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Home » Recipes » Desserts

By Kaleigh McMordie - September 21, 2020, Updated July 22, 2021

Healthy Spiced Apple Skillet Cake

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pinterest image with text for healthy skillet apple cake.

This healthy skillet apple cake is the perfect simple dessert for fall! Made with whole wheat flour, loaded with apples and lower in sugar, this perfectly spiced apple cake is healthy enough for breakfast.

slice of healthy apple cake topped with whipped cream on a grey plate with a black fork.

This post was originally published September 2017 and has been updated.

I'm not quite ready to jump into all things pumpkin yet. I won't break out the pumpkin until October. It's still reaching the 90's here in Texas. So I like to ease into fall with apples and pears. For this period that Texans like to call 'fake fall,' I love this healthy skillet apple cake!

overhead view of two plates with slices of apple cake topped with whipped cream and black forks on them next to apple cake in a skillet.

Why You'll Love This Healthy Apple Skillet Cake

Not only is this cake incredibly easy to make with just a bowl, a whisk and a knife, it's also incredibly delicious! You'd never know that it's actually a bit healthier. Whether topped with powdered sugar, ice cream, whipped cream, or a dollop of yogurt, you can whip up this perfectly spiced apple cake in no time for anything and everything from brunch to dessert. Get ready for your house to smell divine.

closeup of apple slices on an apple skillet cake topped with powdered sugar.

What Makes This Apple Cake Healthy?

Not that any cake is health food, but this cake is darn close without sacrificing any taste. It's made with white whole wheat flour (I like to bake with Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour), Greek yogurt, applesauce, and three whole apples, with just enough sugar and oil to make it still taste amazing. It's probably got less sugar than many breakfast foods, so go ahead and have a slice topped with some Greek yogurt with your morning coffee!

four collage image showing steps to mixing apple skillet cake batter.four image collage showing steps to making apple skillet cake.

How To Make Skillet Apple Cake

  1. Mix the wet ingredients (plus the sugar) in a large bowl. 
  2. Stir in the dry ingredients. 
  3. Fold in the apples. 
  4. Pour the batter into a skillet. 
  5. Top with cinnamon sugar apple slices and bake.

powdered sugar falling onto an apple cake in a cast iron skillet.

Tips and Ingredient Substitutions

  • Make sure to whisk the wet ingredients well so that they are nice and smooth. 
  • Careful not to over mix when you stir in the dry ingredients. Mix just until the flour streaks disappear.
  • If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can bake in a round cake pan. You will have to increase the bake time for 8- or 9-inch pans. 
  • If you don't have applesauce, you can use more yogurt. 
  • You can use all purpose flour in place of whole wheat if you'd like. 
  • To make this cake gluten-free, use your favorite cup-for-cup gluten-free flour.
  • The apple slices on top are optional, but I think they're pretty!

This spiced apple skillet cake is the perfect dessert for transitioning into fall! Made with whole wheat flour and 50% less sugar, it's healthy enough to eat for breakfast! | AD #applecake #falldessert #lowsugar | via livelytable.com

More Apple Recipes You'll Love

  • Whole Wheat Apple Walnut Galette
  • Perfect Apple Crumb Pie
  • Whole Wheat Lattice Apple Pie
  • Apple Pie Brown Butter Blondies
  • Apple Pie Overnight Oats
  • Healthy Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Print

Healthy Skillet Apple Cake

slice of healthy apple cake topped with whipped cream on a grey plate with a black fork.
Print Recipe

This healthy skillet apple cake is the perfect simple dessert for fall! Made with whole wheat flour, loaded with apples and lower in sugar, this perfectly spiced apple cake is healthy enough for breakfast.

  • Author: Kaleigh
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 10-12 servings 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: baked
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the cake:

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ¼ cup oil (I use avocado oil)
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ⅓ cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • 2 small apples, diced

For apple topping:

  • 1 apple, thinly sliced
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp sugar

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 10-inch cast iron skillet or other baking dish with parchment (optional) and/or lightly grease with oil.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk yogurt, applesauce, oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Whisk until flour mixture is just mixed in.
  4. Gently fold in diced apples.
  5. Pour batter into prepared skillet.
  6. Thinly slice apple for topping. Place it in a bowl and toss with cinnamon and sugar. Arrange apple slices on top of the cake batter in a single layer.
  7. Bake about 40 minutes (start checking at 35 minutes) or until center is set. Remove from the oven and cool.
  8. Serve dusted with powdered sugar or whipped cream (optional).

Notes

  • You can bake this cake in a round cake pan if you'd rather. You may need to bake a little bit longer if you use an 8 or 9 inch dish.
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Keywords: skillet apple cake, healthy apple cake, easy healthy apple cake, easy apple cake

Did you make this recipe?

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About Kaleigh McMordie

Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian in Abilene, Texas, as well as a member of the Baby Led Weaning Dietitians Network. Kaleigh can be found at kaleighmcmordie.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diane T says

    September 23, 2017 at 11:58 am

    You list 1/2 c splenda but how much of that sweetens apples and how much to add to cake batter?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      September 23, 2017 at 2:08 pm

      Hi Dianne, You'll find in the recipe that you use 1 TBSP for the apples. Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Martha says

    September 08, 2017 at 10:32 pm

    What would the equivalent be for regular sugar as I cannot use sugar substitute?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      September 08, 2017 at 10:40 pm

      Hi Martha, you would use 1 cup of sugar. Enjoy!

      Reply
  3. Serena Ball MS, RD (@tspcurry) says

    September 06, 2017 at 9:56 am

    Sign me up for cake for breakfast!

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      September 06, 2017 at 1:58 pm

      🙂

      Reply
  4. Karl @ Healthy Kreation says

    September 06, 2017 at 9:24 am

    This fall dessert looks absolutely amazing. This is going to make my transition into the fall and winter months that much more yummier. Thanks for sharing this.

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      September 06, 2017 at 1:58 pm

      Thank you, Karl! Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Deanna Segrave-Daly (@tspbasil) says

    September 05, 2017 at 8:44 pm

    I'm with you - I cannot do pumpkin until literally the first day of fall (if not later) but I'm ok with easing into all things apple like this delish cake!!!

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      September 06, 2017 at 6:00 am

      I am all about the apples right now! 🙂

      Reply

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