Italian Apple Cake (One Bowl)
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This Italian Apple Cake (One Bowl) is soft, buttery, and filled with tender apples and a hint of cinnamon. Made in one bowl with creamy yogurt and inspired by my nonna’s kitchen, it’s perfect for a cozy breakfast or an afternoon treat with coffee.
You’ll want to try my recipes for Flourless Chocolate Cake and Lemon Olive Oil Cake next!
Quick Look: Italian Apple Cake (One Bowl)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Servings: 12 people
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian and dairy-free adaptable with plant-based butter or milk substitutions
- Method: One-bowl cake baked until golden
- Technique: Fold fresh apples into a simple batter, then bake until soft, moist, and lightly caramelized on top
- Flavor/Texture: Soft, buttery, cozy, lightly spiced, and moist
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Italian Apple Cake is a cherished recipe from my childhood, passed down through generations of Italian tradition and filled with love. The smell alone brings me back to my nonna’s kitchen.
It’s soft, simple, and full of tender apples. My kids devour it every time, and without fail, someone always asks for the recipe. A true family favorite, I’m delighted to share it with you!
If you love apple desserts, try my Apple Upside Down Cake and Best Brown Butter Apple Pie Recipe.
Made With AmorE,
“This is apple cake recipe is so delicious, so moist and a big crowd pleaser not to mention that is so quick and easy to make! Believe me you will make this cake over and over again!! I can’t wait to make the other desserts for the holidays!”
– Linda
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
The following standout ingredients make this Italian apple cake so tender, flavorful, and irresistibly comforting.
- Fresh Apples: The star ingredient, adding natural sweetness, moisture, and soft tender bites throughout the cake
- Whole Milk Yogurt: Keeps the cake incredibly moist, tender, and fluffy with subtle richness
- Butter: Adds classic buttery flavor and helps create the soft crumb
- All-Purpose Flour and Eggs: Provide structure while keeping the cake light and delicate
- Cinnamon: Adds warm flavor that makes the apples shine beautifully
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Yogurt Option: Use low-fat yogurt if desired, as long as it doesn’t contain added fillers or stabilizers.
- Flavor Variation: Swap the cinnamon for extra lemon juice and lemon zest for a brighter citrus flavor. If you love lemon desserts, try my Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust.
- Fruit Variation: Try pears, plums, or any other fruit that will hold up well during baking. Make my Italian Pear Cake and Peach Upside Down Cake for different fruity flavors!
- Gluten-Free Option: Use a good-quality gluten-free flour blend to make the cake gluten-free without sacrificing texture. Try my Italian Almond Cake or Soft Amaretti Cookies that are naturally gluten-free.
How to Make Italian Apple Cake
With a few simple steps and only one bowl, you are on your way to enjoying the most delicious Italian apple cake! Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Cream the Wet Ingredients: Cream the sugar and eggs until they’re light and fluffy. Then mix in the yogurt, butter, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, then sift it into the egg mixture.
- Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to form a smooth batter, then mix in the diced apples.
- Spread the cake batter in the prepared cake pan and bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack, then sprinkle it with confectioner’s sugar.
Italian Apple Cake (One Bowl) FAQs
Torta di mele is an easy Italian apple cake that my nonna (and many other nonnas) make all the time! Everyone loves this recipe because it’s light, moist, and fluffy, and is packed full of apple slices. It takes only a few simple ingredients and 10 minutes to prepare, but it looks fancy and is always a crowd pleaser.
I recommend using a firm baking apple. Honeycrisp’s crisp texture is guaranteed to hold firm, while Pink Lady is balanced between sweet and tart and will retain its distinct shape when used in this cake. Granny Smith apples are always a safe bet as far as a baking apple. Jonagolds are tart with a honeyed sweetness, and they hold up exceptionally well in the oven.
I love to dice my apples into small pieces, as this shape helps you get plenty of apples in every bite. You can certainly cut them into slices if you want bigger pieces. Also, there’s no need to peel them, as the skins add lots of color and flavor!
There are several reasons why an apple cake can sink in the middle! It may be underbaked, as this means the center hasn’t set and will be doughy inside. Also, too much leavening can cause the cake to rise too quickly, then sink when it cools. Not measuring the flour accurately with a kitchen scale is another big reason. But the most common reason is that the oven door was opened while the cake was baking! Be sure not to open the door until the end of the suggested baking time to prevent sinking.
Serving Suggestions
This Italian apple cake is delicious served slightly warm or at room temperature with a dusting of powdered sugar and a cup of coffee or espresso. I love serving it as part of an afternoon spread alongside Chiacchiere di Carnevale (Italian Fried Pastries), Zeppole (Easy Italian Donuts), or Easy Lemon Ricotta Cake. for a beautiful assortment of classic Italian desserts. For an extra-special treat, add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla gelato to complement the tender apples and buttery crumb. It’s equally perfect served for breakfast or brunch, served with a Breakfast Casserole and Loaded Vegetarian Quiche.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the yogurt. It adds moisture and fat to the cake batter, making it moist. The acidity of the yogurt works with the baking powder to leaven the cake, making it extra tall and super fluffy. It’s the secret ingredient in this Italian apple cake!
- Let the ingredients come to room temperature before mixing up the batter. This will help everything incorporate smoothly and give you a better-textured cake.
- Choose a tart, firm baking apple such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Jonagold for the best results. Either dice or slice the apples depending upon your desired presentation–and only peel them if you feel like it! The skins add a lovely burst of color and flavor.
- The moisture of the apples may vary the cooking time a bit. You may need to add 10 minutes depending on how juicy the apples are.
More Italian Dessert Recipes
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Italian Apple Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 large baking apples, peeled if desired, diced or sliced
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- confectioner's sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Line a 9 1/2-inch round baking pan with parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the sugar and eggs until you obtain a creamy and fluffy texture, about 5-8 minutes.
- Stir in the yogurt, butter, and vanilla extract. Use a fork or spatula to combine until smooth (not the electric mixer).
- Sift the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt) until combined into the bowl of the wet ingredients.
- Stir gently until wet and dry ingredients are well combined. Add the apples and mix gently. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. If the cake starts to brown too much on top, tent it with with foil during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Cool on a wire rack and dust with confectioner sugar. If desired, serve each slice with freshly whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t skip the yogurt. It adds moisture and fat to the cake batter, making it moist. The acidity of the yogurt works with the baking powder to leaven the cake, making it extra tall and super fluffy. It’s the secret ingredient in this Italian apple cake!
- Let the ingredients come to room temperature before mixing up the batter. This will help everything incorporate smoothly and give you a better-textured cake.
- Choose a tart, firm baking apple such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Jonagold for the best results. Either dice or slice the apples depending upon your desired presentation–and only peel them if you feel like it! The skins add a lovely burst of color and flavor.
- The moisture of the apples may vary the cooking time a bit. You may need to add 10 minutes depending on how juicy the apples are.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What kind of apples do you recommend?
I love Pink Lady or Honeycrisp! Most apples will work for this recipe. The GranySmith might be a little too tart :), enjoy!
Delicious! My family loved it!
Moist and delicious! and easy too!
Yes to both! Yum!!
The whole family loved this!
So simple and delicious 😋
It’s a well loved recipe at our home too!
Absolutely delicious! Came together pretty easily- I accidentally creamed the butter and sugar first and then added the eggs. It seems like it still turned out as it should. Mine looks just like the photos, and the inside is super moist, and the outside has a nice crunch. (Just had some for breakfast with my coffee- haha.) I am going to try the pear version too. This is like a coffeehouse cake. Will be making it a lot!
Happy you loved this classic recipe!
Can you substitute olive oil for butter?
Yes! Absolutely. You will also love my lemon or chocolate olive oil cakes 🙂
Perfect and thrilled too have an incredible and delicious cake recipe too make and enjoy. Not too sweet and light texture, I would like to try tart cherries or blueberries, would be fabulous as well. Thank you!
Yes, your additions sound wonderful!
This sounds like a lovely recipe, and I am going to make it (after which i will post a review of the recipe itself), but the title is misleading: according to the directions, it certainly is not a “one-bowl” cake!
A fabulous one bowl cake – easy , delicious and literally all in one bowl 🙂 I have made many other Italian torte de mele as I live part of the year in Italy and this is the best !
Grazie ! e buonissima 🙏
Yes, this one is the real deal 😋.
One bowl it is just as the recipe says 🙂
Thanks! So easy and yummy.
I made the one-bowl apple cake and, during dessert and coffee, the entire cake was devoured!!!! It was absolutely delicious and very moist- not heavy. I followed the recipe exactly using pink lady apples. Perfect dessert. This is my new dessert I will continue to make for holidays and company.
Yay! I love this this recipe will be a staple in your home 🙂
This cake was recommended to me by Elena herself. How could we not make it? It was the perfect ending to our first Thanksgiving abroad. It is my son’s new favorite.
It is a classic! Happy you loved.
Yes, it’s an oops in my video! Follow the written recipe!