Sour cream apple cake

This sour cream apple cake is wonderfully moist, with a slightly spiced flavor but it’s also a healthier cake being low in sugar and fat. Perfect for any occasion.

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I always try to make something at least a bit special when we celebrate birthdays, especially for the kids, and that generally includes making a cake of some kind. Last year, since we had not too long before had my banana baked cheesecake and my son had loved it, I decided to make it again as my eldest son’s birthday ‘cake’. Instead of the peanut butter swirls, I made a Curious George face with nutella and everyone loved it.

This year I asked him what he wanted as a cake and he asked for George again and an apple cake. Not with apples on top but with apples in it. And frosting.

The George bit I could understand – I’d kept the photo of him with the cake as screensaver on my phone for a while so it probably stuck. Frosting – well no real surprise; he was turning four.

However the apple cake was an interesting choice. I wondered if he might change his mind as is often the case but no, even a week later shortly before his birthday he said the same.

So, I started thinking about how to make an apple cake. I was happy enough I could make a chocolate frosting to draw on a George face, but wanted something relatively tasty but healthy-ish if possible as the base cake.

This sour cream apple cake was what I came up with and it was loved by all, and I don’t think people were just saying it for the sake of it. It’s definitely a cake I will be making again, perfect for using some of the apples we will no doubt be picking soon.

In fairness, I may have set the bar a little too high when my eldest turned one as I made a pretty big spread of food for the various people who joined us. I’ve tried to keep it going to an extent (such as with the maple apple donuts, homemade cheddar crackers and eggplant, spinach and white bean dip I made last year) although I did make some easier things and baked less this year, the weather was so hot at the time.

I even made this sour cream apple cake the night before around 10 or 11pm as I couldn’t face baking it during the day, hence there’s no pre-baking photos. The ingredients were also a little based on what I had to hand as a result, but I was still really pleased with the end cake and I don’t think I’d really change it; it’s a lovely combination of flavorful but pretty healthy.

This sour cream apple cake is easy to make and wonderfully moist. It’s only gently sweet, but with a little buttercream frosting (which you can either have on top, as we did, or split it and put in the middle), it has absolutely the right level of sweetness and it pairs perfectly. It might be hard to believe, but we did have a bit leftover and it managed to last a couple days in the fridge and was still nice and moist, so it keeps pretty well too.

Of course, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend icing it with a Curious George face on top unless you’re serving this up to preschoolers (and I particularly don’t recommend trying to do it in a horribly hot kitchen, as I was, where the icing is melting as you try to put it on), but don’t let that put you off trying the cake itself.

This sour cream apple cake is so wonderfully moist with a delicate spice flavor, sweet but not too much and perfect for any occasion. It’s the sort of cake you could smarten up for a party, serve as a coffee cake or enjoy just because. And being relatively healthy, why not. We’ll definitely be enjoying it again soon.

Looking for more cake recipes? Try these:

• Sour cream mocha cake
• Apple snack cake
• Strawberry bundt cake
• Plus get more dessert recipes in the archives.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Sour cream apple cake

This sour cream apple cake is deliciously moist while being relatively healthy.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple cake, healthier baking

Servings: 12 +

Calories: 224kcal

Author: Caroline's Cooking

Ingredients

For the cake

• 14 oz apples 400g, 2 large
• 1/2 cup water 120ml
• 1 cup all purpose flour 140g plain flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 70g
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 oz unsalted butter 4tbsp/55g, softened slightly and diced
• 2 tbsp coconut oil melted and allowed to cool
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 6 tbsp sour cream
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

For the buttercream/frosting

• 2 oz unsalted butter 4tbsp/55g, softened slightly and diced
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar icing sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla essence

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F/175C and lightly grease an 8in cake pan.
• Peel, core and dice the apple and place in a small pan with the water. Bring to a boil and simmer for around 5-10mins until the apple is soft but not falling apart. Drain the water from the pan and mash the apple either by hand or in a food processor (if the latter, leave it in as there are other things to add).
• In a large bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and salt.
• Blend together the butter, coconut oil, eggs, vanilla, sour cream, milk, honey and maple syrup until smooth. You can either do this by hand or add all to the food processor with the apple.
• Add all of the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix well but try not to overmix. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for approx 45min until lightly brown all over and a skewer put into the center comes out clean.
• Allow to cool before icing.

For the buttercream/frosting

• Beat the butter either in a stand mixer or with a blender then add the sugar gradually until all is mixed in. Add the vanilla and mix in. Spread over the top of the cake or cut the cake through the middle and spread on one side before replacing the top. Chill until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 120mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 330IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 0.9mg

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