This easy frying pan apple cake is a moist, softly-spiced cake topped with a layer of caramelised apples and cooked right on the stove top - no oven needed. Serve slices plain for a tea-time treat or smother it in custard for a lovely family dessert.
This frying pan apple cake is proof that you don't need an oven to bake a cake - you can use a frying pan and make it on the stove instead! The cake turns out moist and tasty - perfectly cooked with a layer of caramelised apples on top and a slightly fudgy apple-flavoured crumb, packed with cinnamon and mixed spice flavours.
It's an upside-down apple cake in that apples, brown sugar and butter are arranged in a frying pan, and the batter is poured over the top. Then, the pan is covered with a lid and 'fried' on the stove for 30 minutes. I've put the word 'fried' in inverted commas, because the apple cake is not really fried, it's simply cooked over a very low heat in a covered non-stick frying pan until the batter has set and the apples are soft and luscious.
Cooked slowly in a frying pan, the apple cake stays wonderfully moist - somewhere between a sponge and a pudding - while the apples caramelise gently. Each bite is a little burst of autumn, with sweet apples and the flavour of the warming spices.
Best of all, it couldn't be easier to make. There's no need for special equipment or complicated steps - just a bowl, a whisk (or hand blender for easier mixing) and a frying pan. The batter comes together in minutes, and once it's in the pan, the gentle heat does all the work. It's the perfect recipe for when you want homemade cake without the fuss of preheating an oven or washing piles of dishes afterwards.
And if you enjoyed this cake, you might like to try my old-fashioned Cantererbury apple tart - which is made with sweet pastry crust filled with lemon-flavoured apple custard and topped with caramelised apples.
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Why you should try this frying pan apple cake
- No oven needed - perfect for kitchens without an oven or when you want an easy dessert, but the oven's taken up with your Sunday roast.
- Quick and easy - the batter mixes up in minutes and the cake cooks gently on the stove - minimum effort, maximum reward.
- Full of flavour - the lovely warming spices add so much flavour to the apples, making this cake perfect for serving either cold at teatime, or warm and smothered in custard or ice cream for a delicious dessert.
Recipe information
- ⌚ Prep time - 15 minutes - once you've grated and sliced the apples, it only takes 5 minutes to mix the batter.
- ⌛ Cooking time - 25 to 30 minutes on a very low heat on the stove.
- 🍚 Yield - serves 8
Ingredients for a caramelised apple cake
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
- Flour. This is self-raising flour. If you only have plain or all-purpose flour, that will be fine, but you will have to add a teaspoon of baking powder to help the cake rise.
- Bicarbonate of soda. I forgot to put this in the picture, but you should add a half teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda in the US) to the flour. The cake batter is quite heavy (thanks to the grated apple), so it needs a little extra raising agent to help things along.
- Sugar. Caster sugar is best because it dissolves easily. Substitute with white granulated sugar.
- Eggs. These are large eggs, weighing 2 ounces (or 56 grams) each. If your eggs are on the small side, you can add an extra egg.
- Oil. The batter for this cake is made with oil rather than butter. Any neutral-flavoured vegetable oil will be fine (I used rapeseed oil). Olive oil will not be suitable.
- Yoghurt or milk. Yoghurt results in a more moist crumb, and also helps the cake to stay fresh for longer, but it can make the cake batter quite dense and fudgy. I normally use half yoghurt and half milk. For an even lighter cake, leave out the yoghurt all use all milk.
- Cinnamon and mixed spice. The combination of these 2 spices pairs beautifully with the apple. You can leave either of them out.
- Vanilla. Adds anextra depth of flavour.
- Butter and brown sugar. This are used to caramelise the apples.
- Apples. You will need some sliced apples to arrange in the base of your frying pan (with the butter and sugar caramel) and also grated apples to mix into the cake batter. Any variety of apple will be suitable, but you get the best results by using a crisp apple such as Pink Lady or Granny Smith. These hold their shape when cooked without turning mushy. Golden Delicious tend to turn soft, and provide moisture but not as much flavour.
Instructions
Make the batter
Step 1: Place the eggs, sugar and spices into a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Beat with a balloon whisk or electric hand mixer until well combined and foamy.
Step 3: Mix in the vanilla, yoghurt (and/or milk) and the oil.
Step 4: Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and mix until there are no streaks of flour.
Step 5: Stir in the grated apple.
Prepare the frying pan
Step 6: Melt the butter in a frying pan and swirl it around to coat the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the butter and use a spoon to spread it evenly.,
Step 7: Arrange the sliced apples in an even layer on top of the sugar and sprinkle them lightly with ground cinnamon.
Assemble and cook
Step 8: Pour the batter carefully over the apples and smooth it evenly with a spoon.
Step 9: Cover the pan with a lid and place it on the stove on a very low heat. You should adjust the heat to a low simmer. I have a gas stove, and I turn the heat as low as possible.
Step 10: Leave the cake to cook for 25 to 30 minutes. You may find at the end of this time that the cake is still slightly damp on top.
Step 11: If (and only if) the top of the cake is still damp, remove the lid and wipe off any moisture. Replace the lid and cook for another minute or two until the cake is completely dry on top.
Step 12: Carefully run a spatula around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Place a plate over the frying pan and carefully turn it upside down. The cake should drop out onto the plate.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your caramelised apple cake made in a frying pan always turns out perfectly:
- Remember to add the bicarbonate of soda to provide the little extra help the cake requires to rise properly.
- Keep the heat on a very low setting - I have a gas stove, and I cooked the cake on the very lowest setting on my burner. If you think your stove might be running a little too hot, place a metal baking tray on the stove (under the frying pan) to defuse the heat. You need the heat low enough so the cake doesn't burn on the bottom in the 25 to 30 minutes that it needs to cook.
- There is a lot of moisture in this batter, from the grated apples, so you may find a lot of condensation inside the lid of the pan. After 20 minutes, remove the lid, wipe any condensation away, replace the lid and continue to cook until the cake is ready. You may also find it helpful to place the handle of a wooden spoon between the lid and the pan for the last few minutes.
- To remove the cake from the pan, run a spatula around the edges of the cake to loosen it. Place a large plate over the pan. With one hand on the handle of the frying pan and the other hand on the plate, carefully turn the pan upside down. The cake should drop out of the pan onto the plate.
Variations
Once you've mastered the basic cake-in-a-pan recipe, there are various ways in which you could change it. Here are a few ideas:
Apple and pear. Substitute the grated apples in the batter for a similar amount of grated pears.
Apple and sultana. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sultanas over the sliced apples and mix another 2 tablespoons of sultanas into the batter.
Apple and blackberry. Stir half a cup of fresh or frozen (defrost them first) blackberries into the batter. Optionally, scatter a few whole blackberries over the sliced apples. Apple and blackberries go wonderfully together - you might like to try this blackberry and apple pie or my blackberry and apple crumble.
Equipment
To make this frying pan apple cake, you will need these main items:
- Mixing bowl for mixing the cake batter.
- Cheese grater for grating the apples.
- Electric hand mixer or a balloon whisk to beat the eggs and sugar.
- Spatula to fold in the flour.
- Large frying pan with a tight-fitting lid to bake the apple cake. The frying pan should be non-stick and preferably have a thick base.
Storage and freezing
- Refrigerator. Store the cooked apple cake in a covered container (or cover it with tin foil) in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can serve it cold or reheat it as below.
- Reheating. Reheat individual slices for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave. You could also transfer the cake back to a frying pan and heat it over a low heat on the stove for 5 to 10 minutes or place it on a baking sheet and reheat it in the oven (180C / 360F) for about 10 minutes.
- Freezing. Unfortunately, this cake is not suitable for freezing.
Top Tip
Rotate the pan halfway through cooking. The hob (either gas or electric) can often heat unevenly. Rotating the pan ensures even cooking without over-browning one side.
FAQ
Greek yoghurt adds moisture, tenderness and tang. It behaves a bit like buttermilk in that the slight acidity reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to assist with rising.
The thickness adds richness and body, giving the cake a velvety, almost pudding-like texture.
It helps the cake stay moist for longer.
On the negative side, Greek yoghurt is dense and low in water, compared to milk, so it can weigh the batter down, making it dense and fudgy rather than light and cake-like.
If you leave out the yoghurt and only use milk, your batter will be thinner and lighter, and the cake will rise more easily in the pan.
The texture of the cake will be much less dense and more sponge-like, but with a much drier texture.
Yes, and this is probably the best option. You get all the benefits (creamy taste, moist texture) of yoghurt, with the added benefits of milk (softer, more sponge-like texture).
Save for later
If you would like to try this apple cake in a frying pan, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Related recipes
Visit my cakes, biscuits and dessert recipes page for more tasty cakes. Here are a few apple recipes you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Frying pan apple cake
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Cheese grater
- Electric hand mixer OR
- Balloon whisk
- Spatula
- Large frying pan with a lid
Ingredients
Apple cake batter
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup / 100 grams caster sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground mixed spice
- ¼ cup / 60 ml neutral-flavoured vegetable oil not olive oil
- ½ cup Greek yoghurt
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ cups / 210 grams self-raising flour or use plain/all-purpose flour with one teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1½ large apples peeled and grated (for the batter)
Caramelised apple topping
- 1½ large apples peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons / 30 grams butter
- 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Cake batter
- Place the eggs, sugar and spices into a mixing bowl.2 large eggs, ½ cup / 100 grams caster sugar, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon ground mixed spice
- Beat with a balloon whisk or electric hand mixer until well combined and foamy.
- Mix in the vanilla, yoghurt, milk and oil.½ cup Greek yoghurt, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ¼ cup / 60 ml neutral-flavoured vegetable oil
- Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and mix until there are no streaks of flour.1½ cups / 210 grams self-raising flour, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- Peel and grate one and a half apples and stir them into the cake batter.1½ large apples
Assemble and bake
- Melt the butter in a 9" (23cm) frying pan and swirl it around to coat the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the butter and use a spoon to spread it evenly.,2 tablespoons / 30 grams butter, 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
- Peel and slice the apples and arrange them in a single layer on top of the sugar in the frying pan. Sprinkle them lightly with cinnamon.1½ large apples, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pour the batter carefully over the apples and smooth it evenly with a spoon.
- Cover the pan with a lid and place it on the stove on a very low heat. You should adjust the heat to a low simmer. I have a gas stove, and I turn the heat as low as possible.
- Leave the cake to cook for 25 to 30 minutes. You may find at the end of this time that the cake is still slightly damp on top.
- If (and only if) the top of the cake is still damp, remove the lid and wipe off any moisture. Replace the lid and cook for another minute or two until the cake is completely dry on top.
- Carefully run a spatula around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Place a plate over the frying pan and carefully turn it upside down. The cake should drop out onto the plate.
- Serve either hot with custard or ice cream as a dessert, or cold as a tea-time treat.
Notes
- Remember to add the bicarbonate of soda to provide the little extra help the cake requires to rise properly.
- Keep the heat on a very low setting - I have a gas stove and I cooked the cake on the very lowest setting on my burner. If you think your stove might be running a little too hot, place a metal baking tray on the stove (under the frying pan) to defuse the heat. You need the heat low enough so the cake doesn't burn on the bottom in the 25 to 30 minutes that it needs to cook.
- There is a lot of moisture in this batter, due to the grated apples, so you may find a lot of condensation inside the lid of the pan. After 20 minutes, remove the lid, wipe any condensation away, replace the lid and continue to cook until the cake is ready. You may also find it helpful to place the handle of a wooden spoon between the lid and the pan for the last few minutes.
- Rotate the pan halfway through cooking. The hob (either gas or electric) can often heat unevenly. Rotating the pan ensures even cooking without over-browning one side.
- To remove the cake from the pan, run a spatula around the edges of the cake to loosen it Place a large plate over the pan. With one hand on the handle of the frying pan and the other hand on the plate, carefully turn the pan upside down. The cake should drop out of the pan onto the plate.
- Refrigerator. Store the cooked apple cake in a covered container (or cover it with tin foil) in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can serve it cold or reheat it as below.
- Reheating. Reheat individual slices for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave. You could also transfer the cake back to a frying pan and heat it over a low heat on the stove for 5 to 10 minutes or place it on a baking sheet and reheat it in the oven (180C / 360F) for about 10 minutes.
- Freezing. Unfortunately, this cake is not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition
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.
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