Don’t you just love the smell of autumn? For me autumn smells of woodsmoke, damp leaves, ripe fruits… and cinnamon spice!
This sugar is called “Bratapfel” spice, which means roasted apple spice… and it is the perfect mixture for autumn apple dishes. A mix of golden sugar, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla. When I opened the jar the sweet aroma whispered to me… “applecakeapplecakeapplecakeapple…”
I needed little persuasion…
Spicy Apple Cake
- 250g (2 cups) plain flour
- 100g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 55g (1/4 cup) butter, melted and cooled a little
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp cardamom
- 2 heaped cups chopped peeled apples (in my case three smallish apples)
- 2 tbsps brown sugar mixed with a little cinnamon, OR 2 tbsps Bratapfel sugar
Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and baking soda in a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg, buttermilk and melted butter. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Gently fold in the apples.
Pour batter into a greased 20 x 20cm (8×8 inch) pan. Sprinkle top with Bratapfel sugar or brown sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Words and Herbs 
Yummy! This looks delightful and delicious! I wonder if I can find that spice here?
I think any kind of spicy sugar would do, or you could make your own! 😉
Yes, I can smell it! mmmmmmm 🙂
Hi Robin! The whole house smells of autumn when you bake this… I’m making it again Sunday! 😉
that looks amazing!
Hi Emily! You should try it – it really is good!
The spice mix is new to me and intriguing! A sweet, moist apple cake with the warming spices of fall is very enticing, a splendid dessert!
It tastes delicious warm too – especially with the fresh whipped cream! 😉
I’ve never heard of Bratapfel spice!! How delicious this would taste baked up in your pretty cake!
Hi Barbara, the sugar could be substituted for cinnamon sugar, or you could add other spices too.
I love the smells of cinnamon, apple, and spices! The cake looks so yummy. I will have to try it over the weekend. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for commenting! 😀
I always love your posts but this is one of my absolute favourites! Autumn is my favourite season and you’ve captured the essence perfectly 🙂 Yum!
Such kind words – thank you! And baking at this time of year especially just seems right. 😀
Now I’m craving warm apple cake with whipped cream – and it’s only just past breakfast time! Looks really good!
I’m looking forward to making it again at the weekend! The cream goes perfectly with it!
Hmmmm…it had CAKE in the title of the post, I just had to read it. Warm apple cake and whipped cream sounds divine.
Tina, it IS divine… you found the perfect word to describe it! 😀
What a lovely recipe! Thanks for doing all the conversions along the way, too…makes it much easier to jump right in.
Hi Cindy – thanks for your comment! I try to remember to write in both, but some of my older recipes only have either metric or US. The link to the tables I added is my trusty guide!
beautifully presented and delicious cake with an autumnal feel to it 😉
Thanks – I wanted to capture all that lovely autumn-ness!
Oh, wow, Cathy…that might be breakfast on Sunday morning. 🙂
I’m sure that would be appreciated by all! 😀
I woke up this morning thinking I have to make an apple cake (I have lots of apples right now) and this looks so easy and delicious, I’m going to give it a try. Plus, it has cardamom in it – a huge bonus, in my books! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Hi Sheryl. So you’re a fan of cardamom too? I only discovered it a couple of years ago, and have to stop myself putting it in everything! LOL! 😉
This looks like a keeper Cathy! I love cooking with buttermilk. It’s a very “southern” ingredient here in the U.S. And cardamom! Happy baking to you.
This recipe is an old favourite – if I want to make it a bit healthier I use wholemeal flour, which makes it a bit denser, and more “rustic”.
I see that the root in German braten, which I know from Bratwurst, Sauerbraten, and now Bratapfel is ultimately the same root that led to the native English words bread and brew. All these words have to do with boiling, cooking, and related activities.
Thanks Steve! Bread is Brot – still very near to the origins. And I suppose it also means “broil”.
Sounds and looks fantastic! I have to go to the market tomorrow, now I´ll buy some apples as well!!!
Don’t forget the cream! 😉
Dear Cathy, boy am I in serious trouble coming over to your place at this time of the night….I think I hear whispers of applecakeapplecakeapplecake too….oh what am I gonna do? Beautiful images to carry to my dreams from here! Hugs and sweet night xx Sharon
Sweet dreams Sharon! 😉 And thanks for your lovely comment!
The sugar/spice concoction sounds wonderful! I make a bread pudding that I usually top with with brown sugar, but that would be great to put on top of it for this fall!
Now bread pudding is a brilliant idea for these spices, as I always add a little chopped apple to mine! Thanks for inspiration! 😀
Lovely recipe and interesting to see the use of buttermilk. Do you have the sugar/spice ratios for Bratapfel or is it just trial and error?
I’m afraid the ratio is a mystery! My tip would be to add a little cinnamon to some brown sugar and then add a bit more – when baking I always underestimate how much spice I need. The original sugar has cinnamon, vanilla and cloves in it, but up until now I’ve been making this old favourite with just cinnamon sugar.
Thank you – I’ll experiment. I often use cinnamon and cloves in cakes, but the addition of vanilla is a new twist.
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