Description
A moist, dense one-bowl cake loaded with sweet apples, tart cranberries, and warm
cinnamon-spiced batter. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any fall or winter gathering.
Ingredients
½ cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2
eggs, room temperature
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking
powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
2 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples
(about 2 medium apples)
1 cup (100g) fresh or frozen cranberries
½ cup (57g) chopped walnuts (optional)
Powdered
sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
2. Beat butter and
3. sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in
5. vanilla extract.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
7. Add dry
8. ingredients to butter mixture and mix until just combined. Batter will be very thick.
9. Fold in sliced apples,
10. cranberries, and walnuts (if using).
11. Spread batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
12. Bake for 45–55 minutes
13. until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
14. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes,
15. then turn out onto a wire rack.
16. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.
Notes
Use firm, tart apples such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp — soft varieties turn mushy.
If using
frozen cranberries, add them straight from the freezer — do not thaw first.
The batter will be very thick; this is
correct. The fruit releases moisture during baking.
If the top browns too quickly before the center sets, loosely
tent with foil and continue baking.
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to
5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45–55 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 28g
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g