🍰 Recipe Collections: Delicious Desserts (Part 3)

Amethyst · October 18, 2026, 6:11pm

Apple Harvest Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup buttermilk
½ cup applesauce
1 large egg
2 tablespoons rum dark or golden rum is best.
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup walnuts, chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored, shredded
½ cup golden raisins
powdered sugar optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan. Spray the pan liberally (bottom and sides) with vegetable spray. Place the parchment in the bottom of the pan and spray the parchment with vegetable spray. Set aside.

Spread ¾ cup walnuts on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the nuts are golden and fragrant. Set aside.

In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, add 1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup applesauce, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons rum, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon cloves, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon allspice, and ½ teaspoon salt.

Whisk to combine, then add the liquid ingredients and use a rubber spatula to blend until the batter is well mixed and there are no dry bits left.

Add 1 apple, the toasted walnuts, and ½ cup golden raisins. Use a rubber spatula to fold them into the batter several times to distribute evenly.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and remove the parchment paper from the bottom. Cool to room temperature.

Place a cake plate on top of the cake and invert it. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Notes:

Make the cake a day ahead and keep it wrapped in cellophane overnight; it gets moister overnight.

The cake will last for 2-3 days wrapped in cellophane at room temperature.

For longer storage, refrigerate and let the cake rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

This apple cake freezes well. Wrap it in two layers: the first is plastic wrap, then freezer paper or foil.

Keep frozen for up to two months.

Pro-Tips:

Grate the apples right before you mix. Grated apple browns fast. Prep everything else first, then grate and fold them straight into the batter.

Toast the walnuts first. Five to seven minutes on a sheet pan at 350° turns them from bland to nutty. Let them cool before chopping so they don’t go oily.

Spoon and level the flour. Scooping straight from the bag packs in extra flour and makes a dry, heavy cake. Spoon it into the cup and sweep off the top.

Stir just until the flour disappears. Overmixing after the flour goes in makes the cake tough. A few streaks are fine, since folding in the apples, raisins, and nuts finishes the job.

To ensure the cake pops out of the pan easily, I recommend spraying the pan with vegetable spray, inserting a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of your cake pan, and spraying again to ensure the cake doesn’t stick; it’s very moist, and this method is a failsafe against stuck-on crumb.

Apple harvest cake is moist and dense, so when you turn it onto a wire rack to cool, the rack’s pattern may stay embedded in the top of the cake (see photo below) instead of being flat and smooth. Powdered sugar hides it.

Dust with powdered sugar right before serving. The cake’s surface is damp, so sugar added hours ahead soaks in and disappears. A fine mesh sieve or sugar shaker gives the most even coat.

Best apples for harvest cake:

I’ve found this easy apple cake recipe works well with most apple varieties. We’ve made it with Granny Smiths, Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Jonagold to excellent results. You could also use Cortland, Braeburn, or Jazz apples.

Grated apple is one reason this cake has a compact, even look without a domed center, adding moisture and keeping the crumb tight.

How to prep apples for the harvest cake:

Remove the skins with a vegetable peeler.

Slice the apples into quarters and cut away the cores with a sharp knife.

Use the large grates of a box grater to shred the apples.

Variations and swaps:

Swap grated pears for the apples or use a combination.

Swap golden raisins with dried cranberries or currants.

If you’re short on baking spices and don’t want to invest in more, substitute 1¾ teaspoons of apple pie spice or pumpkin spice for the individual spices in the apple cake.

For a lighter-colored cake, use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar.

FAQ’s:

Can I frost harvest cake?

Yes. It doesn’t need frosting, but cream cheese frosting or fluffy, not-too-sweet ermine icing work well.

Can I make it without the rum?

Yes. Use the same amount of apple cider or apple juice. You’ll lose a little depth, but the cake will still be full of flavor.

Do I have to grate the apples, or can I chop them?

Grating is what makes this cake work. The apple shreds melt into the crumb so every bite tastes like apple, with no chunks. Chopped apples will give you pockets of fruit and a different texture.

Do I need to peel the apples?

Yes. Peels don’t break down when grated, and they leave chewy bits in the cake.

Why is my harvest cake dense?

It’s supposed to be. This is a fruit-heavy snack cake, not a light, fluffy layer cake. The grated apples and applesauce give it a tight, tender crumb. If it seems gummy in the center, give it a few more minutes and check with a toothpick.

Can I bake it in a bundt pan or a 9×13?

Typically, a bundt or 9×13 pan will hold enough for 2 9-inch layer cakes, so this recipe as written doesn’t have enough batter for those pans. If you doubled the recipe, it would likely work (though I haven’t tried it). You’d likely need to adjust the baking times as well.

What to serve with apple harvest cake:

A sprinkle of powdered sugar is all you need, but if you really want to dress it up, here are a few suggestions:

A dollop of freshly whipped heavy cream or Reddi-Wip.

Drizzle the fresh apple cake recipe with some crème anglaise.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla or rum raisin ice cream.

Add a drizzle of this Southern bourbon caramel sauce or spiced cider rum sauce.

Make ahead:

You can make the cake a day ahead and keep it wrapped in cellophane overnight; it gets moister overnight.

Storage:

The cake will last for 2-3 days wrapped in cellophane at room temperature.

For longer, refrigerate and let the cake rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Freezing:

This apple cake freezes well. Wrap it in two layers: the first is plastic wrap, then freezer paper or foil.

Keep frozen for up to two months.

Nutritional Facts:

Recipe courtesy of Garlic and Zest.com