Every September, the smell of fresh apples and cinnamon fills our home and—like clockwork—fall arrives. When I first committed to cooking from scratch, I chose a handful of “staple” recipes for each holiday to become our family’s traditions. I could picture myself as a grandma one day, carrying this Apple Cake to Rosh Hashanah dinner—eyes full of anticipation and mouths already watering for this year’s cake.
Over time, that vision turned into a rhythm I protect: delicious traditions for each season and holiday that connect us to the moment—and, most importantly, to home and childhood.
Why Tradition Matters
Tradition is a cornerstone of strong families. It brings our attention back into the home, gathers us around a shared purpose and celebration, and gives kids the gift of predictability and belonging. Research consistently finds that simple family rituals help organize family life, lower stress, and strengthen bonds across time. Raising Children Network+3American Psychological Association+3American Psychological Association+3
We all have the ones we return to: pumpkin patches and costumes, twinkle lights and cookies, sandy summer bucket lists. In our house, seasonal recipes are part of that fabric—chosen on purpose so the smells, tastes, and table conversations become the memory.
Quick note on Rosh Hashanah: apples and honey are a classic pairing symbolizing hopes for a sweet, fruitful new year—another beautiful example of food carrying meaning across generations. My Jewish Learning+2Reform Judaism+2
The Scent of “Home”
There’s a reason one whiff of apple-cinnamon transports you to your grandmother’s kitchen: smell, emotion, and memory are tightly linked in the brain. That’s why one bake can become a whole feeling of home for our kids—now and years from now. Harvard Gazette+1
Homemaking, Simply
Homemaking doesn’t require being home all day, homeschooling, or doing everything from scratch. Homemaking is creating a cozy, safe place where each person is loved and nourished so they can grow. Seasonal traditions—like this cake—quietly knit us together and turn ordinary days into memory-makers.
Our Apple Cake Tradition
- When we make it: the week of Rosh Hashanah (we go apple picking just before), and again on a crisp weekend when the leaves start to turn.
- Why we keep it: it’s simple, fragrant, and ours. It reminds us of Fall and the Jewish New Year.
- How we serve it: warm, with a drizzle of honey and a blessing for a sweet, healthy year.
Ready to Bake?
Tap “Jump to Recipe” below to get the full Apple Cake instructions, and print the recipe card to tuck inside your fall binder.
P.S. Want more seasonal, from-scratch “anchor recipes” for your family? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter—I’ll send the printable recipe card and a short list of fall staples that make weeknights calmer.
Fall Apple Cake Recipe
Yield: 1 cake (serves 10–12)
Pan: 9×13-inch or standard 10–12-cup Bundt (see Notes)
Ingredients
Apple mixture
- 3 large apples, peeled & diced
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 tsp ground cinnamon
Dry
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Wet
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously butter your pan and dust with flour; tap out excess.
- Apples. In a bowl, toss apples with 1 cup sugar + 4 tsp cinnamon; set aside.
- Dry. In a second bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt until combined.
- Wet. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, 1 cup sugar, brown sugar until glossy. Whisk in melted butter, then orange juice and vanilla.
- Combine. Add dry ingredients to the wet in 2–3 additions, mixing just until no dry streaks remain.
- Layer. Spread 1/3 batter into the pan, scatter 1/3 apples over top. Repeat to make three layers, ending with apples.
- Bake. 50 minutes (start checking at 45). Cake is done when the top springs back and a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs; aim for an internal temp around 200–210°F for best texture.
- Cool & serve. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then turn out (if using Bundt) or cool completely in the pan (9×13). Serve warm or at room temp.
Notes & Tips
- Pan options. A standard 10–12-cup Bundt and a 9×13-inch pan are roughly equivalent in capacity, so your batter fits either; adjust bake time as needed.
- Make-ahead. Keeps covered at room temp 1–2 days; refrigerate up to 4 days.
- Serve it our way. Warm slices with a drizzle of honey for a sweet new year.
- Traditional touch. We always go apple-picking the week before Rosh Hashanah—then bake this cake for the holiday. The scent becomes the memory.
