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–+ servings
Slice of brown butter apple cake on a brown plate with a fork, black coffee mug, teal linen, and cinnamon sticks on rustic wood.

One Bowl Brown Butter Apple Cake

Sylwia Vaclavek
Brown butter apple cake with light rye flour, Greek yogurt, and fresh ginger. Tender crumb, warm spice, and a coconut sugar crust on top. So good.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Polish
Servings 10
Calories 324 kcal

Equipment

  • 9-inch springform pan
  • parchment paper
  • Light-colored saucepan (for browning butter)
  • Large heatproof mixing bowl
  • Sieve
  • spatula
  • whisk
  • Box grater or microplane
  • Peeler and sharp knife
  • cutting board
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • cooling rack

Ingredients
  

For the cake

  • 170 grams unsalted butter weighed before browning, cut into pieces
  • 130 grams coconut sugar
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 200 grams full-fat Greek yogurt at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 15 grams fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
  • 220 grams all-purpose flour
  • 60 grams light rye flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • 450 grams apples sweet-tart apples, weighed after peeling and coring, diced into 1–1.25 cm cubes

For the topping

  • - 1 tbsp coconut sugar

For preparing the pan

  • Butter or neutral oil for greasing

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  • Melt 170 grams unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring or swirling occasionally, until the milk solids turn golden brown and the butter smells nutty. Immediately pour into a large heatproof mixing bowl, scraping in all the brown bits. Let cool until lukewarm but still liquid.
  • Peel and core the 450 grams apples, then weigh out 450 g. Dice into 1–1.25 cm cubes. Pat dry if visibly wet. Firm Pink Lady apples work well for this cake.
  • Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk 130 grams coconut sugar into the cooled brown butter. Add 3 large eggs, 200 grams full-fat Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, and 15 grams fresh ginger. Whisk until smooth and evenly combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients. Place a sieve over the large bowl. Add 220 grams all-purpose flour, 60 grams light rye flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon fine salt. Briefly stir the dry ingredients together in the sieve, then sift them over the wet mixture.
  • Fold with a spatula until the flour is nearly incorporated. The cake batter will be thick. Avoid overmixing.
  • Add the diced apples and gently fold until evenly distributed, with no dry flour remaining. Fold just enough to combine, keeping the cake tender and the apple pieces distinct. Do not let the batter sit for long.
  • Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle - 1 tbsp coconut sugar over the top of the cake, and transfer the pan to the oven.
  • Bake for approximately 45–55 minutes, checking around 40–45 minutes. The top should be golden and the center set. Insert a toothpick into the cake between apple pieces in several spots. It should come out without wet batter, although it may pick up some moisture from the apples.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Loosen the edges if needed, release the springform ring, and transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool further. For the best crumb assessment, let it cool completely before slicing.
  • Recipe testing note: The 45–55 minute baking time is an estimate. Record the actual baking time and assess the cooled crumb, apple texture, sweetness, ginger intensity, and next-day texture before making further adjustments.

Notes

Let the brown butter cool before mixing - if it's too hot when you add the eggs, they'll scramble. 
Pat the apples dry if they seem wet - excess moisture can make the center of the cake take longer to set.
Fold, don't stir - the batter is thick, and that's intentional. Fold gently with a spatula just until the flour disappears and the apples are evenly distributed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 324kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 7gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 256mgPotassium: 154mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 522IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 2mg
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