Apple Cinnamon Greek Yogurt Cake

If you love a cake that’s tender, lightly spiced, and doesn’t weigh you down, this Apple Cinnamon Greek Yogurt Cake is about to become a regular in your kitchen. It skips the butter and oil entirely, letting Greek yogurt do all the work of keeping the crumb soft and moist, while thin apple slices baked right on top give every piece a pretty, bakery-style finish. It’s an easy, one-bowl kind of cake that still looks like you fussed over it, and it comes together with ingredients most home bakers already have on hand.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• No butter or oil — Greek yogurt keeps the cake moist and tender
• Simple, one-bowl-friendly batter with pantry staples
• A beautiful overlapping apple topping with almost no extra effort
• A warm apricot jam glaze gives it a glossy, bakery-style finish
• Ready in about an hour from start to finish
• Easy to dress up or keep simple, depending on the occasion

Beyond the ingredient list, this cake earns its place in a regular baking rotation because it’s forgiving. The batter comes together in two bowls with a whisk, there’s no creaming butter or waiting for it to soften, and the apple topping means you don’t need to fuss over frosting or decoration to make it look finished.

What Does It Taste Like?

This cake is soft and lightly springy, with a gentle warmth from the cinnamon in every bite. The Greek yogurt gives it a subtle tang that balances the sweetness, while the baked apple slices on top turn soft and jammy, releasing a little of their own juice into the top of the cake as it bakes. The apricot glaze adds a light, fruity shine and a touch of extra sweetness that ties the apples and the crumb together without making the cake overly sugary.

Recipe Overview

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup whole milk full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large apples (peeled, cored, thinly sliced)
• 3 tbsp apricot jam

Ingredient Notes

All-purpose flour: Gives the cake its structure. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag, so you don’t accidentally pack in too much and end up with a dense cake.

Ground cinnamon: The main warm spice in this cake, both in the batter and echoed by the apples on top. Use fresh, fragrant cinnamon for the best flavor — ground spices lose potency over time.

Baking powder and baking soda: Working together, these give the cake its lift. Baking soda also helps balance the slight tang from the Greek yogurt.

Salt: A small amount rounds out the sweetness and keeps the cake from tasting flat.

Eggs: Room temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the sugar and yogurt, helping the batter come together evenly.

Greek yogurt: Use whole milk, full-fat Greek yogurt for the moistest crumb — it replaces the butter or oil you’d normally find in a cake batter and adds a gentle tang.

Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavor of the batter and complements the cinnamon and apples.

Apples: Slice them thin so they bake through and soften nicely in the same time as the cake.

Apricot jam: Warming it before brushing makes it easy to spread and gives the top of the cake a glossy sheen.

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

• 8-inch round or square baking pan — the recipe is sized for this pan, so the bake time above applies to it specifically
• Parchment paper — makes lifting the cake out of the pan much easier
• Mixing bowls — one for the dry ingredients, one for the wet
• Whisk — for combining the dry ingredients and beating the eggs and sugar
• Pastry brush — for applying the warm apricot jam glaze evenly

Substitutions and Variations

These are optional ideas, not part of the original recipe:

• Swap the apricot jam for warmed apple or peach jam if that’s what you have on hand.
• Try Granny Smith apples for a slightly tarter contrast to the sweet glaze, or a sweeter variety like Honeycrisp for a milder flavor.
• A pinch of nutmeg alongside the cinnamon can add extra warmth, if desired.
• A light dusting of turbinado sugar over the apple slices before baking can add a bit of crunch to the top.

How to Make the Recipe

This cake comes together in two bowls: a dry mixture and a wet mixture, folded together and layered with apple slices before baking. The dry ingredients are whisked first so the leaveners and spice are evenly distributed, while the wet mixture is built around beaten eggs and sugar, then loosened with the yogurt and vanilla. Combining the two gently, rather than beating them together, is what keeps this cake tender instead of tough.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round or square baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thickened. Stir in the yogurt and vanilla until smooth.
4. Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture just until no flour streaks remain. Avoid overmixing.
5. Gently fold half the apple slices into the batter. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Arrange the remaining apple slices on top in an overlapping circular pattern.
6. Bake 40–45 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for 10 more minutes.
7. Brush with warm apricot jam for a glossy finish.

Tips for Success

• Slice the apples thinly and evenly so they bake through in the same time as the cake.
• Fold the batter gently — overmixing can make the crumb dense.
• Warm the apricot jam slightly before brushing so it spreads smoothly and evenly over the apples.
• Let the cake cool as directed before slicing, so the crumb has time to set and the glaze isn’t disturbed.
• Arrange the apple slices in an overlapping circular pattern for the most attractive finish, starting from the outer edge and working in.

How to Know It’s Done

The cake is done when the top is golden, the center feels set to a light touch, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly before the center is set, you can loosely tent it with foil for the last few minutes of baking.

What to Serve With It

This cake is lovely on its own with a cup of coffee or tea, whether for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a simple dessert. A small scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of extra Greek yogurt on the side makes it feel a bit more special for company. For more apple-forward treats from Poulef, try our Apple Cookies or our Flourless Apple and Almond Tart.

Storage Instructions

Because this cake has a moist, yogurt-based crumb and a fruit topping, it’s best stored covered to keep it from drying out. The recipe source didn’t specify an exact storage duration, so as general guidance: a cake like this typically keeps well at cool room temperature for a day or two, or a bit longer in the refrigerator, since the apple topping and glaze are more perishable than a plain cake. Let the cake cool completely before covering it, and bring refrigerated slices back toward room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Freezing Instructions

The recipe source didn’t provide specific freezing instructions, but as general guidance for a yogurt-based cake like this one: it’s best to freeze it without the apricot jam glaze, since glazes can turn sticky or weep after thawing. Wrap the cooled, unglazed cake tightly and freeze in an airtight container; thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then brush on a fresh batch of warmed apricot jam just before serving.

Common Mistakes

• Overmixing the batter once the dry ingredients are added, which can make the cake dense.
• Slicing the apples too thick, which can leave them undercooked while the cake finishes baking.
• Skipping the apricot glaze step, which gives the top its signature glossy finish.
• Cutting into the cake before it has fully cooled, which can make it harder to get clean slices.
• Using low-fat or non-Greek yogurt, which won’t provide the same structure and moisture as full-fat Greek yogurt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different fruit jam for the glaze?

Yes, a warmed apple or peach jam works well in place of apricot jam.

Do I need to peel the apples?

Yes, this recipe calls for the apples to be peeled, cored, and thinly sliced before baking.

Why is my cake dense instead of light?

This is usually from overmixing the batter after the dry ingredients are added — fold just until the streaks of flour disappear.

Can I use low-fat Greek yogurt instead of full-fat?

The recipe calls for whole milk, full-fat Greek yogurt specifically because it contributes moisture and structure; a lower-fat yogurt may result in a slightly less moist, less rich cake.

What pan size should I use?

An 8-inch round or square baking pan, as specified in the recipe, will give you the bake time and texture described above.

Recipe Background

This Apple Cinnamon Greek Yogurt Cake follows a classic yogurt-cake approach: using thick Greek yogurt in place of butter or oil to keep the crumb moist, then finishing with a simple fruit topping and glaze for a bakery-style look with minimal effort. Yogurt cakes are a familiar format in many home baking traditions precisely because they’re forgiving and don’t require special equipment — just a whisk and two bowls — while still producing a cake that looks intentional once it’s baked and glazed.

Conclusion

This Apple Cinnamon Greek Yogurt Cake is proof that a simple, honest cake can still look and taste like something special. Whether you’re serving it for breakfast, an afternoon treat, or dessert, its soft crumb and glossy apple top make it a keeper you’ll want to bake again as the weather turns cooler. Happy baking!

More Delicious Recipes You’ll Love

• Apple Cookies
• Flourless Apple and Almond Tart
• Apple Bourbon Upside-Down Cornbread Recipe
• Almond Ricotta Coffee Cake with Pistachio
• Brown Sugar Banana Coconut Loaf

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Nutritional Information

Nutrition is per slice (8 servings), as provided by the recipe source.

Nutrient	Amount per Serving
Calories	214
Carbohydrates	44g
Protein	7g
Fat	2g
Sugar	23g

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