Easy Apple and Blueberry Cake
This Apple and Blueberry Cake is perfectly spiced with warm spices and filled with fresh apples and blueberries, the perfect treat to enjoy after Sunday dinner.
This cake is one of the most popular desserts everyone enjoys in my family. It is delightful because of the fruit servings you get from each slice. It is not much, but at least there are fruits! And it is very easy to make. One of the best ingredients to have on hand when making this cake is cake flour.
Cakes that usually include cake flour are light and spongy. They taste even better when you include fruits, like this recipe for Cranberry Upside Down Cake. Whether you use fresh or dried fruits, fruity cakes are perfect for all seasons.
Why You’ll Love This Apple and Blueberry Cake
This easy Apple and Blueberry Cake is the kind of simple fruit dessert that works just as well for a family dinner as it does with an afternoon cup of coffee or tea. Fresh apples form a generous fruity layer, while blueberries add little bursts of sweetness and help keep every bite moist.
Here are a few more reasons to make it:
- Loaded with fresh fruit: Apples and blueberries are the stars of this cake, giving you plenty of fruit in every slice.
- Warm and comforting flavors: Cinnamon and ginger complement the apples beautifully, while fresh lemon or lime zest adds a bright citrus note.
- Soft and tender texture: Cake flour helps create a lighter, more delicate cake that contrasts nicely with the baked fruit.
- Easy to prepare: There is no complicated decorating, frosting, or special technique required. Prepare the fruit, mix the batter, assemble, and bake.
- Perfect for entertaining: Serve it warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or extra fresh blueberries.
- Freezer-friendly: Individual slices can be wrapped and frozen, making it easy to save some for another day.
It is a simple, fruit-forward cake that proves you don’t need layers of frosting to make a satisfying homemade dessert.
Fresh Fruits are a must for this Apple and Blueberry Cake
Fresh apples are great daily snacks. They might keep the doctor away when we refer to the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but what if you have an allergic reaction to the skin? How about baking or cooking with apples?
There are tons of options for apples, and one, in particular, is with this cake. You can use any apples you like for this cake; however, my favorite is Honeycrisp Apples. The pieces hold better and are still crunchy after baking.
Fresh blueberries are a perfect addition to the cake. The blueberry juice keeps the cake moist and adds a lot of delicious flavor.
Let’s not forget to spice the fruits! A mixture of ground cinnamon and ground ginger is the perfect combination for fresh apples and fresh blueberries.
The ingredients you need for the Apple and Blueberry Cake
- Fresh Apples: choose any apples you like. Honeycrisp is a good choice.
- Zest of lemon or lime: I prefer the lime for a more concentrated flavor.
- Ground Cinnamon: this spice is excellent when baking apples. It adds a nice warm flavor to fruits.
- Ground Ginger: adds some zing to the fruits.
- Sugar: I used organic sugar
- Blueberries: fresh or frozen will do.
- Light Brown Sugar: I used light brown sugar because the cake looks more appetizing with it than dark brown sugar.
- Cake Flour: I use these two brands, SoftaSilk and Cake Flour by King Arthur.
- Eggs: regular or brown eggs, your preference.
- Vegetable Oil: you can use coconut oil as well. Both oils are light and great for cake.
- Vanilla Extract: homemade or store-bought.
How to make the Apple and Blueberry Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375F
- Wash the apples thoroughly. Peel and core the apples. Cut them into thin slices and put them in a bowl. Sprinkle the apple slices with lime or lemon zest. Add the ground cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Gently stir to combine the ingredients.
- Put the apple slices in a prepared greased 9-inch baking pan. Add ½ cup of blueberries on top of the sliced apples.
- Add the eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to another bowl. Mix well with a whisk. Gradually add the flour and the brown sugar with a spatula or a wire whisk, mixing to incorporate the wet ingredients with the dried ingredients.
- Pour over the apples and the blueberries.
- Bake for 55 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let the cake cool off before removing it from the pan.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream and a few blueberries.
Notes and Tips for the Apple and Blueberry Cake
- Fruit cakes generally tend to stick to the bottom of the pan regardless of how well the pan is greased and floured. It is best to use a springform pan with parchment paper inserted at the bottom of the pan. Spray the inserted disc before placing the parchment paper on top, and spray the sides of the pan with baking spray. You can also use butter.
- Whenever you’re using a springform pan, it is best to place the pan on a regular baking sheet pan to catch any drips.
- Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream and a few blueberries.
- It is best to slice the cake and wrap every piece first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to freeze. Place all pieces in a freezer Ziploc bag and place in the freezer. When ready to serve, remove the cake from the freezer at least 25-45mins before serving and let it come to room temperature. Thawing time will depend on the thickness of the cake slice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best apples for Apple and Blueberry Cake?
Honeycrisp apples are a great choice because they have a crisp texture and hold their shape well during baking. You can also experiment with other firm baking apples. For a slightly more tart flavor, try Granny Smith, or combine a tart apple with a sweeter variety for more depth of flavor.
Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes. Fresh or frozen blueberries can be used in this cake. If using frozen blueberries, add them while still frozen rather than thawing them first. Thawing can release extra juice and may cause the berries to bleed more heavily into the cake.
Do I have to peel the apples?
For this recipe, peeling the apples is recommended. Removing the skin gives the baked fruit a softer texture and helps it blend more naturally with the tender cake.
Why use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour and helps create a softer, lighter cake. Since this recipe contains a generous amount of fruit, that delicate texture works especially well with the baked apples and blueberries.
Can I use lemon zest instead of lime zest?
Absolutely. Either lemon or lime zest works well. Lemon gives the cake a familiar bright citrus flavor, while lime adds a slightly more pronounced citrus note. Use whichever you have available.
How do I know when the cake is done?
The cake should be golden brown after baking. Because the fruit adds moisture, check the cake near the end of the baking time rather than relying on color alone. A toothpick or cake tester inserted into the cake portion should come out without wet batter.
How should I serve Apple and Blueberry Cake?
Serve the cake warm or at room temperature. It is delicious on its own, but you can dress it up with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a handful of fresh blueberries.
How should I store leftover Apple and Blueberry Cake?
Once completely cooled, cover the cake well and store it in the refrigerator. Bring individual slices closer to room temperature before serving, or gently warm them if you prefer the cake warm.
Can Apple and Blueberry Cake be frozen?
Yes. For convenient portions, slice the cooled cake first and wrap each piece securely before placing the slices in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw the slices at room temperature before serving.
A Simple Fruit Cake Worth Making Again
This Apple and Blueberry Cake is a lovely way to turn fresh fruit into an easy homemade dessert without the extra work of frosting or decorating. The combination of tender apples, juicy blueberries, warm spices, and a touch of citrus gives the cake plenty of flavor while keeping it simple enough for everyday baking.
Enjoy a slice on its own, serve it with coffee or tea, or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream when you want something a little more indulgent. And if you have extra apples or blueberries on hand, this is one delicious way to make sure they don’t go to waste.
If you make this recipe, leave a rating and comment below. I’d love to know how your Apple and Blueberry Cake turned out!
Easy Apple and Blueberry Cake
Equipment
- Springform Pan
- Baking Spray
Ingredients
- 6 apples any kind you prefer
- Grated zest of lime or lemon
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp sugar white sugar or organic sugar
- ½ cup blueberries
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup cake flour
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- How to make the Apple and Blueberry Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375F
- Wash the apples thoroughly. Peel and core the apples. Cut them into thin slices and put them in a bowl. Sprinkle the apple slices with lime or lemon zest. Add the ground cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Gently stir to combine the ingredients.
- Put the apple slices in a prepared greased 9-inch baking pan. Add ½ cup of blueberries on top of the sliced apples.
- Add the eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to another bowl. Mix well with a whisk. Gradually add the flour and the brown sugar with a spatula or a wire whisk mix to incorporate the wet ingredients with the dried ingredients.
- Pour over the apples and the blueberries.
- Bake for 55 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let the cake cool off before removing it from the pan.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream and a few blueberries.
Notes
- Fruit cakes generally tend to stick to the bottom of the pan regardless of how well the pan is greased and floured.
- It is best to use a springform pan with parchment paper inserted at the bottom of the pan. Spray the inserted disc before placing the parchment paper on top, and spray the sides of the pan with baking spray. You can also use butter.
- Whenever you’re using a springform pan, it is best to place the pan on a regular baking sheet pan to catch any drips.
- Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream and a few blueberries.
- It is best to slice the cake and wrap every piece first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to freeze. Place all pieces in a freezer ziplock bag and place in the freezer. When ready to serve, remove the cake from the freezer at least 25-45mins before serving and let it come to room temperature. Thawing time will depend on the thickness of the cake slice.
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
