Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl)

Soft and Delicious Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl)- torta a le mele, a simple moist dessert, breakfast, or served as an afternoon tea cake. Made with creamy yogurt, butter, and fresh apples with a little cinnamon for spice.

This is a recipe the entire family will love. Every Italian Nonna has a recipe for apple cake and here is my nonna's recipe for you!

You will also love these easy and simple cakes Soft Italian Chocolate Cake (torta al ciocolato), Easy Italian Pear Cake (Torta di Pere), and Easy Almond Sponge Cake with Italian Cream

After years of making this family recipe, this is a tried and true recipe everyone loves. Italian Apple Cake, also known as Torta di Mele, or torta alle mele is a moist and slightly cake that is perfectly sweetened.

Classic Italian Dessert- Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl)

Italian desserts are made with simple ingredients. They aren’t too sweet and make the perfect sweet bite indulgence without the guilt.

Rarely will you see frosting or ice cream served with any true Italian cake. Occasionally, you will see a dusting of powdered sugar or cacao and a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

This cake is fluffy, lightly sweetened, and sure to satisfy any sweet tooth craving without leaving you feeling too heavy. Enjoy!

Simple Ingredients

• Apples
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Sugar
• Eggs (room temperature)
• Yogurt
• Butter
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Cinnamon
• Salt

See the recipe card for quantities.

You likely have all of these ingredients to make this cake today!

How to make Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl) Step by Step

With a few simple steps and only one bowl, you are on your way to enjoying the most delicious Italian apple cake!

When the kids come home from school and the house smells of cinnamon and apples they know what's coming! It is a perfect afternoon snack. It is simple to make and easy to enjoy!

What’s a 'torta di mele'?

Torta di mele is an easy Italian apple cake that my nonna and many other nonnas make all the time! Why everyone loves this recipe:

• It’s light and fluffy and packed full of apple slices.
• There are only a few ingredients and very simple ingredients.
• It only takes 10 minutes to prepare, but it looks and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
• It is always a crowd pleaser. Who doesn’t like apple cake?

What Apples are Best for Cakes?

• Honeycrisp the crisp texture is guaranteed to hold firm.
• Pink Lady balanced between sweet and tart. It will retain its distinct shape when used in this cake.
• Granny Smith apples are always a safe bet as far as a baking apple.
• Jonagold tart with a honeyed sweetness, Jonagolds hold up exceptionally well in the oven.

The number of apples changes a bit depending on the size.

• Small apples about 4.
• Medium apples about 3.
• Large apples about 2 ½.

Cutting apples for Simple Italian Apple Cake

I love to dice my apples into small pieces. I like to get plenty of apples in every bite and this gives the best apple-to-cake ratio! You can certainly cut them into slices if you want bigger pieces.

You can also decorate the top with pretty apple slices to show the cake has an apple in it. I sometimes do this extra step when taking it to a neighbor or friend. If I am making it just for us at home I use the diced apple pieces.

It is also easier to eat it this way for the children since the apples are already cut small. Either way, it is delicious!

The secret to Adding Yogurt to Italian Cakes

What does yogurt do in a cake? Yogurt adds moisture and fat to a cake batter, making the cake moist. A cake baked with yogurt is never dry. It's always so soft, moist, and absolutely delicious. That is one secret to this super moist Italian apple cake.

Another bonus to adding yogurt to cakes is the acidity of the yogurt works with the baking powder to leaven the cake and make it extra tall and super fluffy.

You don't taste the yogurt at all! It simply serves as a secret weapon to add moistness and help your cake rise!

Substitutions for this Simple Italian Apple Cake

Low-Fat Yogurt

It depends! Low-fat dairy products are often filled with "junk" to stabilize the texture. As long as the brand of non-fat yogurt doesn't have any fillers it will work fine. One brand I recommend is Chobani nonfat yogurt as an alternative.

Gluten-Free Option

If you are making this simple Italian apple cake gluten-free you can use this flour and it will turn out delicious!

Cake pan recommendation

I like to use a springform pan so it is easy to take out the cake. You can use a regular 9.5/10-inch round pan as well.

Make sure to let the cake cool completely after baking and before slicing. It is worth the wait to let the cake set! This cake is even better the next day.

Go ahead... let your guests think you spent all day making this apple cake. It will be your go-to for bringing to a dinner party since it is easy to transport.

Cake Baking Question: Why Do Cakes Sink in the Middle?

Let me leave this explanation to the baking scientist out there who have come up with all the possible reasons why your cake might sink in the middle! This is something that is far too common and there are a variety of reasons for this baking disaster. These reasons are explained by, Chelsey, from this post on ChelSweets:

• UNDER BAKED. The most common reason why cakes sink in the middle is that they're underbaked. If a cake isn't fully baked through, the center doesn't have a chance to set and it will sink. This creates a doughy, dense texture in the center of your cake layer.

• TOO MUCH LEAVENING. Too much leavening agent like baking soda or powder can cause a cake to rise too high too quickly. The gas from the leavening agents builds up and escapes before the cake bakes through in the center.
• This causes the center to collapse and makes your cake layers sink in the middle. Another reason is- the leaving is expired and the cake couldn't rise properly. 

• NOT WEIGHING THE FLOUR. A gram is always a gram, but a cup is not always a cup. When in doubt measure your ingredients by grams to ensure the correct ratios. 

• OPENING THE OVEN DOOR. If the oven door is opened and slammed after it’s opened, it can cause partially baked cakes to sink in the middle.
• If the center isn’t set as the oven door is slammed, it can collapse and won’t be able to rise up properly again. Opening the oven door will also cause a draft and decrease in temperature in the inside of the oven.  

Source: ChelSweets.

From my cucina to your table... Mangia! Mangia! (Eat!)

Made with Amore, Elena

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I know you will love this Easy Italian Apple Cake Recipe! It is one we make often at home!

Make sure to leave a ⭐️star rating on the recipe card and comment below if you make the recipe. I love to connect with you through my recipes.

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