredient: maple syrup! It’s often sold in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this).
Tip: Skip the pancake syrup and sugar-free syrup! Those contain other ingredients, so they often behave differently in baking recipes. This is especially true of sugar-free syrup. It’s typically water-based, and that generally makes cakes collapse while cooling and turn out much denser.
Apples. It’s pretty hard to make a fresh apple cake without them! I love using Fuji apples because they’re naturally sweet and have a wonderful texture that’s great for baking recipes. As you can see in my photos, I left their skin on (partially because I’m lazy!), but you can easily peel your apples, if you’d prefer!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY CINNAMON APPLE CAKE
Let’s briefly go over how to make the best apple cake! This recipe is simple and straightforward to whip up, but I also have some tips to share with you.
Thinly slice the apples. For the pretty fruit topping, I cut Fuji apples into slices between ⅛” and ¼” thick. You want the slices to be thin so that they soften while baking and are easier to cut through. Thicker slices would stay crunchy, even after baking, and would be much harder to slice through when carving pieces of cake to serve! To ensure that doesn’t happen, you’ll also pop the apple slices into the microwave for a tiny bit to soften them slightly before arranging.
Arrange the apple slices. They don’t have to be perfect! Just start laying them on top of the batter in a circular shape. I started with the outside ring first before moving on to the inside, and I gently pressed each slice into the batter to ensure it stuck. Then place the pan in the oven and set your timer!
Cool completely. Yes, fully. Completely. All the way to room temperature. Do not cut into this cake too early! The cake’s structure hasn’t fully set until it reaches room temperature, so for the best soft, moist, and tender texture, promise me that you’ll wait (however impatiently that may be!) until it’s completely cool.
Use the right knife. Here’s my trick for cutting pretty slices of this cake: use a serrated bread knife. The serrated knife cuts through the apple slices better than a standard chef’s knife, so the fruit won’t end up sliding off onto neighboring pieces of cake as much.
Now grab a fork… And dig in! 😉 And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy cinnamon apple cake!
Healthy Cinnamon Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup (210g) thinly sliced Fuji apple, between ⅛” to ¼” thick (about 1 large)
- 1 ¾ cups (210g) white whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp (15mL) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup
- 6 tbsp (90mL) nonfat milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat a 9”-round springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the apple slices in a microwave-safe bowl, and cover the top with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute 45 seconds. Carefully remove the plastic wrap, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, and vanilla. Mix in the Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps remain. Stir in the maple syrup. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.)
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the apple slices in a circular pattern, beginning with the outer rim before finishing with the interior, and gently press each into the batter. (See the photos in the blog post above.) Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes. Place the cake pan onto a wire rack, and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool completely before serving.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Apple Oatmeal Snack Cake
♡ Apple Pound Cake
♡ Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
♡ Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Classic Carrot Cake
♡ Simple Orange Cake
♡ Simple Raspberry Lemon Cake
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy cake recipes and healthy apple-flavored recipes!
Would kefir work in place of the yogurt? My kids drink so much kefir, I’ve stopped buying yogurt! This looks amazing to make to celebrate my son’s saint day tomorrow
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Rachel! I’m honored that you’d want to make it for such a special occasion. 🙂 I’ve actually never worked with kefir, so I’m not sure. I hope you and your family had a wonderful time celebrating with your son!
Just to let you know, it turned out perfectly with kefir and apple juice for the milk (no apples and wanted some apple flavor). Thanks!
I’m so happy to hear that Rachel! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
Hello Lovely! Ohhhh …the powers of cinnamon and nutmeg!!! Who needs to burn candles when this cake is baking? It smells and tastes absolutely delicious! Great texture and not overly sweet. It’s perfect! Thanks as always! Xoxo
I’m so glad you loved this cake too Carmelina!! ♡ It’s too funny you say that! I almost never use candles anymore… My house constantly smells like baked goods! 😉
Hello! Can we use drinker flour instead?? In Europe they don’t sell white whole wheat flour and I m so frustrated that I can’t try your recipes!
I truly appreciate your interest in my recipes Angela! That means so much to me! 🙂 I have no experience with that type of flour, so I can’t personally vouch for its results. However, I’ve heard that Europe offers white whole meal flour (sometimes called whole meal [white]), according to other readers. Are you able to find any of that?
Hi! Making this cake for a friend’s birthday tomorrow, since I just went apple picking in upstate NY. I assume it’s ok to add some shredded and finely chopped apples into the batter as well, in addition to the apples on top. Any reason that wouldn’t work?
Thanks,
Y
I’m so honored that you’d like to make this for your friend’s birthday! I think if you add a generous ¼ cup of shredded apple to the batter, that should be fine. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of this cake!
Hi i would like to make this for my babys 1st birthday in a number 1 tin. I have had so much trouble trying to make one that isn’t heavy and wet! Could i substitute the maple syrup for 1/2 cup mashed banana?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Becky! That means so much to me that you’d consider making it for such a special occasion. I actually don’t recommend that substitution. The banana isn’t nearly as sweet as maple syrup, and it’ll affect the taste and texture of the cake too much. (If you’re looking for a banana cake recipe, then I have one here, another one here, and a cupcake recipe here that could easily be turned into a cake!) 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try my recipe Becky! And happy birthday to your little one!!
I made the apple cake today using the 1/2 cup sugar with 1/4 cup additional milk. I put the apple slices around the outside only to make a lions mane and then used other fruit to for the face to make it baby friendly. It was the trial run ready for my babies birthday in 2 weeks. It was so easy to make and smelt lovely! very Perfect for me and my husband but i would like to reduce it more for my baby. If i reduce the sugar do i reduce the additional milk also?
I will be making your banana one tomorrow!
Yay! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed the cake Becky! That means a lot to me. 🙂 I’m not quite sure what you meant by “reduce it more” — do you mean reduce the amount of sugar more?? If so, then if you reduce the sugar, you actually need to increase the milk to compensate for the missing volume!
Sorry yes i mean reduce the sugar. Its so lovely and sweet at the moment i would like to reduce the sugar for my little one to perhaps 1/4 cup. How much additional milk is needed? 1/2 cup? Thankyou so much for a lovely recipe and answering questions ita so helpful
It’s my pleasure Becky! 🙂 If you’d like to use just ¼ cup of sugar, then you’ll need at least 6 tablespoons of additional milk. If the batter looks thicker than your previous batch, then go ahead and add another 1-2 tablespoons of milk. I can’t wait to hear how your little one likes the cake!
This recipe looks delicious—I am going to try making it for my Super Bowl party! I have high blood sugar and am on a constant hunt for healthier alternatives, so I don’t have to give up desserts altogether. Do you have any general rules when trying to make a normal cake (high in sugar and butter) healthier? Like a ratio of how much coconut oil, maple syrup, or other naturally sweet ingredients to add when removing sugar or butter, or which cakes simply cannot be made healthy? I have a few beloved family recipes that I would love to make (strawberry cake, almond honey cake, classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting), but I’m not sure where to start.
I’m honored that you’d consider making this for your Super Bowl party Tracey! That means a lot to me. I can’t wait to hear what you think of it! 🙂 Honestly, it varies with every recipe. It’s a lot of trial and error, and I haven’t come up with any good rules of thumb. I wish that weren’t the case!
Hi. I just baked this. Have been looking for a healthy Apple and cinnamon cake and yours is perfect and delicious. Thank you for sharing. Petra (UK)
I’m so glad you loved this cake Petra! That means so much to me! 🙂
What a pretty looking and – even more important – amazingly good cake! I’ve made it a couple of times and I’m totally hooked. My first try came out just a tiny bit dry, maybe because I didn’t use as many apple slices on top (the juice from the apples probably seeps into the batter a bit?), but that was easily fixed. Also made it as a ‘spice cake’ with lots of cinnamon, some nutmeg, cloves and cardemom. Such a versatile recipe, thanks for posting!
Oh my goodness, you’re on a roll! You’ve made so many of my recipes — and my heart is absolutely glowing. That truly means the world to me!! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you try next, Nyna!!
Hi! Do you have any suggestions on making these into cupcakes instead of a cake? Thank you!
I recently posted a recipe for cinnamon apple cupcakes here — that might be easier than adapting this recipe to make cupcakes! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try either recipe, Natalie!