3-Cup Apple Pie Custard Cake with Tart Granny Smith
3-Cup Pie
A simple apple cake where a dry mix bakes into a custardy, tender apple filling.
Nutrition (per serving)
This is one of those magical, no-fuss recipes I love to make when apples are abundant. The dry mix—equal parts sugar, flour, and semolina with a touch of baking powder—sits on top of and between the apples. As the fruit bakes it releases juices that hydrate the dry mix, creating a delicate, custard-like crumb that’s part cake, part pie.
Use tart Granny Smith apples for bright balance, and either grate or thinly slice them depending on the texture you prefer. The assembly is forgiving: layer apples, sprinkle the dry mix, dot with cold butter, and bake until the top is golden and the interior feels set but still tender. Serve slightly warm with cream or vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- Granulated sugar:1 cup
- All-purpose flour:1 cup
- Semolina (fine):1 cup
- Baking powder:2 tsp
- Salt:1/4 tsp
- Large Granny Smith apples (peeled, grated or thinly sliced):6 pieces
- Cold unsalted butter, grated or thinly sliced:3 oz
- Fresh lemon juice (optional, to taste):1 tbsp
- Ground cinnamon (optional):1 tsp
- Pure vanilla extract (optional):1 tsp
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish (or a similar-sized ovenproof pan) and set aside.
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In a large bowl combine the sugar, flour, semolina, baking powder, and salt. If using cinnamon, add it to the dry mix and whisk to distribute.
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Prepare the apples: peel and either grate them coarsely or slice them thinly. Toss the apples with the lemon juice and vanilla if using.
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Layer half of the apples in the prepared pan, spreading them evenly. Sprinkle half of the dry mix over the apples, breaking up any clumps so it covers evenly.
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Dot the surface with about half of the cold butter pieces (grated butter distributes nicely). Repeat with the remaining apples, dry mix, and butter so you end with a top layer of the dry mix dotted with butter.
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Lightly press down so the layers are compacted a bit but not mashed. Bake in the preheated oven for 45–55 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center looks set—a slight jiggle is fine because it will firm as it cools.
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Remove from the oven and let the cake cool at least 30–60 minutes so the custardy interior sets. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Tips & Notes
- Grating the apples gives a softer, more custard-like interior; thin slices give more distinct apple pieces and a slightly firmer texture.
- Use tart apples like Granny Smith to balance the sweetness; if your apples are very tart, taste and add a bit more sugar to the dry mix.
- Cold butter is key—dotting or grating it cold creates little pockets of richness as it melts during baking.
- Allow the cake to cool well before cutting so the custard-like center holds together for neat slices.
