This recipe comes straight from my friend Elana, and unlike most recipes I tweak to make easier or better, this one is already perfect. No edits needed. I made it last year and it was fabulous, and when Maggie made it this year, it was just as delicious. It’s foolproof in the best way.

I use one of those old-fashioned countertop apple peeler-corer-slicer gadgets (you know the kind that clamp onto your counter), but you can absolutely slice the apples by hand. And if your batter feels a little too thick, just splash in a bit more orange juice. Pro tip: this isn’t just a Rosh Hashanah dessert. It’s so good, you’ll want to make it all year long.

Incredible Apple Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 cup oil
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2½ teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
4–5 medium red apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon + ¾ cup sugar, mixed (for layering)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300°F and grease a tube pan with a removable bottom (a springform pan also works).
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the flour, oil, orange juice, baking powder, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with some cinnamon-sugar.
Arrange half the apple slices on top, then sprinkle with more cinnamon-sugar.
Repeat layers with the remaining batter, apples, and cinnamon-sugar.
Bake for 90 minutes, until golden and set.
Cool before removing from the pan.

Serves: 12–14

This is one of those desserts that never disappoints. It’s festive enough for Rosh Hashanah, cozy enough for Shabbat, and honestly perfect with a cup of coffee any time of year!

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