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Every October, I find myself craving my mom’s fresh apple cake.
It was the cake she made every fall when apple season arrived in Connecticut—full of fresh apples and cinnamon, and very much the kind of old-fashioned cake I grew up with. I loved it so much that I started making it myself when I was in college, and for years it was one of my favorite fall traditions.
Eventually, I went looking for a lighter version that would give me those same apple-cinnamon flavors without quite so much sugar and fat.
I found just what I was looking for in The Sugar Solution Cookbook (affiliate link). This version is made with whole grain pastry flour, buttermilk, warm spices, walnuts and raisins, along with plenty of fresh apples. It’s moist, not overly sweet, and still feels like the kind of simple homemade apple cake I remember.
Why You’ll Love This Apple Cake
- Loaded with fresh apples – Two Granny Smith apples keep the cake moist and give you apple in every bite.
- Warmly spiced – Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg make this especially good in the fall.
- Made with whole grain pastry flour – It adds whole grains without making the cake heavy.
- Full of texture – Walnuts and raisins complement the tender apples.
- No frosting needed – This is an old-fashioned snack-style cake that’s delicious just as it is.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Granny Smith apples – Their tart flavor works especially well with the brown sugar and warm spices. Other firm baking apples, such as Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Pink Lady, will also work.
Brown sugar – Adds sweetness along with a little caramel flavor.
Whole grain pastry flour – Gives the cake a tender texture while adding whole grains. Whole wheat pastry flour is often how you’ll see this labeled. All-purpose flour can also be substituted.
Baking soda – Provides the leavening and works with the acidity in the buttermilk.
Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg – A simple combination of warm spices that pairs beautifully with apples.
Salt – Enhances the sweetness and spices.
Canola oil – Keeps the cake moist and tender. Another neutral-flavored vegetable oil can be substituted.
Low-fat buttermilk – Adds moisture and a subtle tang. No buttermilk? Substitute ? cup plain yogurt thinned with a splash of milk or water until it’s about the consistency of buttermilk. Plain Greek yogurt works too but will need a little more thinning. Or put 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar in a ?-cup measuring cup, then add milk to equal ? cup and let stand for about 5 minutes.
Egg – One large egg helps bind the batter.
Vanilla extract – Rounds out the apple and spice flavors.
Walnuts – Add crunch and richness. Pecans are a good substitute, or you can leave the nuts out.
Raisins – Add little bursts of sweetness and chewy texture. You can leave them out or substitute dried cranberries if you prefer.
How to Make Healthy Fresh Apple Cake
Step 1: Prepare the Pan and Oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking pan (affiliate link) with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: Let the Apples and Sugar Sit
In a large bowl, combine the chopped apples and brown sugar, stirring until the apples are well coated.
Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the apples sit, they’ll begin releasing some of their juices.
Step 3: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the whole grain pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.
Step 4: Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a small bowl (affiliate link), stir together the canola oil, buttermilk, egg and vanilla until well blended.
Step 5: Combine the Apple Mixture
Add the buttermilk mixture to the apples along with the walnuts and raisins. Stir until combined.
Step 6: Finish the Batter
Add the flour mixture and stir just until everything is well blended. Don’t overmix.
Step 7: Bake the Cake
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Step 8: Cool and Serve
Set the pan on a wire rack and allow the cake to cool.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Letting the apples sit with the brown sugar for 30 minutes may seem like an unnecessary extra step, but don’t skip it. The sugar draws out some of the apple juices, which become part of the moisture in the cake.
I like Granny Smith apples here because their tartness balances the sweetness of the cake, but any firm apple you enjoy baking with should work.
This isn’t a fancy layer cake or heavily frosted dessert. It’s more of an old-fashioned apple snack cake—the kind that’s just as welcome with an afternoon cup of coffee as it is after dinner.
And while it isn’t exactly Mom’s apple cake, it satisfies that craving that seems to return every October.
How Many Calories and WW Points?
According to my calculations, each slice of cake has just 217 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
6 PointsPlus (Old plan)
If you’ve made this Healthy Fresh Apple Cake with Raisins and Walnuts, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Healthy Fresh Apple Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1-1/2 cups whole grain pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Coat a 9 x 9-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the apples and brown sugar, stirring to coat the apples well. Let stand for 30 minutes, giving the mixture a stir every once in a while.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.
- In a small bowl (affiliate link), stir the oil, buttermilk, egg and vanilla together until well blended.
- Add the egg mixture to the apple mixture along with the walnuts and raisins and stir until combined.
- Add the flour mixture and stir until well blended.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 6 PointsPlus (Old plan) I used 2 teaspoons Pampered Chef Cinnamon Plus instead of the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and substituted dried cranberries for the raisins with yummy results. I sprinkled the top with about a teaspoon of Pampered Chef Sweet Apple Sprinkles. You could use sanding sugar instead if you wanted.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: The Sugar Solution Cookbook: More Than 200 Delicious Recipes to Balance Your Blood Sugar Naturally (affiliate link) by the Editors of Prevention with Ann Fittante, M.S. R.D.
More Easy Apple Cakes & Desserts
If you like this healthy harvest Fresh Apple Cake, be sure to check out my other Weight Watchers friendly recipes including:
I made this on Sunday and it was delicious! I used white flour and whatever apples I had in the fridge. I used 3 because they were smaller, and I used unbleached white flour because that’s what I had.
Hi Bonnie, Glad you liked this. Thanks for taking the time to let me know. ~Martha
Is there a way to use all-purpose white flour? I’m a senior and have no use for a variety of flours.
Sure! Just use all purpose flour instead! ~Martha