Apple loaf cake

A delicious apple loaf cake, full of apples and drizzled with caramel, it’s the perfect easy autumnal recipe for children and beginner bakers alike.

This apple loaf cake, with a caramel drizzle, is the most delicious autumn (or fall) bake. Apple and cinnamon together are one of my favourite flavour combinations, especially if you add in some caramel, so this caramel apple loaf cake is a real winner for me.

If you’ve got your own apple tree or a glut of neighbourhood apples, this is the perfect recipe for using some up. It’s light, and fluffy and the chunks of apple give a delicicious soft ‘appley’ bite. The loaf is deliciously moist and full of cinnamon and apple flavour so doesn’t need the caramel but if you choose to drizzle some over it you won’t be disappointed.

How can kids help to make this apple loaf cake?

This is a really easy recipe to follow, so it is a great bake for beginners or anyone with young children/toddlers. Kids can help to measure out and mix all the ingredients together, as well as pouring/spooning the batter into the baking tin.

If you have slightly older children they could also help to cut up the apples. Once you peel, core and quarter the apples, you can get your kids to cut them up into smaller pieces. Make sure they keep their fingers safe by forming a bridge over the knife while they’re cutting.

Decorating the loaf cake is also really easy, so you can just get your kids to drizzle over the caramel with a spoon.

What type of apple should I use?

You can use any kind of apple you like. It’s a great recipe for using up a glut of eating apples if you have one. We’ve used a regular eating apple (Gala) but you could use any other apple you have in the house like Braeburns or Fuji. If you like it with a little bit more tartness, try using a cooking apple or a Granny Smith.

What can I use instead of self raising flour?

Self raising flour is easy to find in UK supermarkets, but if you don’t have any, swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour and add one and a half teaspoons of baking powder.

What is baking spread/baking margarine?

Baking spread or margarine, (Stork being a well known brand), is just a non dairy margarine that’s perfect for baking. It can make cakes and cupcakes lighter and fluffier than if you use butter, which means it’s a great, cheaper alternative.

Can I make an apple loaf cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can make this loaf and keep it for a day or two. Keep it in an airtight container for up to three days and only drizzle on the caramel as you serve it.

Can I freeze it?

Yes! This apple loaf freezes well. Wait for it to cool down fully, then wrap it in cling film / glad wrap and pop it in a freezer bag or airtight container. It will keep in the freezer for 2 – 3 months. Make sure you defrost it fully before serving it.

What size is a 2lb loaf tin?

Dimensions of a 2lb or 900g loaf tin will vary slightly, but are generally about 24cm x 14cm x 6.5cm (9.5 x 5.5 2.5 inches). If you want to check the size of your tin, but don’t have a ruler you can fill it with water then pour the water into a measuring jug. A 2lb tin should hold at least 1.2 litres.

Other apple recipes

If you liked this caramel apple loaf and have some more apples to use up why not try one of these recipes:

Apple cake
Blueberry and apple muffins
Apple pinwheels
Caramel apple crumble
Apple cinnamon muffins
Apple and blackberry crumble
Plum and apple crumble
Apple flapjacks
Eve’s pudding (apple sponge pudding)
Apple traybake
Apple turnovers
Blackberry and apple cake
Caramel apple cinnamon rolls
Apple cupcakes

Useful equipment

You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make this chocolate chip loaf cake:

Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
2 lb loaf tin
Wire rack

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Difficulty: Easy

Time: 30 minutes plus 1hr 10 baking

Serves: 8

Ingredients

175g (3/4 cup) butter or baking spread
175g (3/4 cup) golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
225g (1 1/2 cups) self raising flour*
½ tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp (heaped) greek yoghurt
2 or 3 apples

To decorate
2 – 3 tablespoons caramel (we used some from a tin of Carnation Caramel.)

• If you don’t have any self raising flour, swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour and add one and a half teaspoons of baking powder and a large pinch of salt.

how to make the apple loaf cake

Heat your oven to 160C/140C Fan / 320F and grease and line a 2 lb loaf tin with baking paper. We find the easiest way to line the tin is to cut a strip of baking paper the fits in the tin width ways, and then do the same the other way. If you leave some paper hanging over the edge it will be easier to remove later.

Make the cake batter

Get your child to measure the butter, or baking spread if you’re using it, (175g), sugar (175G), and vanilla out and add them to a large mixing bowl or freestanding mixer. If the butter isn’t soft, cut it into a few peices and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it, not long enough to melt it. If you’re using baking spread you can add it straight in.

Beat the butter and sugar together with the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer a hand held mixer or wooden spoons, for a minute or two until it is light and fluffy.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl before adding them to your bowl one at a time and mixing them in.

Measure the flour (225g) and cinnamon (1/2 tsp) and add them to your bowl. Make sure you child uses their finger to level the top of the spoon so that you add just the right amount. Then get your little one to spoon the yoghurt in (4 tbsp). Mix it together until you have a nice smooth batter.

Add the apple

Get your child to help you peel, core 2 or 3 apples and chop them into small chunks. Younger children might not be able to do this, but older children should be able to cut the apple into pieces as long as they keep their fingers safe. Get them to make a bridge with the fingers over the knife while they’re cutting the apple.

Add the apple pieces to your batter and stir it all in with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Pour or spoon the batter into your prepared tin and smooth it down.

Bake the apple Loaf cake

Bake the apple loaf cake in the oven for 1 hr 10-20 minutes. It’s ready when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and after a few minutes take it out the tin and leave it to cool on a wire rack.

Drizzle on the caramel

Get your kids to measure the caramel out into a small bowl and stir it so that it becomes nice and runny. Drizzle it on top of the apple loaf cake.

Serve and enjoy.

cookingwithmykids

Caramel apple loaf cake

A delicious autumnal apple loaf cake, full of apples and drizzled with caramel, it's the perfect easy recipe for children and beginner bakers alike.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Calories: 459

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 175 g (¾ cup) butter or baking spread
• 175 g (¾cup) golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 22g g (1 ½ cups) self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 4 tbsp greek yohurts
• 2 or 3 apples chopped

To decorate

• 3 tbsp caramel (we used Carnation)

Method

 

Heat your oven to 160C/140C Fan/ 320F and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper

Make the loaf batter

1. Measure the butter, sugar and vanilla extract and add them to a large mixing bowl or freestanding mixer. Beat it all together with the k paddle of your mixer or a hand mixer until it is light and fluffy.
   
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing a little in between each addition.
   
3. Add the flour, cinnamon, yoghurt to your bowl and mix it all together so you have a nice smooth batter.
4. Peel, core and chop the apple then add them to your mixing bowl. Using a spatula mix everything together one last time.

Bake the apple loaf

1. Pour the batter into your loaf tin and smooth it down.
   
2. Bake the loaf for 1 hour 10-20 minutes. It's ready when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
3. Remove it from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before removing from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.
   

Make the caramel

1. Spoon the caramel into a small bowl and stir it so it becomes runnier. Drizzle it over the top of the loaf.

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This recipe was first published in September 2018, and updated with new images and a slight amend to the recipe in August 2023.