This grandma’s cup apple cake is a lightning-fast bake with no scale needed. Thanks to a little semolina trick and a pre-baked bottom layer, it never turns soggy. The perfect cup apple cake for unexpected guests, soft as a cloud.
A thick layer of grated apples is baked between two thin layers of cake. Thanks to a short pre-bake, the bottom layer stays beautifully baked through. So how do you make sure the cake is never wet?
How do you make a cup apple cake the right way?
Whisk together the cup batter and pre-bake half of it for a few minutes. Mix the grated apples with semolina, which soaks up the juice. Spread them over the cake, cover with the second half of the batter and finish baking.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 15 min
- Baking time: 35 min (10 + 25)
- Servings: 15 pieces (8×12-inch / 20×30 cm pan)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Calories: about 190 kcal per piece
- Trend: Quick cake / Cup recipe
Ingredients
(US cups, with grams in brackets)
Batter
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup (130 g) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (150 ml) milk
- 2/3 cup (150 ml) neutral oil (sunflower or canola)
- 1 3/4 cups (230 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Filling
- 2.2 lb (1 kg) apples, about 6–7 medium
- 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons semolina or Cream of Wheat (farina)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8×12-inch (20×30 cm) pan with parchment paper.
- Peel and core the apples and grate them coarsely. Mix them in a bowl with the sugar (1/3 cup) and cinnamon. Set aside for now.
- In a large bowl, whisk the whole eggs with the granulated sugar (2/3 cup).
- Gradually pour in the milk and oil and whisk briefly.
- Finally, mix in the sifted flour with the baking powder and whisk into a smooth, pourable batter.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
- Put it in the oven and pre-bake for 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C), until the surface is just set.
- While the batter pre-bakes, quickly stir the semolina into the apple mixture.
- Take the pan out of the oven. Spread the apple filling evenly over the pre-baked layer (including the juice the apples released).
- Pour the remaining batter over the filling and smooth the top.
- Return to the oven and bake at 350°F (180°C) for another 20–25 minutes. Check with a toothpick that the cake is done.
- Let it cool before serving and dust with powdered sugar.
Video Recipe
Tips
- The semolina trick is key: Stir the semolina into the apples only right before spreading them on the cake. It soaks up the extra juice perfectly and the bottom layer stays dry and fully baked.
- Pre-baking the bottom: 10 minutes is enough, just until the surface of the batter is no longer runny. This creates a barrier against the moisture from the apples, so the cake won’t turn “rubbery”.
Easy Variations
- Walnut version: Add 1/2 cup (50 g) of ground walnuts to the batter for extra flavor.
- Cheese filling: Instead of apples, use 1 lb (500 g) of farmer’s cheese (or well-drained ricotta) mixed with sugar and an egg yolk.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is my cake wet in the middle? Most likely you skipped the semolina or didn’t pre-bake the bottom layer long enough. Both of these safeguards are key.
No semolina at home? Use 2 tablespoons of fine breadcrumbs or 1 tablespoon of cornstarch instead.
Do I need to squeeze the apples? Not at all. The semolina is in the recipe exactly to absorb that juice and turn it into part of the filling.
The cake tastes best while still slightly warm. Thanks to the filling, it stays moist for 2 days; keep it covered.
The recipe is based on a version by Jecine kulinarije, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.
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