Healthy Cinnamon Apple Cake
This tender cake is full of cozy spices, and the beautiful sliced apples adorning the top give it a sophisticated look. But don’t be fooled — it’s still really easy to make! Leftovers will stay fresh for at least 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s very important to measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much flour will dry out your cake and give it a crumbly texture, instead of yielding a really moist and tender texture.
IMPORTANT PAN NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: If you do not have a springform pan, use a 9”-round cake pan instead, and line the inside with foil before coating with cooking spray. After letting the cake cool for 10 minutes, carefully lift the cake out of the pan by holding onto the foil, and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
SERVING TIP: For best results, slice the cake with a sharp serrated knife. (It cuts through the apple slices better than a standard chef’s knife.)
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour may all be substituted in place of the white whole wheat flour. If using regular whole wheat flour, the cake may have a subtle "wheat-y" flavor and slightly denser texture.
SPICES NOTES: I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon! It’s stronger, richer, and sweeter than the regular kind commonly found at grocery stores. I buy it online here (it's really affordable!), and it’s basically the only kind I use in my baking recipes now. The nutmeg provides a gentle background warmth and richness. It’s very subtle, but it makes this cake taste cozier!
SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup. Do not substitute sugar-free maple syrup! It’ll make the cake collapse while cooling and turn out overly dense.
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, I recommend the following: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and 1½ teaspoons of xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) should also work, if measured like this.
HOW TO STORE: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last for at least three days (if not longer!).
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, nut-free}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.