Tender, nutty, and studded with caramel-glazed apple halves, Claire Saffitz’s apple cake is the best apple cake. (Yeah, we said it.) Use a cast-iron skillet to caramelize the apples and bake the cake all in one vessel, a win-win. Ground nuts give the cake a toasty, deep flavor and tenderize the crumb by adding fat and countering flour’s glutinous toughness. And one more pro tip from Claire: Use a melon baller, or a sturdy teaspoon measure, to remove the core in the neatest scoop.
Notes
Do Ahead: Cake can be baked 2 days ahead. Let cool completely. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
Ingredients
- 125 grams raw walnuts - or pecans, 1 cup
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter - room temperature, divided
- 4 small baking apples - or 3 large (such as Pink Lady), peeled, halved, cored
- 100 grams packed light brown sugar, divided - ½ cup
- 140 grams all-purpose flour - 1 cup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon - plus more for serving
- 100 grams granulated sugar - ½ cup
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 140 grams plain whole-milk Greek yogurt - room temperature, ½ cup
- lightly sweetened softly whipped cream - for serving
Instructions
Toast the walnuts:
- Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°.
- Spread out walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing once, until golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Let cool.
Cook the apples:
- Meanwhile, heat a 10" ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to coat
- Arrange apple halves cut sides down in a single layer in skillet.
- Cook apples, undisturbed, rotating skillet on burner as needed for even browning, until cut sides are golden brown, 5–10 minutes (the timing depends on the juiciness of the apples; juicier apples will take longer).
- Turn apples over and cook on rounded sides just until they start to release their juices and the tip of a knife slides through with slight resistance, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer apples to a plate, arrange cut sides up, and let cool.
Make the caramel:
- Add ¼ cup of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of water to skillet and set over medium heat.
- Stir with a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula until sugar is dissolved, then cook, swirling skillet occasionally (do not stir at this point), until thick and bubbling in a thin layer, about 1 minute.
- Let caramel cool in skillet.
Make the batter:
- Meanwhile, pulse toasted walnuts, flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and 1½ teaspoon of cinnamon in a food processor until combined and nuts are finely ground. Transfer walnut mixture to a medium bowl.
- Combine granulated sugar, remaining ¼ cup brown sugar, and remaining 8 tablespoons butter in food processor (no need to wash it) and process in long pulses until mixture is light and smooth.
- Add eggs and vanilla and process in long pulses, scraping down sides of processor once, until mixture is smooth.
- Add half of walnut mixture and pulse to combine.
- Add yogurt and pulse just until incorporated.
- Add remaining walnut mixture and pulse just to combine.
Assemble the components:
- Arrange apple halves cut sides down over cooled caramel in skillet, spacing evenly.
- Fold batter a few times with spatula, scraping sides to make sure everything is well mixed.
- Scrape batter over apples and work into spaces around apples.
- Smooth surface (it’s okay if there’s only a thin layer of batter in places; it will rise in the oven).
Bake, cool, and serve:
- Bake cake until it is browned across the entire surface and the center springs back when gently pressed, 30–40 minutes.
- Let cake cool in skillet 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula or a small knife around the sides of the pan to loosen.
- Set a wire rack upside down on skillet and flip over to release cake; carefully remove skillet. If any apples or cake stick to skillet, scrape them off and press back onto the top of the cake.
- Serve cake warm or room temperature. Slice into wedges and top with dollops of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.
