Italian Apple Cake (Torta di Mele)

Italian Apple Cake on a wood cutting board with checkered cloth in the background.

Italian Apple Cake is a flavorful cake made with olive oil and lots of fresh apples. The combination of shredded and diced apple really brings out the apple flavor and keeps the cake moist!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Apple Cake, ciambella, Italian Apple Cake

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 306kcal

Author Angela Allison

Equipment

Bundt Cake Pan (12 cup)

Ingredients

3 medium apples
1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoon juice and teaspoon zest)
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk (2% or whole)
⅔ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour (455 grams)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar (for sprinkling)
powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard bundt cake pan with melted butter or cooking spray; set aside.
Peel and core all three apples. Dice two of the apples into about ½-inch cubes. Grate one of the apples on a box grater using the larger holes. Place the apples in a medium bowl and toss with two tablespoons of lemon juice and one teaspoon of lemon zest; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs and sugar. Use a handheld mixer to beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be pale in color. Add in the milk, olive oil, and vanilla, and mix until combined. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
Fold the apples into the batter and mix until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the cake with two tablespoons of sugar.
Bake on the center rack of the oven for about 40-50 minutes. You'll know the cake is done when it starts to pull away from its sides. Also, a toothpick inserted in the cake will come out mostly clean, except for some crumbs. Let the cake cool on a baking rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely.
Once the cake is completely cooled, dust the top with powdered sugar.

Notes

Italian Apple Cake can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week or frozen for up to two months.

Don't have a bundt cake pan? You can bake this cake in a standard springform pan or a 9 x 13 baking pan. Just be sure to adjust the baking time and check for doneness using a toothpick.

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