Apple cake

Why this dinner works

Most weeknight one-pot dinners ask you to choose between two evils: a five-ingredient bowl that tastes like the inside of a saucepan, or a recipe so layered it eats your entire evening. Apple cake sits comfortably in the middle. It draws on Netherlands traditions where building flavor in stages — aromatics, then spice, then the slow swell of liquid into starch — is just how dinner gets made on a regular Tuesday.

The whole thing comes together in about 64 minutes in a single skillet, which means dinner from idea to table is shorter than most podcast episodes. We've leaned on the everyday 9 ingredients listed below, but in the notes after the recipe you'll find the small swaps and shortcuts that make this dish forgiving when your fridge is half-empty.

Method

1. Step 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. (350˚F) Grease a cake pan and line it with baking paper.
2. Step 2. In a large bowl, break the four eggs with the sugar and beat until they have tripled in volume and become fluffy.
3. Step 3. Sift the self-rising baking flour and add it to your egg mixture. Fold this over, preserving as much air as possible. Add the melted (and slightly cooled) butter and mix until combined.
4. Step 4. Add cinnamon, pinch of salt and vanilla extract.
5. Step 5. Add the diced apple to the batter and gently fold them into the batter so that the apple pieces are evenly distributed. You can roll the apple pieces through some more cinnamon.
6. Step 6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
7. Step 7. Place the apple slices on top of the batter and press lightly. Sprinkle optionally with some almond shavings.
8. Step 8. Bake the apple cake in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
9. Step 9. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the mold for a few minutes. Then carefully remove the cake from the mold and let cool completely on a wire rack.
10. Step 10. Sprinkle the cooled apple cake with powdered sugar

Cook's notes

One pan, fewer dishes. Use the widest, heaviest skillet you own with a tight-fitting lid. The wider base means faster browning at the start; the lid traps the gentle steam that finishes the dish without scorching the bottom.

Salt as you go. Season the aromatics, season the protein, season the liquid before it reduces. By the time you taste at the end, the only adjustment is usually acid — a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, a final crack of pepper.

Make it ahead. Like most one-pot dinners with netherlands roots, the leftovers are arguably better the next day. Cool quickly, refrigerate within two hours, and reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to loosen things back up.

Pairings & serving

This one feels best in a 4-bowl spread with a sharp green salad and something cold to drink. If you want to stretch it for unexpected company, double the liquid and a single starchy ingredient — rice, pasta, potatoes, depending on the recipe — and the whole pan grows without much extra work.

Watch it cooked

If you're a visual learner, there's a free walkthrough of this dish on YouTube.

Original recipe inspiration: source.