Home · Recipes · Desserts & Baking · Cake Recipes · Single Layer/Easy Cakes Apple Ginger Cake Author: Maryanne CabreraPublished: Sep 10, 2019Updated: Nov 16, 2023 View Recipe1 ReviewThis post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy. Moist apple ginger cake flavored with fresh grated ginger and studded with candied ginger pieces. Spoon warm spiced apples on top with a drizzle of caramel just before serving. Table of Contents Cake Ingredient NotesHow to Mix BatterGinger Spiced ApplesArrowroot Powder versus CornstarchRecommended Apple VarietiesServing SuggestionsCake Storage InstructionsMore Fall Apple RecipesGinger Cake with Ginger Spiced ApplesView moreView less Cool crisp breeze in the air. Leaves are beginning to turn golden brown. The anticipation of the upcoming holidays is building. Autumn is the best time for baking! Here’s a warm and comforting cake that feels like a giant bear hug. This apple ginger cake is not for the faint of heart. It was created for ginger lovers! If you’re not a fan of this spicy root, walk away now. A hefty amount of fresh grated ginger and candied ginger is folded into the cake batter. The cake will smell and taste of GINGER! Cake Ingredient Notes Flour: Cake batter uses a combination of all-purpose flour and cake flour to produce a spongy, moist cake. In a pinch, try homemade cake flour recipe using a combination of AP flour and cornstarch. Otherwise, omit the cake flour and double the AP flour. The resulting cake will slightly be more dense in texture. Heavy Cream: Also labeled as heavy whipping cream. The cake batter does not contain butter or oil. Instead, heavy cream helps to give the cake body and volume. Fresh Ginger : This recipe relies on the sharpness and zing of fresh ginger. Do NOT use ground ginger or ginger powder! For best results, use a grater like this Microplane classic zester grater or Microplane coarse grater. Be sure to include any ginger juice in the batter! Candied Ginger :Also known as crystallized ginger, dried candied ginger, and crystallized ginger candy. Look for candied ginger made from two ingredients: ginger and sugar. If you prefer to make it from scratch, this candied ginger recipe from Alton Brown is great. NOTE: Candied ginger is potent with flavor. If you are not the biggest fan of ginger, feel free to omit. How to Mix Batter Start by whisking together the dry ingredients in one. bowl. In another bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Then add heavy cream, sugar, grated ginger, and vanilla. Beat until substantially thickened. Fold whipped egg mixture into dry flour mixture. Lastly, fold in chopped candied ginger. Where’s the butter or oil? Instead of butter or oil, this recipe relies on eggs and heavy cream for fat and aeration. Beat the eggs and heavy cream to soft peaks. Then gently incorporate into the dry ingredients. (Think about it: butter is made from the churning of cream. While we’re not using “butter” we are using the ingredient that turns into butter.) Ginger Spiced Apples Cook chopped apples in a spiced mixture of brown sugar, grated ginger, and ground cinnamon. Spike the apple mixture with Calvados for an extra dimension flavor. Don’t worry. This isn’t a boozy dessert. The alcohol cooks off, only leaving the apple notes of Calvados behind. The secret to this stewed apple mixture is arrowroot powder! INGREDIENT INTEL: What is calvados? Calvados is apple brandy. In order to be called “calvados,” it must be produced from a certain region in Normandy (Northern France). Calvados is made from pressed apples (apple cider) that is fermented into a dry cider. Afterwards, it is distilled into brandy. And finally, the mixture is aged. There are different types of Calvados. This ranges from “fine” to “extra” or “XO.” This labeling refers to how long the liquor has been aged. Usually, the older the Calvados, the smoother is it. No need to purchase expensive Calvados for this recipe. Arrowroot Powder versus Cornstarch Arrowroot powder is a flavorless white powder used to thicken soups, sauces, puddings, and pies. It is made from a variety of tropical tubers, usually a combination of arrowroot plant and cassava root. Similar to cornstarch, arrowroot is made into a slurry before being added to other ingredients. To make a slurry, combine equal parts arrowroot powder and water. Stir until arrowroot has dissolved. Arrowroot creates a clear gel. Whereas, cornstarch produces a cloudy gel. As such, I prefer to use arrowroot for toppings and garnishes. I use cornstarch to thicken fillings that are hidden like slab apple pie or strawberry pie. Recommended Apple Varieties Use a combination of equal parts Granny Smith and Gala apples for this recipe. Granny Smith apples are tart and firm. They’re great for baking because it takes a while for these apples to breakdown. Gala Apples are on the opposite side of the apple spectrum. They are tender and sweet. They don’t survive prolonged cooking, and will likely turn into a mush if baked into an apple pie. However, when you combine Granny Smith and Gala, you get a nice balance of sweet and tart. It will result with soft bites of Gala mixed with firmer Granny Smith bits. It creates an interesting, winning combination. Other firm apples to use in place of Granny Smith include: Rome or Golden Delicious. In place of Gala substitute: Ambrosia or Fuji. Serving Suggestions Serve this cake warm or at room temperature. The 8-inch round cake serves 10. Use a serrated knife to slice the cake into equal portions. Enjoy apple ginger cake any time of day. It’s not too sweet, making it an excellent choice for breakfast with milk or tea. Cake Storage Instructions The assembled cake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Here are a couple recommended containers: round cake storage with lid or this two pack 10-inch carrier. Scrape off the apple topping and storing it separately. This will prevent the cake from getting soggy. The ginger spiced apples will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat before serving. More Fall Apple Recipes Calvados Apple Bread Pudding Apple Cider Layer Cake Apple Cinnamon Rolls Ginger Cake with Ginger Spiced Apples 5 from 1 vote This moist Apple Ginger Cake is flavored with fresh grated ginger and studded with candied ginger pieces. Spoon warm spiced apples on top with a drizzle of caramel. Yield: 8-inch cake Prep Time: 25 minutes minutesCook Time: 50 minutes minutesTotal Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes Servings: 10 slices Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe IngredientsGinger Cake:▢ ¾ cup all-purpose flour (100 g)▢ ¾ cup cake flour (90 g)▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt▢ 2 large eggs▢ 1 cup heavy cream, very cold▢ 1 cup dark brown sugar, (200 g)packed▢ 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger (20 g)▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract▢ ½ cup chopped candied ginger (85 g)Ginger Spiced Apples:▢ 3 medium apples (380 g)*peeled, cored, chopped into small pieces▢ 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter▢ 2 Tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed▢ 3 Tablespoon Calvados▢ 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger (20 g)▢ 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon▢ 1 ½ teaspoon arrowroot▢ 1 ½ teaspoon water▢ store-bought caramel sauce, to garnish, as desired Instructions Ginger Cake:Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a round 8-inch cake pan (at least 2-inch deep). Tap out an excess flour. Line bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.Place eggs in a medium-large bowl. Using an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment), beat eggs until foamy. Add cream, brown sugar, grated ginger, and vanilla. Beat for 8-10 minutes until thickened. Mixture should almost resemble soft peaks.Pour whipped egg mixture into dry flour mixture. Fold together to combine until there are no longer any dry streaks of flour. Fold in chopped candied ginger.Transfer batter to prepared cake pan. Spread into an even layer. Bake for 50-60 minutes, rotating pan midway through baking, until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Allow to cake to cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a mini offset spatula (or knife) along the edges of the cake to help loosen from pan. Unmold cake and allow to cool to room temperature on wire rack.Ginger Spiced Apples:Melt butter in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add chopped apples and brown sugar. Toss to coat in butter. Add Calvados, ground cinnamon, grated ginger, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until apples have softened.*In a small bowl, dissolve arrowroot in water. Pour arrowroot mixture into cooked apples and immediately stir to combine. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool. Once apple mixture has thickened and slightly cooled, spoon over ginger cake. Drizzle caramel on top, as desired. Serve cake warm or at room temperature. NotesIngredient Notes: Peel ginger before grating. Include any ginger juice accumulated during grated into the batter or cooked apples. Dark brown sugar produces a rich dark colored cake. Sub in light brown sugar or granulated for a paler cake. Listed weight for apples refers to weight after apples have been peeled, cored, and diced. What apples to use? I used a combination of equal parts Granny Smith apples and Gala apples. They cook at different rates, creating textural variety. Granny Smith apples are tart and firm. Gala apples are tender and sweet. Together they create a delicious combo. Other firm apples to use in place of Granny Smith include: Rome or Golden Delicious. In place of Gala substitute: Ambrosia or Fuji. Candied Ginger This ingredient goes by many names: crystallized ginger, dried candied ginger, crystallized ginger candy. Calvados Calvados is apple brandy. Purchase it through BevMo, Total Wine and More, or liquor store of choice. Well stocked supermarkets have it and I’ve even seen it at Target. Arrowroot Arrowroot powder is a flavorless white powder used to thicken soups, sauces, puddings, and pies. Arrowroot creates a clear gel. Whereas, cornstarch produces a cloudy gel. NutritionCalories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 504IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1mg Author: Maryanne Cabrera Course: DessertCuisine: American Did you make this recipe?Show us on Instagram! Tag @littleepicurean and hashtag #littleepicurean.
Krystal says: August 29, 2023 I turned this cake into a layer cake with homemade caramel and loved it! It was moist and packed with flavor. I didn’t make the apple component, but I’m sure that’s delicious too. Reply