The Best Jewish Apple Cake
This Jewish Apple Cake recipe is moist and packed with sweet apples and cinnamon. This easy apple cake recipe is our family’s favorite. Be sure to grab a slice of this perfect fall dessert before it’s all gone.
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It’s apple season here at Russo’s! Along with pumpkins and gourds, apples are synonymous with fall. It’s a wonderful time of year. We grow 20 acres of apples here on our farm and 14 different varieties including popular favorites such as Gala, Stayman Winesap, Red Delicious and Fuji (my favorite).
This traditional Jewish Apple Cake is a family favorite. It is a delicious cake that you can make any time of the year. My mom has been making this recipe since I was little. I love apple dessert recipes.
Lucky for me, our house sits right in the middle of one of our apple orchards. So, I am lucky enough to be able to walk out the front door and swipe an apple or two. If you are planning on apple picking with your family, save a few of those beauties for this easy apple recipe.
Fun fact: Did you know that an apple tree takes three years from the time it is planted to produce an apple?
Apples and baking go hand in hand. I always find myself baking more during the fall and winter months. I find it very comforting.
What is a Jewish Apple Cake?
A Jewish Apple Cake is a dense cake made with fresh apples. This fresh Apple Cake is very popular in the Philadelphia area where I live. It is thought that this cake originated from Poland.
Jewish Apple Cake is considered pareve for those who follow the restrictions of a Kosher diet. This is because this moist apple cake is made without any dairy products. So this delicious apple cake can be enjoyed after a meat meal since the Jewish dietary laws prohibit mixing meat and milk.
This easy apple cake is often served during the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year). Apples represent a sweet New Year.
What Are The Best Apples To Bake With? Which Baking Apple Should I Use?
Here are some apple varieties that you can bake with. I like to mix the varieties of apples to add more depth of flavor to the recipe. Any variety or combination of apples listed below are the best apples for Jewish Apple Cake.
- Stayman Winesap
- Granny Smith Apples
- Gala
- Honeycrisp
- Cameo
- Rome
- Jonagold
- Fuji
- Braeburn
What ingredients do I need to make a Jewish Apple Cake
As I mentioned above, this is a dairy-free cake (pareve). So you will not find any milk products or butter in this dense apple cake.
- Fresh Apples (I love to mix the varieties, but use whatever is fresh at your local farmers market.
- Orange Juice
- Vegetable Oil
- Eggs
- Flour
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla Extract
How To Make A Classic Jewish Apple Cake
Tips 1:
It’s packed with Russo’s fresh-picked apples and easy to make. I like to make it for a weeknight dessert or to bring to a party or get together. Here is how it’s made.
You’ll need an angel food pan for this cake. Grease and flour the tube pan thoroughly.
Tip 2:
Next, you’ll need to peel six apples.I like to mix apple varieties when I bake. It adds a delicious depth to the flavor of the recipe. For this cake, I used Cortland and Gala apples.
Baking Tip: Check your local farmers’ market for utility apples or seconds. They have bumps and bruises on them but are perfect for baking. And they are a lot cheaper too.
Tip 3:
Slice the applesand combine with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Sift flour,sugar, baking powder and salt together and pour in a large mixing bowl
Who wants to lick the beater?
Tip 4:
Pour half of the cake batter in the prepared pan. This is a thick batter. Layer half of the apple slices and sprinkle half of the remaining cinnamon sugar over top. Repeat once more with the remaining batter and remaining sliced apples.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for about one hour and twenty minutes. Let cool completely in the pan and when it’s finished…you won’t be disappointed. This is a very dense cake, so you may have to bake an additional 15 minutes depending on your oven.
The sweet Jersey Fresh apples, combined with the moist cake are the perfect combination. The cake also has a tasty crunchy topping with a combination of crispy baked apples, cinnamon sugar mixture.
Serve as is or with a scoop of vanillaice cream. It’s Jersey Fresh at its best. I hope you enjoy this favorite recipe.
Must-Have Kitchen Essentials To Make This Jewish Apple Cake
These items are helpful to have in your kitchen when making this Jewish Apple Cake recipe
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Save this delicious Jewish Apple Cake Recipe for later. Pin the image below to your favorite Pinterest board.
The Best Jewish Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 apples, peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9.5-inch tube pan and set aside.
- Peel and slice 6 large apples, set aside.
- In small bowl, combine 3/4 of sugar and cinnamon. Mix together.
- Add 1/2 cup of the sugar and cinnamon mixture to the sliced apples. Stir to coat and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, 2 cups of sugar, salt, and baking powder together.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the orange juice, oil, eggs and vanilla, Beat until incorporated.
- Pour half of the batter in a greased tube pan. Spread half of the apple mixture over the batter and sprinkle with half of the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Add the remaining mixture to the pan and top with the rest of the apples. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool completely before removing from the tube pan.
Notes
Jewish Apple Cake is a dense cake. This cake can take up to 1 hour and 15 minutes to bake.
thank you
I was given this recipe back in the 60’s when we were stationed in Spain by a M/Sgt’s wife. Misplaced it along with a note book of other recipes in one of our moves. Actually the whole box of kitchen things was lost. I am so thankful you posted this and I ran across this on Pinterest.
Have looked for ages for this. It is absolutely delicious. Again THANK YOU!
Oh I am so glad that you like it. My mom has been making this recipe since I was a young girl. It’s a family favorite.
Have you made these as cupcakes? How long would they bake?
This is a very dense cake so I don’t think a cupcake would work…but I have never tried it so let me know.
Can this be made in loaf pan(s)?
I not tested this recipe in a loaf pan
I cut the recipe in half and made it in a loaf pan. It took about and hour and 20 minutes to get done and the texture was a little different than the cake usually turns out, but still very good. I noticed another Jewish apple cake recipe called for 2 3/4 cups of flour vs. The 4 cups in this recipe, so perhaps cutting back a little on the flour would be beneficial too.
Hi! I am looking to make this for Easter weekend, how would you recommend storing/wrapping it if making it the night before?
thank you
sounds so good! Great for all the apples from apple picking
We’re going apple picking this weekend and this will be perfect! Thanks for sharing!
Yum. I remember taking my kids to the farm to pick apples each fall. Now they are all grown up and live in the big city. Need to get them back to SNJ for some apple picking.
This is my first time making this cake I baked for clients on a regular basis as well as I cook meals for them this cake is absolutely amazing my neighbor behind me ordered 3 more for friends and family members I cant thank u enough I hope u can hear us clapping and giving u praise thank u again ????????????
I am so happy that you like it. My mom has been making this recipe since I was little and it is a winner in my book too.
For traveling purposes, I was thinking of making it in a 9×13 pan..should work, maybe just not fill it as much???
Thank you
Birdie
I know this was several months ago but I’d like to know how it came out. I was thinking of trying the same thing. Thank you
This looks so delicious. I’m going to be pinning this and hopefully making it!
This looks so good. I love fall because of apple stuff. Thanks!
Your Jewish Apple Cake looks delicious! Hope you are having a great weekend and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Oh yeah! I could go for a slice of that cake right now! Thanks for bringing it by #theWeekendSocial. Pinned. http://www.theKitchenChopper.com
Thank you so much for attending week 3 of #PureBlogLove and linking your fantastic blog post. This apple cake is simply gorgeous!
I can’t wait to see what you have in store for our party next week Thursday 8 PM EST- Sundays at midnight . Have a great day!
Nicole
http://picnicnz.blogspot.co.nz/
your jewish apple cake is the best I have ever made. now how do you make your apple sauce cake
Looks and sounds delicious. I’m curious/interested about the inclusion of orange juice. It’s funny, I grew up in MA and live in NY now, so we’re not that far away, but you mentioned two apples I’ve never heard of before – Stayman and Winesap. My favorite snacking apples are Macoun, but for baking, I usually like to use a mix for texture/flavor. Do you use one particular apples for this, or it depends what you have handy at the time? [#PinItThurs]
Hi – Thanks for your questions. The orange juice in the recipe adds moisture and a wonderful flavor. Stayman Winesap is a variety of apples that we grow here on our farm. They are tart and crisp. When baking, I prefer to use a mix of apples. I think mixing different varieties gives the recipe a depth of flavor.
Stayman Winesapp apples are one of my favorite apples to eat or bake with. They’re a crisp kind of tart but not as tart as a Granny Smith! I mixed half stayman and half Granny Smith. It’s in the oven now !! Hope it looks as wonderful as the picture! Thank you for the recipe💕
Now thats a tall lovely cake! Ive read other similar jewish or yiddish cakes that have ricotta cheese in them. I know the orange flavor must take this cake over the top. You are so right about using a variety of apples as it should be done when making good pie. My Q is- How long does the baked cake need to sit in the pan before turning it out on a plate? I dont want it to fall apart. Thank you!
Lisa – you will need to let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan. I have learned from experience that it needs to be cool.
So you don’t just let it cool
10 or 15 minutes in the pan, you let it cool completely to room temperature. I have had so many of these cakes fall apart getting them out of the pan. They taste yum, but not so pretty. Do you use a non stick pan?
Let it cool completely before removing it. You can use a non-stick if you wish. I Use a regular pan but heavily grease and flour it.
Thank you for this recipe! Made it for our Rosh Hashana holiday and my parents and kids said it was the best one I ever made! Did drizzle a little honey on the top before serving just to give it a little extra.
Laura – I am so glad that you and your family liked it!
hi melissa i just want to know if emails with recipes are for fee if i sibscribe many thanks susanne
All email with recipes are free!
Looks so good, When kids were small we went apple picking every year and I made plenty of apple pies but this looks great. Going to definitely make it….as soon as I get some apples!
Can this be made in a bundt pan putting a few apple on the bottom of the pan?
I can be done but you have to be careful that the apples on the bottom do not stick. You would have to grease well.
Thank you I will give a try and let you know how it comes out.
Hi!
I’m a little confused, in your instructions you say to begin with batter on the bottom of the pan, and then add the apples in the middle and then again on top. However in your photos, the apples are at the bottom of the pan—so when you turn it out, the apples end up carmelized and on top of the cake…help, please how should I begin in the prepared pan? . 🙂
There is a layer of batter under the apples – it is just hard to see in the photo. When you turn it out, you will have to flip it over so the caramelized layers are on top.
This says 1 cup of o.j . Batter looked think. In oven now, just checking if it is correct or should be 1/2 cup of our. Thanks
I am going to make this Cake tomorrow . It looks yummy but this recipe calls for more Flour (4cups) than the others I have looked at. All the others call for 2 3/4 or 3 cups of Flour. Wanted to make sure this was correct. Thanks for your input. I can’t wait to try it.
I used Stevia instead of sugar and put it into a 9×13 pan. We had just moved and can’t find angel food pan or bunt pan, hope it comes out! Will know in least than a hour!
What kind of Flour??
I’m making this now. It’s been 1 hour and ten mins. The cake looks amazing! However, it’s still not done. The knife came out all wet with batter still. Had to cover the top of the cake as it’s starting to darken. Has anyone else had to cook this cake longer? I hope I dont ruin it.
1 hour and 30 minutes.
I’m making this now. It’s been 1 hour and ten mins. The cake looks amazing! However, it’s still not done. The knife came out all wet with batter still. Had to cover the top of the cake as it’s starting to darken. Has anyone else had to cook this cake longer? I hope I dont ruin it.
Mine is in the oven now and I checked it at 1 hour and 10 minutes and it’s still not done. Other recipes say to leave it in for 1 hour 40 minutes so that’s what I’ll aim for.
Have made this recipe twice . The first time I used whatever apples were on sale and the cake came out well . The second time I used Granny Smith apples and the results were fantastic! Whatever apple you prefer, this is an excellent recipe and will remain on my list of go to desserts. Thank you!
Are the apples peeled? I am going to make this recipe. Looks awesome. …love apples this time of year.
Anna
Don’t like the taste with canola oil!
You can always substitute vegetable oil.
Could you substitute it with butter? I only have olive oil and I don’t imagine that would fit very well.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Way back in 1980 my wife and I had just started dating prior to Christmas. She wanted to make me something for Christmas that she thought I would like and so she decided to make a Jewish apple cake, something her family had grown up eating but I had never had prior to this time. I love the cake that she made for me as well as her desire to make something that I would like and I actually asked her to marry me only a few months later. She used to always joke that I was marrying her only because of her apple cake I of course knew it was something more than just that. As the years went by there were a few more times that she would make the cake just to make it for whatever reason and I always enjoyed looking forward to eating it when she did. Eight years ago however due to some medical mistakes we lost her as well as the continued making of the apple cakes. Although I had seen the recipe she used in a homemade cookbook a while back I was not sure where it was and with the recent passing of my mother I received a fruit basket that had several apples in it. Not knowing what to do all those apples I thought that it might be a good idea to try to make a Jewish apple cake in honor of the anniversary of her passing so I looked online to find a recipe and found yours. I decided to go ahead and make it and was able to have it done without any problems and it was as good as if not better as the ones that she had made all these many years.
Would this cake be great to bring to a girls brunch??
Absolutely! It is a delicious cake.
I’d like to make this cake but I’m planning on shipping it from New York to Colorado which will take about five days. Do you think it will arrive fresh or it does not have that long shelf life.
Forty years ago when I first met my wife she baked me a Jewish Apple Cake for Christmas only a few weeks after we had started dating. She of course won my heart and continued baking them until her passing a few years ago. Last year I was craving a piece of the cake I had grown to love but was unable to find her recipe so I did a search on the internet and the first recipe that sounded a lot like hers was yours so I tried it out. I don’t know if all the recipes out there are similar or not but I am now about to use it for the fourth time in two years and have just now read your blog or whatever it is that mentioned the Jersey Fresh Apples. Being from South Jersey that phrase goes along with just about anything you would pick up at any of the local roadside produce stands so it didn’t really make me realize that you are in South Jersey as well. Who knows maybe the recipe she had that had come from a local Salem County church cookbook was the same one that you posted and has continued on through the years to many other places. The recipe is a really good one and easy to follow so thank you for posting it so I could use it to bring back memories of a time that was worth remembering.
Thank you for this great recipe, I made it one and my family loved it, and plan to make it again tomorrow to treat our guests! Merci from France!
So glad that you liked it!
I always have trouble when I make a Jewish apple cake. I can never get it done all the way through. What am I doing wrong?
I just wanted to say thank you for this recipe! I’ve been making it every Thanksgiving for the past 4 or 5 years. It’s become a tradition and everyone in my family always looks forward to it! I’m so grateful to have found it- it’s delicious.
You are so welcome. I am glad you like it.
What is the best way to get the cake out of the angel food cake pan?
I’m attempting to use peaches from our abundant tree instead! Fingers crossed it comes out good. My mom has a very similar recipe that’s been passed down, yours is the only one I’ve found that is similar (orange juice was the secret ingredient:))
That sounds delicious!
Does this need to be refrigerated after made and how long does it last. If I made Saturday would it keep good until Monday to eat?
Great Question and can you freeze it?
Yes! You can freeze this cake.
Could you use gluten free flour to make this cake? I unfortunately had to go gluten free a few years ago and I remember loving this cake . I would really enjoy being able to eat it again.
I have never tested the cake using gluten-free flour. But let us all know how it turns out.
Can this be made in a 9×13 cake pan?
I also would like to know.
Marilyn
I’d like to make this cake but I’m planning on shipping it from New York to Colorado which will take about five days. Do you think it will arrive fresh or it does not have that long a shelf life.
Has anyone ever made this cake in a different type of pan? I do not have a tube pan. Can it be made in a 9 x 12 baking pan?
I have never tested the recipe in a 9 x 12 baking pan, so I am sorry I don’t have an answer for you.
I had a friend in college who was partly Jewish and told me about all these fantastic cakes they would bake at home. So after all these years when I came across this recipe, I could not control my temptation to bake one.
Hi Melissa… want to express my gratitude of thanks for your Jewish apple cake,,, I did try it with the 4c of flour and 6 apples but the cake turned out to dry… so I was VERY PRESISTANTED to try baking it again,, after reading some of your customer comments I seen they recommend less flour and I added a few more apples… my kitchen was overwhelmed with the smell of this cake cooking and I couldn’t wait to taste it again second time around!!!!!! Let me tell you…. what a difference!!! This cake was AWESOME!!!! So moist and really loved having more apples in the cake! My daughter wants this for school for thanksgiving week where all the teachers bring a homemade dessert in for the teachers room,,, again THANK YOU for an ABSOLUTELY AWESOME recipe!!!!Never heard of this cake before 😊