Ingredients:

  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour, sifted
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Allspice
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened, room temperature
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • 3 Large Eggs, room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 cup Whole Milk, room temperature
  • 3 medium Baking Apples (Braeburn/Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 1/2 cups Walnuts, roughly chopped, toasted lightly
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice (to toss apples)
  • 1 cup Icing (Confectioners') Sugar, sifted
  • 2–3 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice (for glaze)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your chosen 9-inch cake tin (springform or Bundt) thoroughly.
  2. Toast the chopped walnuts in a dry pan or on a baking sheet until fragrant (5–7 minutes); set aside to cool. Peel and dice the apples, then immediately toss them with 1 tsp of lemon juice to prevent browning.
  3. Whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  4. In the stand mixer bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture is visibly lighter in colour and fluffy (3–5 minutes). The volume should nearly double.
  5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl, then mix in the vanilla extract.
  6. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add one-third of the dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined. Follow with half of the milk. Repeat the process, ending with the final portion of the dry ingredients. Stop mixing immediately when the last streaks of flour disappear.
  7. Gently fold the diced apples and toasted walnuts into the batter using a rubber spatula. Avoid overmixing; a few quick folds should suffice.
  8. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin, spreading it evenly. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are acceptable).
  9. Let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes before inverting it carefully onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Prepare Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted icing sugar and 2 Tbsp of lemon juice until smooth. Add the remaining lemon juice incrementally until the glaze reaches a thick, drizzling consistency.
  11. Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle the lemon glaze generously over the top. Allow the glaze to set for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.