Danish Apple Cake

Featuring layers of sliced apples on both the bottom and top, this Danish Apple Cake is a delicious way to celebrate Autumn. This cake looks fancy, but it’s very easy to make!

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There are dozens of ways to bake an apple cake. Check that – there are probably hundreds of ways to bake an apple cake. I’ve baked a bunch of different versions over the years, and I have my favorites. (This Caramel Apple Cake is one that I return to again…and again…and again.) However, I still love discovering new ways to bake with the same familiar ingredients.

I recently discovered this Danish Apple Cake, and it’s really quite fun. The sliced apples get layered on the bottom and top of the cake while the batter itself gets poured in the middle. As it bakes, the cake batter surrounds the apples and locks them into place. As a result, you get a wonderful layer of baked apples on both the top and bottom with a soft yellow cake in between. The texture and flavor are both fantastic!

Danish Apple Cake

This Danish Apple Cake, called Æblekage in Denmark, looks quite fancy. It’s actually quite easy to make though! The most time consuming step is peeling and slicing the apples…and that’s really not that hard.

Æblekage recipes are like chocolate chip cookie recipes – there are hundreds of variations. A common version of this dessert in Denmark features layers of apples, cake and whipped cream served in trifle style. Other versions feature diced apples instead of sliced. And yet other versions feature apples that are cooked down into applesauce first. Each version features similar ingredients – they’re just used in different ways.

I personally favor the baked cake version, and this Danish Apple Cake truly can be served with coffee in the morning or as a dessert in the evening. It’s fancy enough to serve at a party…but it’s also cozy enough to whip up for a casual evening with the family. This cake is a great way to welcome in the fall baking season. After all, the smell of apples and cinnamon baking in the oven just pairs so well with crisp Autumn days, right??

Ingredients

• Cake
  • Unsalted Butter. I recommend using unsalted butter when baking and then just adding a bit of salt. That way you can control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe.
  • Granulated Sugar.
  • Eggs. I like to pull the eggs out about an hour before I start baking. This lets them come to room temperature, and they will whip better. This leads to a cake that is fluffier and less dense.
  • Vanilla Extract.
  • All-Purpose Flour.
  • Baking Powder.
  • Salt.

• Apple Topping
  • Granulated Sugar.
  • Ground Cinnamon. Is there anything better on a fall day than the smell of apples and cinnamon?
  • 5-6 Apples. See notes below on the best types of apples for baking.
  • Coarse Sugar. Years ago, I worked in a bakery, and coarse sugar was one of the “secret” tricks I learned. Sprinkling a generous amount of coarse sugar, such as sanding sugar or demerara sugar, on top of baked goods leads to a crispy layer of sugar once it’s baked. This trick takes many recipes from good to “bakery quality!” Sanding sugar can be a little difficult to find in stores, so I just order it from Amazon.

What Types of Apples Should You Use?

When it comes to baking with apples, I like to use a mix of green and red apples. The combination of tart and sweet apples is excellent in baked goods. For this Danish Apple Cake, I used 3 Granny Smith apples and 3 Gala apples. Braburn, Cortland, Fuji and Pink Lady are all good options, too. Honeycrisp apples are also good for baking, but I usually just save those and eat ’em by themselves!

Baking Tips

• Use a springform pan. I know springform pans are typically reserved for cheesecakes, but this is a deep cake. A 9″ springform pan works well for 2 reasons – (1) it’s big enough to hold all of the apples and batter and (2) it’s easy to pop the sides of the pan off and slice the cake. Just slide an offset spatula (or table knife) around the edge of the cake before releasing the springform pan. That’ll make the cake come out cleaner!
• Parchment Paper. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper before adding the apples. Just pop the bottom out of the pan, trace a circle on parchment and then cut it out. Perfect size for your pan! This will make it much easier to remove the cake once its baked!
• Be Patient. Because this cake is deep, it takes ~75-80 minutes to bake. Check the cake after ~55-60 minutes. If the top layer of apples is getting too brown, just tent the cake with foil until it’s done baking.

If you’re looking for a fantastic way to celebrate the fall baking season, then this Danish Apple Cake is a great choice! It looks fancy, but it’s very simple to make…and your house will smell amazing while this cake is in the oven. Happy Baking!

Did you bake this Danish Apple Cake recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Danish Apple Cake

Featuring layers of sliced apples on both the bottom and top, this Danish Apple Cake is a delicious way to celebrate Autumn. This cake looks fancy, but it's very easy to make!

4.84 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 388kcal

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Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt

For the Apples

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 6 medium apples I used 3 Granny Smith and 3 Gala, can substitute 4-5 large apples
• 2-3 Tbsp coarse sugar for sprinkling on top (I used sanding sugar, but demerara sugar would work, too.)

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line the bottom of a 9” springform pan with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper and sides of pan with nonstick cooking spray; set pan aside.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (~3-4 minutes on medium speed).
• Add eggs and vanilla extract in 2 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
• Using a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix until just combined.

For the Apples

• Using a large bowl, add sugar and cinnamon; stir until well combined.
• Peel and core apples and cut each into ~16 slices.
• Place apples in bowl with cinnamon sugar mixture and toss gently until well combined.
• Layer half of the apples in the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Pour batter on top of the apples. Use an offset spatula to spread batter evenly.
• Layer remaining apples on top. (Tip: Start in center and add apples in a circular pattern, overlapping each layer slightly.)
• Sprinkle generous pinches of coarse sugar on top of apples.
• Bake cake for 75-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out mostly clean. (Tip: Check cake after 55 minutes. If it’s browning too quickly, tent top of pan with foil.)
• Place cake on a wire rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes before releasing springform pan. (Tip: Slide an offset spatula around the edge of the cake before releasing pan.)
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Looking for more apple recipes? Check out these other favorites, too: