This honey apple cake is soft, moist, sweet and full of apple flavor. The cake needs just 4 ingredients and doesn’t require any eggs or refined sugar. The batter takes only a few minutes to prepare, and you don’t even need a mixer to make it. The cake can also be made ahead of time.
A slice of apple cake on a white plate

This apple cake is such a simple and easy cake to make for Fall. I love how soft and flavorful it is. You can’t tell that it is made with just a few ingredients.

Ingredients

  • Self-rising flour
  • Applesauce
  • Honey
  • Butter

Self-rising flour: Self-rising flour is a flour blend that already contains a leavening agent. I prefer using self-rising flour because it saves a few extra steps for making this recipe. If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can also make a homemade version with all purpose flour, baking powder and salt.

Applesauce: This cake is made with unsweetened applesauce. You can use either homemade or store bought applesauce. Make sure you use unsweetened applesauce and not sweetened. Applesauce makes the cake extra soft and moist and adds a lot of apple flavor to the cake.

Honey: Honey is used to sweeten and add flavor to the cake.

Butter: A little butter is added to help add richness and create a softer, more tender cake crumb.

How to Make Honey Apple Cake

  • The butter is melted and whisked together with the honey. The applesauce is then whisked in.
  • Add in the flour and fold it in with a spatula. You want to fold until the flour is fully incorporated and you don’t have clumps of unmixed flour, but do be careful not to overmix the batter.
  • Transfer the batter to your prepared cake pan. If desired, you can add some very thin apple slices on top of your cake for decoration. This is completely optional. I personally love how the apple slices looked on top of the cake, but it does make it more difficult to slice the cake. The cake still comes out well without any apple slices for garnish.
  • Bake the cake for about 30 minutes or until it is set and lightly golden on the surface. Let the cake cool fully before removing and serving. You can also spread more honey on top of the cake for decoration.

An apple cake with honey drizzled on top

Texture

This cake has a very soft, moist and tender crumb. The cake has a regular amount of sweetness and if you add honey on top, it will make the cake even sweeter.
A bite taken from a slice of apple cake on a fork

Expert Tips

  • You can add thin apple slices on top of the cake for garnish, but it is completely optional. The cake will bake up pretty and golden with a level surface without the apple slices. An apple cake garnished with thin apple slices and honey
  • Make sure to mix the flour in with a spatula and not a whisk or a mixer. Using a whisk or mixer can cause you to overmix the batter which will make it dense and gummy.
  • Make sure to use unsweetened applesauce. Using sweetened applesauce will add too much sugar to the cake which can make it turn out dense.

A slice of apple cake with an apple slice on top

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5 from 5 votes

4 Ingredient Apple Cake

This 4-ingredient honey apple cake is egg-free, oil-free, and refined sugar-free — a sweet, simple treat that’s perfect for fall baking. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon for cozy autumn vibes, or serve it plain as a light, golden cake. It’s an easy dessert to share for any fall gathering.
Servings: 10 slices
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp (56g) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/118ml) honey
  • 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp (173g) unsweetened applesauce, can use store bought or homemade
  • 1 1/4 cups (163g) self-rising flour, see note before starting

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease the interior of a 7-inch cake pan with cooking oil spray. Line the bottom with a parchment paper round. You can use either a springform or a one-piece round cake pan.
  • In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter in 10-15 second bursts until fully melted. Whisk in the honey until smooth and combined.
  • Add the applesauce to the butter-honey mixture and whisk until combined.
  • Add in the self-rising flour and gently mix with a spatula until the flour is incorporated. You want to make sure there are no lumps of unmixed flour but do be careful not to overmix the batter. Only use a spatula to mix, not a whisk or mixer.
  • Transfer the batter to your prepared cake pan and spread it evenly across. (If you are decorating with fresh thin apple slices, gently place them on top of the batter.)
  • Bake cake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the cake is golden on the surface and set. If you apply light pressure to the surface it should bounce back and not sink in. A toothpick inserted should also come out clean.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Once cooled, slice and serve. You can also drizzle with honey or dust with powdered sugar before serving. Store uneaten cake in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

  • Apple slices for garnish: If you want to use apple slices for decoration, make sure they are very thinly sliced, no thicker than 1/8 inch thick. This will keep them on top of the cake as it bakes.
  • Applesauce: You can use homemade or store bought applesauce. Make sure to use unsweetened applesauce. For store bought applesauce, I used Amazon grocery applesauce.* You can also use unsweetened cinnamon applesauce to add some cinnamon flavor to the cake.
  • Self-rising flour amount. There are 2 main kinds of self-rising flour sold in the US. One that is a lower protein (2 grams per 1/4 cup (30g)) flour and one that has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup (30 g)). Brands like King Arthur Flour and White Lily make the low protein flour. Brands like Gold Medal and most store/generic brands contain a regular protein amount. The amount of protein affects how much liquid is absorbed. For this recipe, I tested it with Gold Medal self-rising flour* (regular amount of protein). Please use a self-rising flour with 3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup (30 g). This cake will not turn out correctly otherwise. You can also make your own self-rising flour with the recipe below.
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
  • Homemade self-rising flour: Whisk together 1.5 cups all purpose flour, 2 and 1/4 tsp baking powder and 3/8 tsp salt. Measure out 1 1/4 cups for the recipe. Do not use the full amount. Make sure your all purpose flour has a regular amount of protein (3 grams per 1/4 cup). Most brands in the US contain this amount but there are some brands with higher protein (4 grams per 1/4 cup) such as King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill. You do not want a high protein flour for this cake. It will make the batter too dry.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 149kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 178mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 15g, NET CARBS: 27
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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