Jewish Apple Cake Recipe

This Jewish apple cake recipe layers cinnamon-sugar apples between ribbons of a tall, oil-based batter baked in a tube pan. The apples soften into pockets of tender fruit while the crumb around them stays golden and moist for days.

What sets it apart is the fat and the liquid. Canola oil and orange juice stand in for butter and milk, which is what makes it dairy-free and keeps it soft long after a butter cake would dry out.

Six tart apples go into a single 10-inch pan, tucked between three layers of batter so every slice shows a spiral of fruit. Granny Smith apples are the reason that filling holds its shape instead of collapsing into mush.

Quick Recipe Summary
Prep Time	30 minutes
Cook Time	1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time	1 hour 50 minutes
Servings	12 slices
Difficulty Level	Easy

For the version this recipe grew out of, see Apple Cake.

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Why You’ll Love This Jewish Apple Cake Recipe

This cake earns its place at the table for reasons that go beyond flavor. Here is what makes it worth baking.

• It stays moist for days. The oil and orange juice keep the crumb tender well past the point where a butter cake turns dry.
• It is completely dairy-free. No butter, no milk, which makes it kosher-friendly to serve after a meat meal and safe for a dairy-free crowd.
• One pan does everything. A single 10-inch tube pan holds three layers of batter and two layers of apples, so there is no assembly or frosting.
• The apples show up in every slice. Six apples layered through the batter mean fruit in each bite, not just a thin band near the bottom.
• It comes together under two hours. Prep and bake land at about one hour and fifty minutes, most of which is hands-off oven time.
• It travels well. The dense crumb holds its shape for potlucks, holidays, and lunchboxes without crumbling apart.

You might also enjoy: Irish Apple Cake

Ingredients

The ingredient list is short and built on pantry staples, with tart apples doing the heavy lifting. Here is everything you need, in both imperial and metric.

For the apple layer:

• 6 medium Granny Smith apples (about 2 lb / 900 g), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 5 tablespoons (65 g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons (5 g) ground cinnamon

For the batter:

• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (240 ml) canola oil
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) orange juice
• 2 1/2 teaspoons (12 ml) pure vanilla extract

For finishing:

• Confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar), for dusting

Read Also: Apple Pie Filling

Kitchen Equipment Needed

Most of this you likely own already. A tube pan is the one item worth getting right, since the tall shape is what gives this cake its structure.

• A 10-inch (25 cm) tube pan with a removable bottom
• Two large mixing bowls, one for wet and one for dry
• A balloon whisk for the batter
• A vegetable peeler for the apples
• A silicone spatula for folding and spreading
• A wire cooling rack
• A set of measuring cups and spoons
• A cutting board and a sharp paring knife

A closely related bake worth bookmarking is Invisible Apple Cake.

Recommended Products for This Recipe

These are the tools I reach for every time I make this cake, chosen because each one solved a specific problem I kept running into. They are worth the small upgrade if you bake apple cakes often.

1. Nordic Ware Angel Food Cake Pan

A two-piece tube pan with a removable bottom is the single biggest fix for a cake this tall, because you lift the center core out instead of wrestling the whole cake free. The straight sides also bake more evenly than an ornate Bundt, so the crumb sets before the crown over-browns.

Get it on Amazon

2. OXO Apple Peeler Corer Slicer

Six apples is a lot of peeling by hand, and a crank-style peeler cuts that job to a couple of minutes. It also produces even spiral slices, which matters here because uniform thickness is what keeps some pieces from staying crunchy while others turn to sauce.

Get it on Amazon

3. Saigon Cinnamon

The cinnamon layer is a defining flavor, so a fresh, high-oil variety makes a noticeable difference over a jar that has sat open for a year. Saigon cinnamon is bolder and sweeter, and a fresh tin coats the apples with far more aroma.

Get it on Amazon

4. Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract

With no butter to carry flavor, the vanilla in this batter is easier to taste than it would be in a richer cake. A pure extract rather than an imitation gives the crumb a rounder background note that plays off the tart apples.

Get it on Amazon

5. Microplane Zester

If you want to push the citrus note further, a fine zester lets you add orange zest to the batter along with the juice. It is also the cleanest way to shave zest without dragging up the bitter white pith underneath.

Get it on Amazon

For a spreadable apple project, try: Apple Butter

Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make Jewish Apple Cake

Follow these steps in order and you will have a tall, tender Jewish apple cake ready to cool and dust.

1. Prepare the pan and oven

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
• Grease a 10-inch (25 cm) tube pan thoroughly, then dust it with flour and tap out the excess. A baking spray that already contains flour works just as well and gets into the tube.
• Set the pan aside while you build the batter.

2. Toss the apples

• Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.
• In a medium bowl, combine the sliced apples with the 5 tablespoons (65 g) sugar and 2 teaspoons (5 g) cinnamon.
• Toss until every slice is coated, then set the bowl aside. The apples will release a little juice as they sit, which is normal.

3. Combine the dry ingredients

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 2 cups (400 g) sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Whisk for a few seconds so the baking powder is evenly distributed. This prevents pale streaks and uneven rise.

4. Mix the wet ingredients

• In a second large bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth.
• Add the canola oil, orange juice, and vanilla, and whisk until the mixture looks uniform and slightly pale.

5. Bring the batter together

• Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
• Stir with a silicone spatula just until no dry flour remains. The batter will be very thick, almost like a soft cookie dough, and that is exactly what you want. Overmixing at this stage builds gluten and toughens the crumb, so stop as soon as it comes together.

6. Layer the cake

• Spoon about one-third of the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer with the spatula.
• Scatter half of the cinnamon-sugar apples over the batter, leaving behind most of the pooled juice in the bowl.
• Spread another third of the batter over the apples, add the remaining apples, then top with the final third of the batter. Spread the top as evenly as you can, since the batter will not level itself.

7. Bake

• Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the top is deep golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• If the top darkens too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes. Ovens vary, so start checking for doneness at the 1 hour 10 minute mark.

8. Cool and finish

• Set the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
• Run a thin knife around the edges and the center tube, then lift or invert the cake out and let it finish cooling on the rack.
• Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Read Also: Amish Apple Cake

Tips for The Best Jewish Apple Cake

Small adjustments make the difference between a good apple cake and one people ask you to bring again. These are the ones that matter most.

• Grease and flour, not just grease. The first cake I made stuck to the pan because I greased it but skipped the flour, and a coat of baking spray with flour in it fixed that for good.
• Slice the apples thin. Cutting them to about an eighth of an inch matters more than it sounds, because thick wedges leave raw crunch in the middle of a cake this tall.
• Leave the apple juice behind. Use a slotted spoon to lift the apples into the pan so the pooled liquid stays in the bowl, which keeps the layers from turning gummy.
• Do not overmix. Stir only until the flour disappears. The thick batter is normal and a smooth, over-beaten one bakes up tough.
• Tent the top if it browns early. I tent the crown with foil for the last twenty minutes because it colors well before the center is done.
• Test in the batter, not the apples. Aim your skewer at a spot with cake, since hitting an apple pocket can read as wet even when the cake is baked through.
• Cool before slicing. A warm cake tears; a fully cooled one slices clean.

Bakers who like this style often turn to Apple Coffee Cake.

What to Serve with Jewish Apple Cake

This cake is sweet enough to stand alone, but the right pairing turns a slice into a proper dessert course. Here are the pairings that suit it best.

• A warm drink like a pumpkin spice latte or plain black coffee, which cuts the sweetness
• A drizzle of caramel sauce over each slice for a richer dessert
• A mug of mulled apple cider to lean into the fall flavors
• A cup of hot chocolate for a cozy evening serving
• A scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream on the side, keeping the plate free of dairy
• A spoonful of lightly sweetened coconut whipped cream for a soft contrast
• Fresh apple or pear slices to echo the fruit inside
• A pot of spiced black tea for an afternoon slice

For a fruit-forward crisp, try: Apple Crumble

Variations of Jewish Apple Cake

The base recipe takes well to small changes, so you can shift the flavor without losing the structure. Try one of these once you have made it as written.

• Apple cider swap. Replace the orange juice with apple cider for a deeper, more autumnal flavor.
• Nutty layers. Scatter chopped walnuts or pecans over the apple layers for crunch.
• Warmer spice. Add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or a pinch of ground cloves to the cinnamon-sugar mix.
• Citrus forward. Whisk the zest of one orange into the batter along with the juice.
• Bundt version. Bake in a standard 10 to 12-cup Bundt pan, choosing a simple shape so the apple chunks do not stick in intricate grooves.
• Loaf form. Divide the batter and apples between two loaf pans and reduce the bake time, checking at 45 minutes.
• Brown sugar note. Swap 1/2 cup of the batter sugar for light brown sugar to add a faint caramel undertone. I have found the brown sugar version browns a little faster, so keep the foil handy.

Read Also: Apple Crisp

Storage and Reheating

One of this cake’s best traits is how well it keeps, since the oil-based crumb resists drying. Store it with a little care and it stays good for the better part of a week.

• Room temperature. Keep the cooled cake under a dome or wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 4 days.
• Refrigerator. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week, well wrapped so it does not pick up other flavors.
• Freezer. Wrap the whole cake or individual slices in plastic and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thawing. Let frozen slices come to room temperature on the counter for an hour or two before serving.
• Reheating. Warm a slice in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 8 minutes, or microwave briefly, to bring back that fresh-baked softness. I keep individually wrapped slices in the freezer so a single serving is always ready without thawing the whole cake.

Another apple project for using up the bowl is Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce.

Nutritional Facts

Values below are estimates per slice, based on 12 slices per cake. Actual numbers vary with apple size and brands used.

Nutrient	Amount per Slice
Calories	420
Total Fat	20 g
Saturated Fat	2 g
Cholesterol	62 mg
Sodium	210 mg
Total Carbohydrates	57 g
Sugars	34 g
Dietary Fiber	2 g
Protein	5 g

You might also like: Apple Pie

Health Benefits of Key Ingredients

While this is a dessert, a few of its core ingredients bring real nutritional value to the plate. Here is what the main components contribute.

• Apples. They provide dietary fiber, mostly pectin, along with vitamin C and plant compounds like quercetin that act as antioxidants.
• Eggs. Four eggs add high-quality protein plus choline, which supports normal cell function.
• Cinnamon. This spice is rich in antioxidant compounds and has been studied for its role in blood sugar regulation.
• Orange juice. The half cup of juice contributes vitamin C and a small amount of potassium.
• Canola oil. It is low in saturated fat and supplies some monounsaturated fat along with plant-based omega-3s.

Read Also: Apple Dump Cake

FAQs About Jewish Apple Cake

1. Why is it called Jewish apple cake?

The name comes from its dairy-free construction, which uses oil and orange juice instead of butter and milk. That makes it pareve, so it can be served after a meat meal under kosher dietary rules, and it became a fixture at Rosh Hashanah tables.

2. What are the best apples for this cake?

Tart, firm apples like Granny Smith are the top choice because they hold their shape through a long bake and balance the sweet batter. Honeycrisp and Braeburn also work well if you prefer a slightly sweeter result.

3. Can I use a Bundt pan instead of a tube pan?

Yes, a standard 10 to 12-cup Bundt pan is a fine substitute for a tube pan. Choose a simple shape rather than a highly detailed one, since the apple chunks can catch and stick in intricate grooves.

4. Why did my cake turn out gummy in the middle?

The two usual causes are too much apple juice carried into the pan and apple slices cut too thick. Use a slotted spoon to leave the pooled liquid behind, slice thin, and make sure the center tests clean before you pull it.

5. How do I keep the cake from sticking to the pan?

Grease the pan well and then dust it with flour, reaching into the center tube and all the crevices. A baking spray that already contains flour is the most reliable option, and cooling for 20 minutes before releasing helps too.

6. Can I make Jewish apple cake ahead of time?

It is actually better the next day, once the flavors settle and the crumb firms up. Bake it a day ahead, wrap it well at room temperature, and dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

For a warm, spoonable option, try: Apple Cobbler

Final Thoughts

Jewish apple cake is the kind of recipe that rewards you for days, staying moist long after the last butter cake would have gone stale. One pan, six apples, and a handful of pantry staples give you a tall, fruit-filled cake with almost no fuss.

Bake it once and you will understand why it shows up at so many holiday tables. The tender crumb and cinnamon apples make it hard to stop at a single slice.

If you give this one a try, I would love to hear how it turned out for you. Leave a comment below and share it with a friend who loves apple season.

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• Pumpkin Roll
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