🍎 3-Apple Melt-in-Your-Mouth Fruit Cake
Ingredients
3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
Âľ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp milk
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
For the Apple Topping
1 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp melted butter
Optional Glaze
½ cup powdered sugar
1–2 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare the oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour a 9-inch round or 8-inch square baking pan.
Prepare the apples: Toss the sliced apples with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Set aside.
Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
Add the creamy ingredients: Mix in the sour cream and milk until smooth.
Combine: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until combined—don’t overmix. Fold in the nuts if using.
Add apples: Gently fold about two-thirds of the apples into the batter.
Fill the pan: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Arrange the remaining apple slices over the top.
Bake: Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool further.
Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Drizzle over the cooled cake if desired.
🍏 Tips for the Melt-in-Your-Mouth Texture
Use softened butter, not melted butter.
Don’t overmix once the flour is added.
Choose naturally sweet-tart apples such as Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, or Granny Smith.
The cake is especially delicious served slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
