This is the apple cake I reach for more than any other, and it doesn’t even need the oven. Just one egg, a skillet, and a few pantry basics, and you end up with this soft, fluffy, fragrant cake with a beautiful golden apple layer on top. It looks so pretty when you flip it out that people always assume it took real effort. It didn’t. That’s the beauty of it.
- 1 large apple
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for the apples
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons raisins
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
- toasted sliced almonds, for garnish
Core the apple and cut it into thin slices. Pour the lemon juice over the slices so they don’t brown.
Crack the egg into a bowl and add the vanilla, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Whisk it together well, then whisk in the oil and milk. Gradually add the sifted flour and baking powder, and mix into a smooth batter with no lumps. It should be about the consistency of thick sour cream.
Lightly grease a 9 to 10-inch skillet with oil and sprinkle the tablespoon of sugar evenly over the bottom. Arrange the apple slices over the sugar, then scatter the rinsed and dried raisins over them. Pour the batter over the top and smooth it out evenly.
Cover the skillet with a lid and cook over the lowest heat for about 20 to 25 minutes. Once the top of the batter looks almost dry, flip the cake over using a large plate, then slide it back into the skillet and cook covered for another 5 minutes.
While it’s still hot, brush the top with apricot jam and sprinkle with chopped toasted almonds. What you get is a soft, tender, fragrant cake with a juicy caramelized apple layer, and no oven required. It’s my most-requested dessert for a reason.
