Nobby Apple Cake Recipe (2024)

This Nobby Apple Cake is one of those iconic recipes that you need to be cooking for an open house. The gorgeous smell of baked apples and fresh cake wafts through every room, making it one of my go-to recipes for dinner party guests!

I’ve sometimes seen this vintage recipe referred to as a Knobby Cake, but any iteration of this classic dessert is essentially the same thing!

It’s always a crowd-pleaser as it’s loaded with sweet apples, spices, and plenty of butter for that melt-in-your-mouth richness.

Throw in a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream, and it’s easy to see why people return for slice after slice of this stuff!

But honestly, it’s more than good enough flying solo.

Why You’ll Love This Nobby Apple Cake

• It’s packed with incredible fall flavors but is delightful at any time of year!
• It’s extremely easy to prepare, making it a perfect option for beginner bakers.
• The combination of fall spices and fresh apples will make your house smell ridiculously good.
• It pairs perfectly with tons of toppings, including ice cream, whipped cream, and a drizzle of caramel sauce!
• The flavor profile suits dessert-lovers of all ages (so, it’s a wonderful family recipe!).

Ingredients

The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

• Unsalted butter
• Sugar
• Egg
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Salt
• Baking soda
• All-purpose flour
• Apples – I used Honeycrisp apples.
• Walnuts
• Milk
• Vanilla extract (feel free to make your own!)
• Caramel sauce (for topping!)

How to Make Nobby Apple Cake

Just so you’re aware, preparing this recipe will take you a grand total of around 10 minutes (give or take!).

So, it’s super quick and easy.

• Step One: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Step Two: Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
• Step Three: Add butter and sugar to a bowl and cream the ingredients together with a mixer until combined.
• Step Four: Stir in the eggs.

• Step Five: Sift together cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and flour.
• Step Six: Stir these ingredients into the creamed mixture along with apples, walnuts, milk, and vanilla.

• Step Seven: Spread the mixture in the baking pan and bake for 45 minutes (or until the cake tests done with a toothpick!).
• Step Eight: Let the cake cool slightly before cutting it into pieces.

• Step Nine: Serve your cake with caramel sauce, whipped cream, ice cream, or as-is!

Equipment Needed

You only need a few pieces of equipment to get this incredible Nobby Apple Cake on the table. You may already have these on hand, but these items are my top picks for best results!

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• Apple corer
• 8-inch square baking pan
• Mixer
• Peeler

What to Serve with Nobby Apple Cake

If you’re looking for more, this incredible Nobby Apple Cake can be paired with any of these amazing recipes.

• Maple Walnut Ice Cream
• Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
• Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
• Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• To avoid your cake sinking in the middle, make sure you measure your ingredients carefully. This should prevent your cake from getting too wet or too dry!
• I highly recommend making sure the apples are mixed well with the dry ingredients. Coating them properly will help the fruit stick to the cake mixture. This should stop your fruit from sinking to the bottom of your pan!
• Once you’ve cored your apples, chop them into even cubes for a great overall cook. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up with very different sizes which will leave some apples mushy and some crunchy!
• Don’t overdo it on the sugar. It’s unlikely, but adding too much sugar to a cake like this can make it crumble when cut.
• If you are dealing with a dry result, then I highly recommend serving your Nobby Apple Cake with a dash of caramel sauce. If you warm it up, it should sink into the cake slightly and give it some much-needed moisture.
• Don’t overbake your cake. This might sound obvious, but you don’t want to overbake your cake as it will have an overly hard top and the fruit will be uber-mushy.

Variations and Substitutions

• I always suggest using Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples in this recipe as they’re slightly tangy and hold up well when cooked. But if you’re a fan of super-sweet desserts, you can supplement these with Gala or Fuji apples!
• If you want to add a bit of texture to your cake, stir through a few raisins or any other dried fruit into the batter.

Storage Instructions

Once your cake has completely cooled on a wire rack, you’ll want to transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. This should keep it fresh for up to 5 days.

If you prefer, you can keep it at room temperature. Just be aware that it’ll only last for around 3 days out of the fridge!

Can I Freeze?

This Nobby Apple Cake freezes beautifully once completely cooled.

Just wrap it in a few layers of plastic wrap, a layer of foil, and then place individual slices into freezer bags.

I suggest writing the freezing date on each bag as you’ll need to consume it within 3 months.

When you’re ready to eat it, just thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and you’ll be good to go!

Apples for Baking

I love using Honeycrisp apples in my baking recipes. If you can’t find them, you could also try Granny Smith apples, Braeburn apples, Pink Lady apples, Gala apples or Cortland apples.

Apple Recipes

We love our apple desserts!

• Apple Spice Cake
• Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce
• Apple Crisp Bars
• Apple Raisin Cake
• Apple Magic Dessert
• Apple Upside Down Cake
• Apple Crisp
• Maple Apple Pudding
• Apple Slab Pie
• Air Fryer Apples
• Apple Compote
• Apple Pie Egg Rolls

You’ll also like this Earthquake Cake, Oatmeal Cake, Pig Pickin Cake,Pineapple Cake,Tornado Cake,Snickerdoodle CakeandFruit co*cktail Cake.

Follow me on Instagram@simplystacieblog, Facebook atSimply Stacie, TikTok@simplystacierecipesor Pinterest at@simplystacieand let me know how you liked this recipe and my other recipes.

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