While the fall has evolved to mainly focus on pumpkin spice — an iconic flavor — there are so many flavors to choose from when it comes to capturing a true sense of the autumn season. While a hearty Thanksgiving dinner features many of the savory tastes that define this time of year, you can skip pumpkin spice in your desserts. This usually leads you to the original go-to flavor of the season: apple. More specifically, the fall months have seen an uptick in people not only intrigued by the timeless (and remarkably customizable) apple pie, but also by apple cake, a dessert that is taking the internet by storm due to its remarkable taste and simplicity.
Apple cake is a moist and delicious dish that can be similar in flavor and texture to a cinnamon crumb cake. America’s increased interest in the treat comes at a pretty notable time, as, despite continuing to have an unwavering grip on the world of coffee, the popularity of pumpkin spice recipes has continued to decline in recent years. Instead, the ingredient and flavor have been forced to share the spotlight with cinnamon, maple, salted caramel, and, of course, apple-centric recipes, the latter of which recently got even more spotlight through a viral TikTok recipe.
How TikTok fell in love with apple cake
While apple cake is naturally quite popular, its recent virality comes in part due to a recipe released in the late summer by Sally’s Baking on TikTok. This version of the dessert truly showcases the delectable qualities it has, incorporating fresh apple chunks into the batter while maintaining its soft and tender consistency. With minimal appliances necessary, the dish is also easy to make and can be whipped up quite quickly if you’re looking for a fall dessert to enjoy on short notice.
@sallysbaking Recipe is on my website sallysbakingaddiction.com (linked in my bio now) 🍎🍏 #sallysbaking
As for some of the details of the recipe, Sally utilizes small amounts of applesauce and orange juice in her version, both of which are used to further amplify the tarty, apple taste that makes the dessert so distinct and appealing. With this in mind, using the best apple variety for your cake to achieve this natural tartness is key, meaning that Granny Smiths will likely work best overall. Furthermore, while Sally recommends whipping up a brown sugar glaze to cover the top of the treat, using apple butter — or even an apple butter cream — can make the dessert an apple fanatic’s dream.
