Name: Easy Apple Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 20 servings
Cuisine: Europe, German
Ingredients: 1-3/4 cups sugar; 1 cup canola oil; 3 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 2 cups finely chopped peeled tart apples; 1 cup chopped walnuts; 1-1/4 cups whipped topping

Break out this easy apple cake recipe the next time you’re craving a no-fuss fall dessert. With tart apples, warm cinnamon and some walnuts thrown in for good measure, it’s a quintessential fall bake.

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups finely chopped peeled tart apples

1 cup chopped walnuts

1-1/4 cups whipped topping

Instructions

1 Create the batter

2 Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the sugar, canola oil, eggs and vanilla extract until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the sugar mixture until blended. Editor’s Tip: Stop mixing as soon as everything comes together. Overbeating will make this cake tough.

3 Add the apples and nuts

4 Use a rubber spatula to fold in the chopped apples and walnuts until they’re evenly dispersed. Editor’s Tip: You can toast the walnuts beforehand to bring out their rich nuttiness. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl just to make sure everything is incorporated into the batter.

5 Bake the cake and serve

6 Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish and pour the batter into the pan. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool the cake on a wire rack at room temperature, and serve your apple cake slices with the whipped topping. Editor's Tip: When pouring the batter into the pan, make sure the batter evenly reaches all four corners.