This healthy apple cake is a lighter twist on a classic dessert. Made with fresh apples and a hint of lemon, it stays moist and soft without any oil or butter.

Sliced fresh apple cake dusted with powdered sugar, served on white plates.

I wanted a lighter version of my regular Italian apple cake, so I made this one without butter or oil. It has plenty of apples, which keep it moist without the need for added fat. It also uses just 90 grams of sugar.

I make it often, especially in the fall when I have plenty of apples at home. It’s one of my favorites for breakfast or an afternoon snack, but it works just as well for dessert.

Recipe Highlights

  • Quick and easy: Ready in under an hour with just a few basic ingredients.
  • Low-fat: Each serving has only 1.2 grams of fat.
  • Make-ahead friendly: Keeps well for a few days and freezes beautifully.
  • Versatile: Try it with pears, peaches, or other seasonal fruits depending on what’s in season.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

Ingredients for healthy apple cake arranged on a table.
  • Apples: Choose firm varieties that hold their shape, like Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, or Jonagold. Pears, peaches, nectarines, or plums are good alternatives.
  • Lemon: The juice keeps the apples from browning, while the zest adds flavor. You can replace the zest with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or vanilla extract.
  • Eggs: Room temperature eggs blend more easily into the batter.
  • Sugar: Either granulated or caster sugar is fine.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour gives the cake enough structure to hold all the apples.
  • Baking powder: Make sure it’s fresh so the cake rises properly.
  • Milk: I use reduced-fat milk, but almond milk works well too.

See the recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions.

How to Make Healthy Apple Cake

Thinly sliced apples in a bowl with lemon juice.
Step 1—Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Toss them with lemon juice.
Apple cake batter in a mixing bowl.
Step 2—With a hand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt until thick and creamy (about 5 minutes). Then gently mix in the dry ingredients and milk until just combined.
Apple cake batter spread in a pan.
Step 3—Fold in two-thirds of the apple slices, then pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Apple cake batter topped with sliced apples in a round pan.
Step 4—Arrange the remaining apple slices flat-side down on top. Sprinkle with sugar, and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

How to Serve Healthy Apple Cake

Dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve it with a hot chocolate or a pumpkin spice latte.

You can add a drizzle of salted caramel sauce, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or some whipped cream.

Elena’s Tips

  • Weigh your flour: Too much can make the cake dense. Use a kitchen scale or the spoon-and-level method.
  • Slice the apples thinly: Thin slices soften more easily as the cake bakes.
  • Trust the recipe: It might look like a lot of apples, but they bake down nicely.
  • Add powdered sugar last: Wait until just before serving so it stays visible.

Storage & Freezing

Storage: Keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Freezing: Slice the cooled cake and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Sliced apple cake with a dusting of powdered sugar.


Adapted from “La buona cucina di casa” by the Simili sisters.

More Apple Recipes

If you’ve made this apple cake recipe, leave a comment and rating below. I’d love to know how it turned out for you.

A slice of apple cake dusted with powdered sugar on a white plate.
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How To Make It: Healthy Apple Cake Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8
(5 stars) 88 ratings
This healthy apple cake is made with plenty of fresh apples and a hint of lemon. It’s light and moist without any butter or oil, and it’s ready in under an hour.

Ingredients

  • 1.21 lb (550 g) apples
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons (90 g) granulated sugar
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon (110 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (75 ml) milk

Optional:

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar , to sprinkle on top
  • powdered sugar, for dusting

Equipment

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch (22 cm) round baking pan.

Prepare the apples

  1. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Toss them with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Make the batter

  1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt with a hand mixer until thick and creamy (about 5 minutes).
  2. Gently mix in the dry ingredients and milk until just combined.

Assemble

  1. Fold two-thirds of the apples into the batter.
  2. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and arrange the remaining apple slices, flat-side down, on top.
    Sprinkle with sugar (optional).

Bake

  1. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

Finish

  1. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Notes

  • Apples: Use about 3 medium apples (550 g before peeling and coring) that hold their shape well when baked. Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Jonagold are all good options.
  • Milk: I prefer reduced-fat (2%) milk, but almond milk works well too.
  • Baking pan: I used a ceramic 9-inch round pan. A springform pan makes it easier to remove the cake.
  • Baking time: Each oven is different. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil during the last 10–15 minutes.
  • Storage: Keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing: Once completely cooled, slice the cake, wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving.
  • Nutrition: Nutrition facts are based on 1 of 8 servings. Each serving is approximately 90 grams.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 137 kcal, Carbohydrates: 28.6 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 1.2 g, Saturated Fat: 0.4 g, Cholesterol: 40 mg, Sodium: 18 mg, Fiber: 1.6 g, Sugar: 16.9 g
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #aseasyasapplepie. We’d love to see what you come up with!
Author: Elena Tomasi
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Low Calorie, Low Fat