Baked Apple Cake Dutch Style (Printer-Friendly)

Warm Dutch-style apple cake with tender slices baked in a soft, cinnamon-spiced batter. Golden and comforting.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Apples

01 - 3 large apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
02 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Dry Ingredients

03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 cup whole milk
13 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
14 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Topping

15 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly distributed.
04 - In another large bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until smooth. Add milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract, whisking until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain cake texture.
06 - Fold prepared apples into batter. Pour mixture into greased baking dish and spread evenly.
07 - In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over batter surface.
08 - Bake for 40 minutes until cake achieves golden color and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
09 - Allow cake to cool slightly before serving. Serve warm, optionally with powdered sugar dusting or crème fraîche.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a one-dish wonder that doubles as breakfast or dessert without apology.
  • The texture sits perfectly between cake and custard, soft in a way that makes people slow down and actually taste it.
  • You can have it cooling on the counter while you're still in your pajamas, no flipping required.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the batter—I learned this the hard way when I stirred too much and ended up with cake that felt like a dense brick.
  • Melting the butter beforehand and letting it cool prevents it from cooking the eggs when you combine wet and dry ingredients.
  • The apples should be sliced thin; thick chunks stay firm and separate instead of melting into the cake texture.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs and milk combine more smoothly and create a more tender cake structure.
  • Don't be tempted to bake longer than 40 minutes—the cake will continue cooking slightly as it cools and overbaking dries it out.
  • If you want extra moisture, brush the warm cake lightly with a simple syrup made from equal parts sugar and water before it cools completely.
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