This apple pumpkin cake is a perfect fall recipe. It combines two favorite flavors into one moist, delicious cake.
This apple pumpkin cake is from Robin Asbell’s latest book on Whole Grains
I have had such a wonderful time cooking and baking through Robin’s book, The New Whole Grain Cookbook: Terrific Recipes Using Farro, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Barley, and Many Other Delicious and Nutritious Grains
In Robin’s recipe she calls for canned pumpkin so you can make this cake any time of the year, but since it is pie pumpkin season I decided to use puree from a pumpkin I roasted. The apples are aplenty right now as well so I chose some that are local. You can mix and match baking apples such as Macintosh, Cortland, Haralson and/or Granny Smith. I have yet to get to an orchard to pick my own apples. But, I had the great fortune of receiving a bag of apples from my friend Jen’s father, who picked the fruit from a tree in his backyard. They are tart, but sweet and have a pink tint to their flesh. Absolutely gorgeous! I mixed them with some Granny Smith, as Robin recommends in her recipe.
Apple Pumpkin Cake Ingredients
- Apples: Granny Smith apples give this cake a wonderful tart flavor.
- Pumpkin Streusel: The streusel topping features pureed pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to give this cake the wonderful pumpkin flavor.
- Apple Chips: These give the cake more apple flavor and add a layer of crisp flavor.
How to Make Apple Pumpkin Cake
Check out the full recipe at the bottom of this post.
To start:
Butter and flour (I forgot the flour and it was just fine!) an 8-Inch Springform Pan
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Saute the apples in the butter on medium heat, just until they start to soften. Remove from heat and add the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a stand mixer combine the flour, brown sugar and salt. Add the 1/2 cup butter and blend well.
Measure out 2/3 cup of the mixture into a separate bowl to make the streusel. Add the 3 tablespoons sugar and pumpkin spices to this separate bowl, blend and set aside.
Add the baking soda, pumpkin, sour cream and eggs to the flour mixture left remaining in your mixer.
Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Layer the cake batter, then the sauteed apples and finally sprinkle the streusel over the top.
Bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour. Allow to cool in the pan and then remove the springform. Serve with Vanilla ice cream and an apple chip.
To make the apple chips. dip the apple slices in the simple syrup. Drain the excess syrup off and lay them flat on a Silpat Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat
**For those of you who may want a parve caramel apple cake for their Rosh Hashanah dinner they can either adapt this recipe or use the recipe I have that has no dairy. For those just looking for an incredible cake to make use of all those amazing apples and a roasted pumpkin this is the one for you!
Ingredients
Sautéed Apples
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 large Granny Smith apples peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Streusel Topping and Cake
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
Apple Chips
- 1 apple very thinly sliced on a Mandoline slicer
- 1/2 cup simple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour (I forgot the flour and it was just fine!) an 8-inch springform pan.
Sautéed Apples
- Saute the apples in the butter on medium heat, just until they start to soften. Remove from heat and add the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Cake
- In a stand mixer combine the flour, brown sugar and salt. Add the 1/2 cup butter and blend well.
- Measure out 2/3 cup of the mixture into a separate bowl to make the streusel. Add the 3 tablespoons sugar and pumpkin spices to this separate bowl, blend and set aside.
- Add the baking soda, pumpkin, sour cream and eggs to the flour mixture left remaining in your mixer. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Layer the cake batter, then the sautéed apples and finally sprinkle the streusel over the top.
- Bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour. Allow to cool in the pan and then remove the springform. Serve with Vanilla ice cream and an apple chip.
Apple Chips
- Dip the apple slices in the simple syrup. Drain the excess syrup off and lay them flat on a Silpat Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat. Turn off the oven from the cake and put the sheet of apples in the hot, but turned off oven. Allow the apples to dry out for about an hour before opening the door.
HiZoe,
Wouldlovetotrythiscake.Soundsdelish!
I wanted toprint.CouldyoupleaseforwardrecipeableToPrint.
ThankYouKindly
Hi Gwen! This recipe has been updated with a recipe card. You can also find the printable recipe if you click here. Enjoy!
Pumpkin & Apples….a fall match made in heaven! This is the solution to my annual indecision about what pie or cake to make for entertaining and holidays. It is the all-in-one solution and even has a cheesecake-ish twist. What a recipe! Thank you! Beautiful and delicious recipes from Zoebakes always <3
Thank you Janet,
Enjoy! Zoë
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Two of my favorite things… pumpkin and apple. Love the whole grains.
I love pumpkin and apples. There are very few desserts that I can eat and enjoy and know that the choice is a healthy one. I am excited about finding this recipe! I’m going to try it this weekend. I think it’s going to be a winner and that I can take this to the family gathering for Thanksgiving. I am so glad that I found your website!!!!
Just made this and it’s in the oven now. I can already tell it is going to be absolutely amazing! The pictures and directions were very clear and very helpful. Thanks so much!!
Yum! Going to make this for company on the weekend … thanks
can’t wait to try this.
Oh my! I do believe I must make this…. now!
Yummm!!! Great combination of apple and pumpkin 🙂
It seems too simple and amazing to be true. I am a sucker for heavy desserts and pumpkin. I am stoked to try it out.
Yum, Autumn by the slice…