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    Home » Recipes » Cakes, biscuits and dessert recipes

    Easy all-in-one apple cake tray bake - made with oil

    Published: Feb 17, 2020 · Modified: May 30, 2024 by VJ · This post may contain affiliate links · 20 Comments

    Jump to recipe Jump to video

    This all-in-one apple cake tray bake is the best apple cake recipe I have ever tried. As it bakes, the juice from the apples combines with the cake batter to form a delicious custardy inside. Combine this with cinnamon and plump juicy sultanas and you have the best apple cake ever!

    A slice of apple cake tray bake with a fork.
    Jump to:
    • Easy apple cake tray bake
    • What you need to make an all-in-one apple cake
    • How to make an all-in-one apple cake
    • What do I serve with apple cake?
    • Can I freeze apple cake?
    • Save for later
    • Related recipes
    • 📋The recipe

    Easy apple cake tray bake

    What can I say about this easy apple cake tray bake? I could tell you that it is a deliciously moist apple cake, with a creamy custardy filling, packed with apples, cinnamon and sultanas. Or I could tell you that it is such an easy-to-make apple cake that even a child could bake it. I could even tell you that it does double duty, and you could serve it either as a cake or as a dessert.

    But I'm not going to tell you any of those things. What I am going to tell you is that I have been making this easy apple cake tray bake for years, and I can safely say it has never failed once. I call it my one-cup apple cake because you basically just need one cup of everything. It's moist, it's custardy and best of all it's delicious.

    It's one of those recipes that everyone should have up their sleeve for when they need a quick cake in a hurry. Like for those times when hubby says 'Did I tell you my mother is coming round or tea this afternoon?' or when child number 2 says just before bedtime 'But Mummy, I told you last week I needed a cake for school tomorrow'. If you add this easy apple cake recipe to your repetoire you'll never need to panic again.

    The magic ingredient is a can of sliced apples. As long as you remember to keep this on your regular grocery list, you will be able to whip up this easy apple cake in 5 minutes and then relax while it bakes.

    Closeup of the apple cake in a baking dish.

    What you need to make an all-in-one apple cake

    You can get the complete set of instructions and ingredients to make this apple cake from the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    You need 6 main ingredients. And they are so easy to remember. With the exception of the oil, you need one measure of each ingredient.

    • Sliced apples - 1 x 385g can. Don't buy apple puree - that won't work at all. You need nice firm apple slices.
    • Self-raising flour - 1 cup. Using self-raising flour means you don't have to use baking powder. Of course, if you don't have self-raising flour you just add 1 teaspoon baking powder for each cup of plain flour.
    • Sugar- 1 cup. You can use either granulated or caster sugar.
    • 1 large egg
    • Milk - 1 cup. Either full-fat or semi-skimmed is fine.
    • Oil - this apple cake is made with oil rather than butter, and this is the only exception to the 1-cup rule. You will need 25ml of sunflower oil. I have a Jaegermeister shot glass which is marked off at 25ml so I just use one of those 🙂
    • Cinnamon sugar -1 tablespoon. You could cheat and add a little more if you prefer a sweeter cake. You can make your own cinnamon sugar by mixing 1 cup of white sugar with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon spice. Store it indefinitely in a screw-top jar in your cupboard. Cinnamon sugar is great for sprinkling on crepes or pancakes too.
    • Sultanas - 1 handful. You just need enough to sprinkle over the apples. If you don't like sultanas you can leave them out.
    A slice of apple cake on a plate with a fork.

    How to make an all-in-one apple cake

    Note - The batter for this cake is quite thin - much thinner than a normal cake mixture. Don't worry if it seems too thin. As it sets around the apples it forms a custard-like filling which is moist and creamy - not a dry cake crumb in sight!

    • Preheat the oven to 190C / 375F
    • Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with a little butter. I sometimes forget this step and my cake has never stuck. To be honest I think the oil in the batter prevents the cake from sticking to the dish, but better safe than sorry!
    • The dish should be deep enough to hold both the apples and the batter.
    Two images showing a dish of apple slices, and the dish of apple slices covered with cinnamon sugar and sultanas.
    • Open the tin of apples and arrange them in a layer on the bottom of the baking dish. You will find the apples float up during baking and distribute themselves throughout the cake.
    • Sprinkle the apples with a small handful of sultanas and then sprinkle with a tablespoon of cinnamon sugar

    Mix the batter

    4 images showing steps for mixing the apple cake batter.
    • I told you this was the easiest cake recipe ever. All you have to do is sift the flour into a mixing bowl and then add the sugar, egg, oil and milk. Whisk until there are no lumps, and that's it. The batter is ready!
    • The batter will be very runny and much thinner than a normal cake batter. Don't worry - this is perfectly normal.
    • Pour the batter over the apples in the baking dish.

    Bake

    Overhead shot of the baked apple cake.
    • Place the cake into the pre-heated oven (190C / 375F) and leave it for 40 minutes.
    • The cake will be cooked when it is firm to the touch. It should not jiggle when you press the middle of the cake with your finger. If it does jiggle, just leave the cake in the oven for another few minutes, but keep your eye on it so it does not burn.
    • The surface of the cake should be nicely browned, with pieces of apple showing through.
    • When the cake is cooked, remove from the oven and if your baking dish has a lid, cover with the lid. If you don't have a lid on your dish, cover it with a piece of tinfoil until the cake is cooled. This will help to make the top of the cake nice and gooey.

    What do I serve with apple cake?

    This apple cake is so moist and tasty that it doesn't really need anything with it. A slice of this is perfect when served as a tasty tea-time snack. The taste and texture remind me of a creamy Danish pastry.

    If you want to make a dessert out of it, you could serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or drizzle it with custard.

    Can I freeze apple cake?

    To be honest, I have never tried to freeze it. However, I have frozen cooked apples successfully before, so I don't think there will be a problem.

    If you want to freeze it, let it cool completely then remove it from the baking dish by sliding a knife around the edges to loosen the cake. Place a large plate over the dish and invert it. The cake should drop down onto the plate.

    You could also assemble and bake the cake in a disposable aluminium baking tray and freeze it in that.

    Wrap the cake in a layer of tin foil and then wrap it in cling film and place it in the freezer. It will keep for up to six months.

    When you are ready to use it, remove the packaging and pop it back into the baking dish to defrost. Once defrosted you can either eat it cold (maybe served with a dollop of ice cream) or pop it into a hot oven for a few minutes to warm it. You can also warm it in the microwave.

    If you'd like to be notified of new recipes, why not subscribe to my newsletter? To say thank you, you will receive a free recipe e-book containing some of my most popular cakes and desserts.

    Save for later

    Why not pin this recipe for apple cake to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.

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    Visit my cakes, biscuits and dessert recipes page for other tasty bakes. Here are a few you might enjoy:

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    📋The recipe

    A slice of apple cake on a plate with a fork.

    Easy Apple Cake tray bake

    This all-in-one apple cake tray bake is the best apple cake recipe I have ever tried. As it bakes, the juice from the apples combines with the cake batter to form a delicious custardy inside. Combine this with cinnamon and plump juicy sultanas and you have the best apple cake ever!
    Recipe by: Veronica
    Baking
    Any
    Calories 250
    Prep 5 minutes minutes
    Cook 40 minutes minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 9 squares (sliced)
    Print Pin Comment Bookmark Saved!
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    4.62 from 13 votes

    (Click the stars to rate this recipe)

    Equipment

    • 8" x 8" Baking dish
    • Mixing bowl
    • Spatula or hand mixer
    • Measuring cups or kitchen scales

    Ingredients

    • 14 ounce (385g) Can sliced apples
    • 1 cup self-raising flour 140g / 250ml
    • 1 cup sugar 200g / 250ml
    • 1 large egg
    • 2 tablespoons (25 ml) sunflower oil
    • 1 cup milk ½ pint /250 ml
    • 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar
    • 1 small handful sultanas

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F
    • Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with a little butter
    • Arrange the apples in a layer in the baking dish
    • Sprinkle with the sultanas and cinnamon sugar
    • Sift 1 cup flour into a mixing bowl and then add 1 cup sugar, 1 egg and 25ml oil
    • Add 1 cup milk
    • Whisk or mix with a spatula to remove combine all the ingredients and remove any lumps.
    • Pour the batter over the apples
    • Place the cake in the oven and bake for 40 minutes
    • Remove from the oven and allow to cool covered with a lid or a sheet of tinfoil

    Notes

    You can leave the sultanas out if you don't like them.
    The cake batter is very runny and much thinner than a normal cake batter.  Don't worry - it's supposed to be!  It will set into a lovely custardy texture as it bakes.
    The cake will be cooked when it is firm to the touch, and it should not 'jiggle' when pressed with your finger.  If it does jiggle, leave it in the oven for a few minutes longer until it is firm.
    Nutritional information is based on cutting the cake into 9 equal squares.

    Nutrition

    Calories - 250kcal | Carbohydrates - 52.2g | Protein - 3.6g | Fat - 4g | Saturated Fat - 0.8g | Cholesterol - 21mg | Sodium - 22mg | Potassium - 154mg | Fiber - 2.8g | Sugar - 34.4g | Calcium - 40mg | Iron - 1mg

    I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

    Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
    All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
    Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe I'd love it if you could leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
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    About VJ

    Before I started my food blog I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, mostly made from scratch, using everyday pantry ingredients.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.62 from 13 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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    1. Leonie

      January 07, 2024 at 7:45 am

      Love this. Recipe, so easy and works well well with any fruit, I have used berries, tinned apples, peaches, apricots, and cherries all delicious.. I didn’t drain the tinned apples.

      Reply
      • VJ

        January 07, 2024 at 11:04 am

        Yes, it is a versatile recipe. I've made it with tinned pears too which is really good!

        Reply
    2. Mary

      August 05, 2022 at 1:25 am

      Does one add the whole contents of the tinned apples - syrup included? I’ve just found your recipe and would love to make it, as I have a tin of apple slices in the cupboard.
      Looking forward to your reply.
      I live in Northern Ireland.

      Reply
      • VJ

        August 05, 2022 at 6:57 am

        Hi Mary- there shouldn't be a lot of syrup in a tin of apple slices (not like the amount you get in a tin of peaches for example). There is an image in the post showing the apples in a baking dish, and as you will see there is very little liquid. If there is a lot of liquid (ie syrup) in your tin of apples, then I would say 'Yes, do drain it'. Excess liquid will make the batter too thin and the cake will not set. I normally buy apples in tins marked 'apple slices' or 'pie apples'. Hope this helps.
        VJ x

        Reply
    3. Elena

      March 27, 2021 at 5:03 am

      Can I use fresh 🍏? If so how many? Thanks

      Reply
      • VJ

        March 27, 2021 at 6:22 am

        To be honest, I've never made this recipe with anything other than canned apples, and I'm not sure that fresh apples would cook through in the required cooking time.
        However, if you'd like to try then you will need the equivalent amount of freshly sliced apples, which would be about 4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced.
        If you do make it with fresh apples I'd love to know how it turns out.
        Hope this helps.
        VJ x

        Reply
      • Elena

        March 27, 2021 at 10:07 am

        I did go ahead with 3 fresh green apples. Like you suspected, the apple slices were not as soft as we would like them to be. I will try the recipe again with canned apples. Thanks for your prompt reply to my question.

        Reply
        • VJ

          March 27, 2021 at 10:46 am

          Thank you for letting me know. Please do try it with canned apples - I'm sure you will love it 🙂

          Reply
    4. Kas

      September 28, 2020 at 11:44 am

      I forgot the egg and it doesn't want to set at all.... I'm so going to try this recipe again!

      Reply
      • VJ

        September 28, 2020 at 4:23 pm

        Oh dear - please try it again with the egg this time. I promise you it will set 🙂

        Reply
    5. HoneyJsy

      May 23, 2020 at 7:12 pm

      I’ve tried out the recipe! Tastes amazing, but my apples stayed stuck to the bottom. Any tips for making them more evenly distributed? Many thanks!

      Reply
      • VJ

        May 24, 2020 at 5:45 am

        I'm pleased you enjoyed the cake, but sorry the apples didn't distribute properly. There could be a number of reasons for this. The main one I can think of is the the batter may have been a little thick, the batter for this cake is supposed to be quite thin. Try reducing the flour by 1 tablespoon, or using extra large eggs or an extra tablespoon of milk. I find when I pour the batter over the cake the apples tend to rise up immediately.
        You don't say where in the world you are living, but my baking is tested at sea level, and altitude does play a big part in baking. I have a post on high altitude baking that may be of interest if you live quite high above sea-level.
        I hope this helps.
        VJ x

        Reply
    6. Janice Pattie

      March 01, 2020 at 12:55 pm

      5 stars
      That looks fantastic. just my kind of cake, quick, easy and tasty.

      Reply
      • VJ

        March 01, 2020 at 4:14 pm

        Haha - yes - 5 minute mix tops - you can't get quicker than that!

        Reply
    7. Corina Blum

      February 28, 2020 at 6:42 am

      5 stars
      I love the fact that this cake has got cinnamon and sultanas in as well as the apples! It would make a very popular dessert in our house!

      Reply
      • VJ

        February 28, 2020 at 9:15 am

        I've got to admit, it doesn't last very long in our house either 🙂

        Reply
    8. Jenny Walters

      February 27, 2020 at 2:50 pm

      5 stars
      I love apple cake and this one looks and sounds fabulous!!!

      Reply
      • VJ

        February 28, 2020 at 9:14 am

        Thanks Jenny -the thin batter gives it a lovely creamy taste too, almost custardy!!

        Reply
    9. donna

      February 25, 2020 at 1:46 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely my kind of treat. Perfect with lashings of custard. It looks fab.

      Reply
      • VJ

        February 25, 2020 at 2:34 pm

        Thanks Donna, it is delicious with custard and so quick to make too.

        Reply

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