Low Fat Apple Cake
This low fat apple cake is super moist, flavorful and delicious! Plus, it’s really low in calories because there’s no butter or oil. Only 116 calories per slice… that means you can enjoy more of it!
Jam packed with juicy apples, which add both moisture and flavor, and subtly sweet, this cake makes for a delicious and healthy breakfast or snack simply sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Do you want to turn it into a decadent dessert? Serve it warm with a scoop of cinnamon or vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzled on top! YUM!
If you’re looking for something light, soft, with a tender crumb, give this low fat apple cake a go. You won’t be disappointed and it will be your new favorite in no time!
It’s a very easy recipe: the most tedious part is peeling and slicing the apples! But it’s well worth it. 🙂
You can toss the apple slices in a little lemon juice to keep them from oxidizing, but, since you’ll be baking them and they will brown in the oven, it’s not necessary.
I used Golden Delicious apples, but feel free to use any baking apple you like.
Just before baking, don’t forget to sprinkle some extra sugar on top… it will give them a nice, sweet crunch.
The recipe is adapted from the book “La buona cucina di casa” written by Simili sisters.
This easy low-fat apple cake is super moist, flavorful and delicious! Only 116 calories per slice.
- 1.54 lb (700 grams) apples Golden Delicious or Granny's Smith
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (90 grams) light brown sugar or granulated sugar
- zest of 1 lemon grated
- a pinch of salt
- 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon (110 grams) all-purpose flour sifted
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (75 ml) low-fat milk
- 3 teaspoons (12 grams) baking powder
- Optional: sugar to sprinkle on top and icing sugar for dusting
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F).
- Grease and flour a 22 cm (8.5 inch) pan and set aside.
- Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples.
- Place the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat until thick and creamy.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and milk, and beat until well combined.
- Add two thirds of the apples to the batter and mix with a wooden spoon or a spatula.
- Place the batter in the prepared pan.
- Arrange the remaining apple slices over the top of the batter.
- Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (optional).
- Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Dust the low fat apple cake with powdered sugar before serving.
- Enjoy it!
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This is delicious! By far my favorite desert I have made since I have been being healthy, and even before I was being healthy! I’m so glad.i have found this recipe! Everyone in my house loved it! Thank you so much. Definitely will be making a lot more of this !
I am so glad to hear that, Shyanna! 🙂
Hi
I just wanted to say i made this over the weekend and its divine. I wish i had put more apple in though as i only put one in but i am definitely going to make it again. Also i used gluten free flour and gluten free baking powder and its lovely.
So glad to hear that, Lisa! Thank you for your feedback! 🙂
Made the cake and it turned up awesome. Very light and with natural sweetness. Great recipe and pictures
I am so glad to hear that, Yuliana! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
Absolutely stunning dessert…possibly one of the most delicious ones I have ever made!
Glad you liked it, Jay!
Substituted the sugar for Swerve and the milk for Almond Milk. Also, about five minutes before it was done, I squeezed the lemon that I zested over the top. Served it with a dollop of low fat cool whip. Turned out divine and NO one even knew it was low…well basically everything. ha! Thanks for the recipe. I’ll hashtag my pic on insta. Happy June!
Cristie, I would love to see the picture!
How much Swerve did you use?
Happy June! 🙂
One of the best apple cake I have ever tasted. Made it last night! Thanks for sharing!
Hi! Love to make this. I have a question. The 1.5 pounds of apples is that the whole apple measured, or sliced measures (peeled, cored) ?
Hi Tabi! It’s the whole apples.
I hope you will love this recipe 🙂
Just made this cake with soya milk and served hot with vanilla soya yoghurt. It was delicious! Finally I can have my cake and eat it 🙂 (unable to digest fat). Thank you for this recipe.
I am so glad to hear that, Sian! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
I made this tonight with only a small modification – I didn’t have any lemons, so substituted the zest with a splash of vanilla and some nutmeg. There didn’t seem to be much batter to the apples, and, to be honest, I thought “this is going to be nasty” as I poured it into the prepared pan. I baked as directed (used a 9″ deep pie pan) and can honestly say, the cake turned out amazing. It’s absolutely delicious, and I didn’t even bother to top it with the powdered sugar. This one’s a keeper – the perfect solution to craving something sweet yet keeping it healthy!
I am so glad to hear that, Lorraine! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
My friend sent me the link to the apple pie recipe and as soon as I read it I wanted to make it. That was last night, I made it this afternoon, and my family had it for dessert after Sunday dinner.
Oh my, it is absolutely fantastic. I have been losing weight recently and this fits right in with the diet I am following. It is a rare tasty, sweet treat that doesn’t bust the diet. Thank you!
Happy to hear that, Marion! Thank you for the feedback and congratulations on your weight loss! 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous and soo filling. An eighth is a really generous portion. Will definitely make it again. Thanks Elena
I am so glad you liked it, Anita! 🙂
I made this for my “sewing circle” and they liked it. I don’t keep milk on hand; I substituted Greek yoghurt diluted with water. I could not find a 8.5 inch round pan on line in the US. I used 9”; next time I would use 8”. Served the cake with apricot jam and whipped cream sweetened with honey.
Glad you liked the cake! 🙂 Thank you for the feedback!
Hello! This delicious cake has become one of my family’s favorites! Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. I made one minor adjustment–I added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. There’s not much than can’t be improved without a bit of vanilla flavoring!
I do have a question: the recipe states it is 116 calories per slice, but it doesn’t state how many servings the entire cake makes. It’s difficult to know how big to cut a slice to equal 116 calories. Would you please help with this? Thank you so much!
Hi Elizabeth! I am glad you liked the recipe.
One cake is approximately 10 servings. I hope this helps 🙂
Great recipe! I didn’t have lemon zest, but it was still great. Everyone loved it. Definitely a repeater 🙂
I am so glad to hear that, Angelina! 🙂
can this cake made 1 day before and refrigerated?
Yes, you can! 🙂
I made this last night. It is so very similar to the apple pie my mum used to bake, it tasted of my childhood 🙂
Assumed the 700g where the apples already peeled and cored but it was way too much for the mixture I had so I used probably half of it.
My husband is not a fan of apple pie so I cut it in squares and took it to the office today. Otherwise I would end up eating it all on my own!
It didn’t last long and everyone loved it
Hi Marta! Thanks for trying the recipe. I’m glad it brought back childhood memories. 🙂
Greetings from South-Africa, I made it today, so easy and tasty.
Added some lemon juice about three tablespoons and one teaspoon vanilla extract to the egg and sugar mixture.
Also tossed the apple slices in cinnamon and sprinkled some extra cinnamon over the top. Very yummy and great recipe thank you.
Hi Petro! I am so glad you liked this recipe. Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
I made this and cut the apple slices in half and squeezed this juice of the lemon over them before adding to the mixture. Plus l added 1 teaspoon of mixed spice to the flour. I left the apple as slices for the topping which gives it such a professional look. All in all very yummy x
So glad you liked this recipe, Vivienne! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
Great recipe and pictures
Hello,
I want to make this recipe, but I only have whole milk instead of the low fat milk on hand. What kind of adjustments would I have to make in order to use whole milk in this recipe?
Hi Anna! You can use whole milk, no adjustments! I hope you will like it. 🙂
Great start to my low cholesterol diet. Made an error in not having a deep enough tin and just sprinkled some nutmeg as well as sugar on the top and it was very good.
Thanks Sally
Thank you for the feedback, Sally! Glad you liked it! 🙂
Hi there! I love this recipe as is I’ve made it a few times and it’s alaays a big hit! Today I decided to venture out a little bit and added vanilla and sprinkled cinnamon on it as well before popping it to the oven. I have about 20 minutes left in the oven. Cross your fingers it comes out great!
So glad you like this recipe, Martin! How was it with the vanilla and cinnamon? 🙂
Hi, this cake looks absolutely delicious! I’m on a low calorie diet but plan on making this yummy cake for a treat. Can you please tell me how many does this serve so I know how big each piece should be for the 116cal serving. Thanks so mich 🙂
Hi Jenn! It depends on how big your slice is. My nutritional info is for a 97 grams slice (so, approximately, you can get from this cake 11 portions).
Hi can you please tell me if all purpose flour is plain or self raising.
Thankyou
Denise
Hi Denise! Plain 🙂
Delicious. I made the cake today and we loved it. It has a very nice texture and is loaded with apples. I think it may be even better tomorrow. Thank you for the recipe !
So glad you liked it, Terri! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
Apple cake has always been my very favorite,but it’s so fattening! This looks like a much better option! I’m going to top it with light cool whip,can’t wait to try it!
I hope you will like it! 🙂
how can this recipe be healthy with all purpose flour & reg baking powder? SOME OF US HAVE TO EAT ALL ORGANIC & CAN’T CONSUME COCONUTS OR ALMONDS==WE NEED RECIPES FOR US ALSO
Joanna, why are you shouting? 🙂
If you search on google there are million of recipes. I am sure you can find one suitable for you 😉
Really rude comments,. Search online for precisely what your dietary preferences/needs are…just saying…
Hey Joanna,
So don’t make this recipe and go find one that works for you! Jeez, chill girl!
Absolutely delicious, thank you so much ❤️
Glad you liked it, Sandra! Thank you for the feedback!☺️
This is the first time my 17 years old daughter try to make a cake and it was a real success plus its healthy, moist and delicious.
Thank you
Maryse
So glad to hear that, Maryse! Well done to your daughter! 🙂
Elena, thank you so much for posting this recipe! I made if for Thanksgiving and had to ‘sample’ it before I served it because it was my first time baking a from scratch cake (and I was a little nervous about it). I shouldn’t have worried – this cake was sooooo good! I forgot to dust it with the powdered sugar, but it really didn’t need it. I think this cake could become my go-to dessert. Thanks again!
I am so glad you liked it, Tammy! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
I am making it now! Amazing recipe especially as I am on a low fat diet! I only substitute the plain flour to fine wholewheat flour (sifted). Will let you know how it turned out. Thank you for the recipe
Absolute delicious! I love this recipe!!! The second cake is right now in the oven but i made some changes in the recipe. instead of apples i used strawberries, instead of brown sugar -> erythrit and instead of whole eggs i used egg white only. I can’t wait to see what it’s like!
What a great idea, Jani! How did it turn out?
Wow this recipe is amazing!! Made it gluten free and into muffins instead of a cake but it did not disappoint, will definitely be making this recipe again super soon 🙂
Such a great idea! I want to try a muffin version soon too.:)