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This mini apple cake is a simple, single serving dessert made with fresh apples, warm spices, and a buttery batter. It bakes in a small dish and delivers all the flavor of a classic apple cake in a perfectly portioned size.
Featured Comment
“I made this for my husband and I. He loved this cake! His is very picky about apple desserts. Thank you for this recipe. I will be making this again.”
– Michelle
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: Simple ingredients and steps make it easy to bake.
- Perfect Size: Bakes in a small baking dish – perfect for one or two!
- Homemade Flavor: Moist, buttery center with a crisp, golden top.
If you love the smell of apples and cinnamon filling your kitchen, this little apple cake is going to be your new favorite.
It’s packed with chopped apples and warm spices, and the texture is perfectly soft with a golden top.
I love how quick it is to throw together, and it makes just the right amount when I’m not in the mood for a full-size cake.
Looking for more small apple desserts? Try my small batch apple butter, small batch baked apples, small batch apple granola, and small batch apple fritters.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small apple cake recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Apple (1 cup, chopped): Any variety works – Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious. Great in other recipes too, like small batch morning glory muffins, single serve apple pie oatmeal, or a small apple crisp.
- Lemon Juice: Adds brightness and enhances the apple flavor. Use extra in a small lemon cake recipe.
- Flour: Forms the structure. Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend if needed.
- Milk: Adds moisture. Whole milk is best, or use almond or oat milk for dairy-free.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Customize your mini apple cake with these easy and flavorful variations.
- Extra Spice: Add a pinch of ground cloves or cardamom for deeper flavor.
- Tropical: Use diced pineapple instead of apples and add 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract.
- Citrus Boost: Add lemon zest along with the lemon juice for more citrus flavor.
- Apple-Pear Mix: Use 1/2 cup chopped apples and 1/2 cup chopped pears.
- Sweet Add-Ins: Stir in 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips or cinnamon chips.
How To Make An Apple Cake
These photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small apple cake. See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
Before you Begin: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly butter a 5×5-inch baking dish and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until fully combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Add the milk and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Fold in the chopped apples with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the dish for 10 minutes. Serve from the dish or invert onto a plate. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Expert Tips
- Use Real Butter: For the best flavor and texture, avoid margarine.
- Cream Thoroughly: Beat butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy for a smooth cake texture.
- Measure Flour Accurately: Fluff the flour, spoon it into the dry measuring cup, and level it off. Don’t scoop directly from the bag.
- Check Oven Temp: Use an oven thermometer, many ovens run hotter or cooler than the set temperature.
Serving Suggestions
Enhance your mini apple cake with one of these simple and delicious toppings:
Frequently Asked Questions
A 5×5-inch dish with a depth of 1 3/4 inches is ideal, as it holds about 1.5 cups and has a 25-square-inch base area.
A 4×6-inch dish with a 24-square-inch area is a good alternative.
You can also use two 10-ounce ramekins or mini loaf pans for this recipe.
Use any apple you enjoy eating. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Golden Delicious are all great options.
Bake the cake at 350°F (177°C) for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cover and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat briefly in the microwave if desired.
Absolutely! Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Mini Cake Recipes
If you enjoyed making this mini apple cake, you’ll love these other small cake recipes.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small apple cake recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this apple cake or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Mini Apple Cake
Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter -plus ½ tablespoon more for greasing the baking dish
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup chopped apples
- powdered sugar, optional for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly butter a 5×5-inch baking dish and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until fully combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Add the milk and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Fold in the chopped apples with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the dish for 10 minutes. Serve from the dish or invert onto a plate. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
- Use Real Butter: For the best flavor and texture, avoid margarine.
- Cream Thoroughly: Beat butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy for a smooth cake texture.
- Measure Flour Accurately: Fluff the flour, spoon it into the dry measuring cup, and level it off. Don’t scoop directly from the bag.
- Check Oven Temp: Use an oven thermometer, many ovens run hotter or cooler than the set temperature.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Absolutely love all your recipes. So easy to follow
Thank you!
I made this for my husband and I. He loved this cake! His is very picky about apple desserts. Thank you for this recipe. I will be making this again.
I made a double batch in an effort to use up some small bits and pieces of ingredients. My husband loves this one! It’s especially delicious warmed a bit in the oven or air fryer.
Absolutely delicious! I used apples from a neighbor’s tree, which are firm & tart. Added a touch of dark brown sugar, cardamom, & cloves. The apartment smells like fall! Thanks for another hit, Joanie!
This mini apple cake was wonderful. I’ll make that many times.♥️♥️♥️
This has got to be one of the best cakes I’ve made. I did substitute brown sugar( not packed) for 1 cup (I doubled the recipe) of the sugar. The top is crunchy, the cake itself is so moist and it is really delicious. I am now looking forward to trying more desserts from the website.
Thank you!
Great recipe.
Thanks so much!