It feels like forever since I posted a dessert recipe. Okay, it’s been like a month since I posted my last sweet dessert, which was my take on the ever-so-classic fall-time pumpkin muffin, but with lots of chocolate chips (because chocolate is yum) and whole wheat flour (because it has more nutritional value than white flour and IMO it tastes just as good).

There was also my Butterscotch Pumpkin Spice Popcorn,which is also a sweet treat, but more of snack than a dessert.

Anyway… this is another one of those simple, easy-to-whip-up desserts that takes about 10 minutes of prep work and then you bake it and serve. No stand mixer required. Just a couple of bowls, a whisk, a cake pan, and a hot oven.

Yay! It’s an Apple Cake! One of my fall-time favourites, which really can be made anytime of the year.

Rustic apple cinnamon pecan cake on a round wooden platter with a single slice on a white plate.

Why do I love this recipe? First, It’s loaded with delicious apples. I used Gala apples, but any sweet apple such as Ambrosia or Red Delicious would be wonderful as well. Baking the apples brings out the sweet and tart flavours even more. They’re almost melt-in-your mouth tender, especially the diced apples that are folded into the cake.

For this recipe, I used two large apples, but you can add another one for the apple topping. I made a single circular pattern using thinly sliced apple slices on top, but it would be awesome to make a more intricate pattern on top too.

The use of creamy and thick plain Greek yogurt works wonderfully in this recipe as it helps the cake maintain its tender texture. It also has a tangy flavour which contrasts nicely with the predominant sweet flavours of the cake.

In addition, the cake uses a good amount of ground cinnamon. The flavour of cinnamon is so distinct and pleasant; It warms you up when you eat it.

Then, there’s the nuts. The pecans are folded in to add a nice crunchy texture throughout the moist cake. It has a rich, nutty, and sweet (almost caramel) flavour that compliments the apple and cinnamon amazingly.

Overhead view of flour mixture, cinnamon, greek yogurt, vanilla extract, pecans, eggs, butter, and apples.

The apple cake ingredients! Full ingredient amounts and instructions listed in the recipe down below.

Apple cinnamon pecan cake batter in a glass bowl.

All the ingredients are mixed into a bowl (I combined the dry ingredients in separate bowl first).

Apple cinnamon pecan cake batter with apple slice pattern on top in a round cake pan.

Scoop the thick batter into a greased cake pan, flatten it into an even layer, and top it with apple slices and a little brown sugar.

Baked apple cinnamon pecan cake with apple slices and pecans on top in a round cake pan.

Bake for 35-45 minutes at 350 degrees. I like to top it with extra pecans for more crunch. it also hides the imperfections in the appearance of the apple pattern on top 🙂

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you make it, please let me know by leaving a comment down below or by sending me a picture or message on my social media.

Rustic Apple Cinnamon Pecan Cake

Name: Rustic Apple Cinnamon Pecan Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup sugar; ¼ cup (2 oz.) unsalted butter, melted, plus more to grease pan; ½ cup plain Greek yogurt; 2 eggs; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1½ cup all purpose flour; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp baking soda; ¼ tsp salt; 2 large apples, one diced and one thinly sliced; ¾ cup pecans, chopped, plus more for topping; 2 tbsp brown sugar

Yield: 1 - 9-inch round cake (12 slices)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

A lovely fall dessert! Check out this easy and delicious cake made with sweet apples, chopped pecans, and spiced with cinnamon. No stand mixer required.

Ingredients

½ cup sugar
¼ cup (2 oz.) unsalted butter, melted, plus more to grease pan
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cup all purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 large apples, one diced and one thinly sliced
¾ cup pecans, chopped, plus more for topping
2 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter (or cooking spray).
In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and butter until combined. Then stir in the yogurt, vanilla, and eggs until smooth.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Using a spatula, stir and fold in the mixture from the medium bowl into the dry ingredients, until combined. The batter will be thick.
Gently fold in the diced apples and pecans. Then, scoop the batter into the cake pan and flatten the top of the batter. Layer the apple slices on top in a circular pattern and sprinkle the top with brown sugar.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a wooden skewer or toothpick comes out clean in the centre of the cake.
Once the cake is out of the oven, top with additional pecans. Let it cool slightly before removing from the cake pan. Best served warm or at room temperature.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 182Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 172mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 2gSugar: 15gProtein: 4g

Cinnamon Zone

Tuesday 2nd of January 2018

A delicious looking cake which is so modest and rustic in its appearance but so rich and flavorsome in ingredients. I also like the fact that the prep time is minimal and the outcome is so awesome and it doesn’t need any frosting either.

Marie | Yay! For Food

Thank you! It's a simple cake that's really delicious!

Jenna

Tuesday 10th of October 2017

This apple cake is stunning. It would steal the show at Thanksgiving for sure!

So kind of you to say! Thanks Jenna!

Thao @ In Good Flavor

Wednesday 27th of September 2017

This is a perfect fall cake! It's so pretty with the arranged apple and pecans on top. I love a cake recipe with minimal fuss!

Thursday 28th of September 2017

Me too! Thanks Thao!

heather (delicious not gorgeous)

i love greek yogurt in my baked goods! it makes things so moist, and if there's yogurt involved, it's a healthy(ish) cake, right? (;

Yes, let's go with healthy-ish! ;) The Greek yogurt does replace additional butter that would have went into this cake... so it does cut the fat a little.

Dahn

Monday 25th of September 2017

This is a beautiful cake and it sounds so delicious. I love apple season when the apples are at their peak in ripeness and crispness and it always gets me charged to do some Fall baking.

Me too! Thanks Dahn!