Moist Toffee and Apple Cake Recipe With Fresh Apples

This moist toffee and apple cake is soft, sticky, and full of cozy apple-cinnamon flavor. It starts as a simple fresh apple cake, then gets finished with a warm, buttery toffee sauce that soaks right into the crumb.

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Check out my sticky, moist toffee and apple cake recipe video below and see how it all comes together. If you like the video, give it a like and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more easy cake and baking recipes.

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Why you will love this moist toffee and apple cake

This cake is easy to make, but it feels a little more special than a regular apple cake. The grated apples melt into the batter as it bakes, so the crumb stays soft and moist instead of dry or heavy.

The walnuts add a little bite, the cinnamon makes the whole kitchen smell amazing, and the toffee sauce gives every slice that warm, buttery, sticky finish. It is simple enough for weekend baking but nice enough to share after dinner with coffee or tea.

Did You Know: Grated apples are one of the easiest ways to make a cake softer and moister. They release moisture as the cake bakes and blend into the crumb instead of sitting in large pieces.

Sticky apple toffee cake ingredients

You only need simple baking ingredients for this easy toffee apple cake. I like using brown sugar because it gives the cake and the sauce a deeper caramel-like flavor.

For the apple cake

• 1 and 1/3 cups (200 g) plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup (150 g) brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup (150 g) melted unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 apples, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup (75 g) chopped walnuts

For the toffee sauce

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (75 g) brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (55 g) salted butter
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream

How to make this moist toffee and apple cake

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients

Add the plain flour to a large mixing bowl. Then add the baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and brown sugar. Give the dry ingredients a good mix so the cinnamon and raising agents are evenly spread through the flour.

Step 2: Add the wet ingredients

Add the eggs, melted unsalted butter, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to mix everything for about 20 seconds, just until the wet and dry ingredients come together into a thick batter.

Top Tip: Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added. A quick mix keeps the cake soft and tender instead of tough or heavy.

Step 3: Add the apples and walnuts

Peel the apples and grate them quite finely. I like grating the apples because they almost melt into the cake as it bakes, but if you prefer more obvious pieces of apple, you can chop them into small chunks instead.

Add the grated apples and chopped walnuts to the batter. Fold everything together gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until the apples and walnuts are spread through the mixture.

Try not to keep mixing once everything is combined. The less you work the batter at this stage, the softer the cake will be.

Step 4: Add the batter to the pan

Line an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little extra hanging over the sides so the cake is easier to lift out later.

Scoop the cake batter into the pan and spread it out gently so the top is even and the batter reaches the corners. Give the pan a couple of light taps on the counter to help the batter settle and release any larger air pockets.

Step 5: Bake the apple cake

Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 350°F (170°C) for about 35 to 40 minutes. The top should look golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the middle should come out without wet batter on it.

Your kitchen should smell amazing by this point, thanks to all that cinnamon, apple, and brown sugar.

Make the warm toffee sauce

While the cake is baking, add the brown sugar and salted butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave them together for about 1 minute, then carefully remove the bowl and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has started to dissolve.

Pour in the heavy cream and stir until the sauce looks smooth, glossy, and easy to pour. Heavy cream works really well here because the higher fat content gives the sauce a rich, creamy texture.

Set the sauce aside while the cake finishes baking. You want it ready to pour while the cake is still warm.

Pour the toffee sauce over the warm cake

Once the cake comes out of the oven, use a skewer or fork to poke holes all over the top while it is still warm. Make plenty of holes across the whole cake so the toffee sauce can soak down into the crumb instead of just sitting on top.

Slowly pour the warm toffee sauce over the cake, moving from one side to the other so it spreads evenly. Take your time and make sure the corners get some sauce too.

Leave the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes before slicing. This short rest gives the sauce time to sink deeper into the cake and settle into that sticky toffee finish.

Related Recipe: If you like this apple cake, you should definitely try my grandma’s cinnamon sugar apple cake too. It is so yummy, has a sweet cinnamon sugar topping, and makes the whole kitchen smell amazing while it bakes.

How to serve sticky apple toffee cake

Carefully lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper, then place it on a board or serving plate. Slice it while it is still a little warm if you want that soft, sticky texture at its best.

The apple keeps the crumb really soft, the walnuts give you a nice little bite here and there, and the toffee makes the whole thing rich, buttery, and just sticky enough. This is definitely the kind of cake where one slice can quickly turn into two.

You can serve it as it is, or add a spoonful of whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a little extra warm toffee sauce if you want to make it feel more like dessert.

How to store this apple cake

Let the cake cool completely, then store it in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 days. If your kitchen is warm, you can keep it in the fridge instead.

The cake tastes lovely the next day because the sauce has more time to settle into the crumb. You can enjoy it cold, at room temperature, or gently warm a slice before serving.

More apple cake recipes to try

If you enjoyed this sticky apple toffee cake, have a look at some of my other easy apple cake recipes below. There are plenty more delicious ways to turn fresh apples into soft, moist homemade cakes.

Here are more apple cake recipes to try next:

• Moist Old Fashioned Apple Cake with Cinnamon – This old-fashioned apple cake is soft, moist, and full of warm cinnamon flavor. It’s a simple homemade cake that’s lovely with a cup of tea or coffee.
• Old-Fashioned Apple Cinnamon Cake – Sweet apples and cinnamon come together in this comforting homemade cake. It’s an easy bake that’s perfect for dessert or an afternoon treat.
• Got Apples? Make the Best Apple Cake Recipe Ever! – If you have a few apples sitting in your kitchen, this easy apple cake is a great way to use them. It’s soft, full of apple flavor, and perfect for sharing.

And if you make this sticky apple toffee cake, leave a comment below or in the YouTube video comment section and tell me how it turned out. I hope it becomes one of those simple homemade cakes you want to make again and again.