Grandma’s Easy Apple Cake – Soft & Moist 5-Minute Recipe
This Grandma’s Easy Apple Cake is a soft, moist, and wonderfully simple homemade dessert made with fresh apples, yogurt, and a few everyday baking ingredients. The batter takes only about 5 minutes to prepare, making this an excellent cake for busy days, unexpected guests, or an easy family dessert.
The combination of 3 eggs, yogurt, vegetable oil, and fresh apples creates a tender cake with plenty of moisture. The flour is added in two parts for easy mixing, while crushed cookies and sliced almonds add extra texture.
Once baked, a finishing drizzle of caramel sauce pairs beautifully with the apples and transforms this simple cake into an especially inviting dessert.
Serve it with afternoon coffee, tea, or as a sweet treat after a meal. With straightforward preparation and familiar ingredients, this is the kind of apple cake that works beautifully for everyday baking.
Ingredients
For the Apple Cake
- 3 eggs
- 100 g sugar (½ cup)
- A pinch of salt
- Some vanilla
- 60 ml vegetable oil (¼ cup)
- 120 g yogurt (½ cup)
- 250 g flour (2 cups)
- 10 g baking powder (1 tablespoon)
- 2 apples
For the Topping and Finishing
- Crushed cookies, as needed
- Sliced almonds, as needed
- Caramel sauce, as needed
How to Make Grandma’s Easy Apple Cake
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 175°C (347°F).
Prepare a 27 × 18 cm baking dish and cover it with baking paper.
Set it aside while preparing the batter.
2. Prepare the Apples
Wash and prepare 2 apples.
Remove the cores and cut the apples into suitable pieces for the cake.
Set the prepared apples aside.
3. Mix the Eggs and Sugar
Crack 3 eggs into a large mixing bowl.
Add 100 g (½ cup) sugar and a pinch of salt.
Add some vanilla according to taste.
Whisk until the ingredients are well combined and the mixture becomes smooth and slightly lighter.
4. Add the Vegetable Oil
Pour in 60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil.
Continue mixing until the oil is fully incorporated into the egg mixture.
The vegetable oil helps keep the finished cake soft and moist.
5. Add the Yogurt
Add 120 g (½ cup) yogurt.
Mix until the batter is smooth and evenly combined.
Yogurt contributes additional moisture and gives the cake a tender texture.
6. Prepare the Flour and Baking Powder
Combine 250 g (2 cups) flour with 10 g (1 tablespoon) baking powder.
The flour should be added to the batter in two parts, as specified in the original recipe.
7. Add the First Part of the Flour
Add approximately half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
Mix gently until mostly incorporated.
8. Add the Remaining Flour
Add the second half of the flour mixture.
Continue mixing gently until you have a smooth batter with no visible dry flour.
Avoid unnecessary overmixing once the flour has been incorporated.
9. Add the Apples
Add the prepared 2 apples to the cake.
Distribute them evenly so there is fresh apple throughout the finished dessert.
10. Transfer to the Baking Dish
Pour the batter into the prepared 27 × 18 cm baking dish.
Spread it evenly and smooth the surface with a spatula.
11. Add the Crushed Cookies and Almonds
Add crushed cookies and sliced almonds according to preference.
The original recipe does not specify exact quantities for either ingredient, so use them as needed rather than relying on an invented measurement.
Distribute them evenly over the cake.
12. Bake
Place the cake in the preheated oven.
Bake at 175°C (347°F) for approximately 35–40 minutes.
The cake should rise and become beautifully baked while remaining soft and moist inside.
Check the center near the end of the baking time with a toothpick or wooden skewer. It should come out clean or without wet batter attached.
13. Cool the Cake
Remove the apple cake from the oven.
Allow it to cool in the baking dish for a while before carefully removing or slicing it.
14. Finish with Caramel Sauce
Once the cake has cooled sufficiently, drizzle caramel sauce over the surface according to taste.
The recipe doesn’t specify a quantity, so use as much as desired.
The combination of apple, almonds, cookies, and caramel gives this simple cake a delicious finishing touch.
Slice and serve.
Tips for the Best Apple Cake
Use fresh apples: Good-quality apples provide the main fruity flavor and moisture.
Add the flour in two parts: Follow the original method and gradually incorporate the 250 g flour rather than adding it all at once.
Don’t overmix: Once the flour has been incorporated, stop mixing as soon as the batter is smooth.
Use the specified pan: Bake the cake in a 27 × 18 cm baking dish for the intended thickness.
Use baking paper: Cover the baking dish with baking paper before adding the batter.
Add texture with cookies and almonds: Crushed cookies and sliced almonds create a pleasant contrast with the soft apple cake.
Check after 35 minutes: Ovens can vary, so begin testing the cake near the lower end of the specified baking time.
Add caramel after baking: Finish the cooled cake with caramel sauce rather than mixing it into the batter.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This easy apple cake uses familiar ingredients and doesn’t require a complicated preparation method.
The basic batter contains:
- 3 eggs
- 100 g sugar
- 60 ml vegetable oil
- 120 g yogurt
- 250 g flour
- 10 g baking powder
- 2 apples
The yogurt and vegetable oil help create a moist, tender cake, while fresh apples provide fruit flavor throughout.
Crushed cookies and sliced almonds bring additional texture, and caramel sauce provides a rich finishing touch.
Most importantly, the batter can be prepared in approximately 5 minutes before the cake goes into the oven.
Why Use Yogurt in Apple Cake?
This recipe uses 120 g (½ cup) yogurt as one of its main wet ingredients.
Yogurt adds moisture to the batter and works alongside the eggs and vegetable oil to help produce a tender cake.
Its mild flavor also works particularly well with apples, vanilla, almonds, and caramel without overpowering them.
Serving Suggestions
Grandma’s apple cake is delicious served on its own or alongside:
- Freshly brewed coffee
- Black or herbal tea
- A glass of milk
- Plain or Greek yogurt
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Fresh apple slices
- Extra sliced almonds
- A little additional caramel sauce
For an especially dessert-like serving, pair a slice with vanilla ice cream and a small drizzle of caramel.
How to Store Apple Cake
Allow the cake to cool completely before storing.
Place leftover slices in an airtight container or keep the entire cake well covered.
For longer freshness, store it covered in the refrigerator.
If you prefer a softer serving texture, allow refrigerated slices to sit briefly at room temperature before eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apple cake really take 5 minutes?
The 5 minutes refers to the approximate preparation time for the batter, not the complete baking process.
The cake then needs to bake for 35–40 minutes at 175°C (347°F).
How many apples do I need?
Use 2 apples.
How much yogurt should I use?
Use 120 g (½ cup) yogurt.
How much flour do I need?
Use 250 g (2 cups) flour.
Should I add all the flour at once?
No. The recipe specifically instructs you to add the flour in two parts.
How much oil is required?
Use 60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil.
How much crushed cookie should I use?
The original recipe doesn’t provide an exact quantity, so use crushed cookies as needed.
How many sliced almonds should I add?
No exact quantity is specified. Use sliced almonds as needed according to your preference.
When should I add the caramel sauce?
Add the caramel sauce after the cake has baked and cooled sufficiently.
What size baking dish should I use?
Use a 27 × 18 cm baking dish covered with baking paper.
What temperature should I bake the cake at?
Bake at 175°C (347°F).
How long does it bake?
Bake for approximately 35–40 minutes.
Final Thoughts
This Grandma’s Easy Apple Cake is a simple homemade recipe that combines fresh apples with a soft yogurt-based batter and delicious crunchy toppings.
Prepare the batter with 3 eggs, 100 g sugar, 60 ml vegetable oil, 120 g yogurt, 250 g flour, and 10 g baking powder, remembering to add the flour in two parts.
Add 2 apples, transfer the batter to a baking-paper-lined 27 × 18 cm dish, and finish with crushed cookies and sliced almonds.
Bake at 175°C (347°F) for 35–40 minutes, then finish the cooled cake with caramel sauce.
The result is a soft, moist apple cake with crunchy accents and a rich caramel finish—perfect for coffee time, dessert, or easy everyday baking.