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The Ultimate Moist Jewish Apple Cake with Cinnamon-Sugar Crumb Topping (Dairy-Free Option Available)

Close-up of a moist slice of jewish apple cake featuring tender cake layers, visible apple pieces, and a rich brown sugar crumb topping.
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This recipe creates a deeply moist Jewish Apple Cake with a texture similar to pound cake, featuring ribbons of gooey cinnamon sugar and a beautiful golden brown crust. It is a classic, tender apple dessert perfect for Rosh Hashanah or fall baking.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 cup vegetable oil (or substitute with neutral oil for dairy-free)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup orange juice (or water for dairy-free)
  • 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the oil, eggs, orange juice, and vanilla extract until well combined.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or by hand until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. In a separate small bowl, toss the diced apples with the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon until the apples are evenly coated.
  6. Gently fold the coated apples and the optional nuts into the cake batter.
  7. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the remaining cinnamon-sugar apple mixture over the batter. Top with the remaining batter, then sprinkle the rest of the apple mixture on top.
  8. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The top should have a unique golden brown crust.
  9. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
  10. Invert the cake onto the rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

  • For a dairy-free version, use vegetable oil and substitute water or orange juice for any dairy liquids, though this recipe is naturally dairy-free if you omit butter.
  • To achieve the pound cake texture, avoid overmixing the batter once the flour is added.
  • This cake stays incredibly moist for several days when stored covered at room temperature.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.unfoldrecipes.com/jewish-apple-cake-best-moist-recipe/