Easy Apple Buckle

By Vallery Lomas

Published Sept. 13, 2024

Easy Apple Buckle
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
About 1½ hours, plus cooling
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 20 minutes, plus cooling
Rating
4(383)
Comments
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This buckle is a one-bowl dessert that’s as scrumptious as it is easy to prepare. Apple slices are nestled together and become jammy during the long bake. With just a little batter peeking between each slice there’s no mistaking this bowl-scraping buckle for a snacking cake. Melting the butter inside the baking pan in the hot oven does double duty: It melts the fat, making it easier to combine with the batter, while also greasing the plan. Plus, that melted butter gives a crispy exterior for extra caramelization of the buckle along the pan’s edges. Serve this with a scoop of ice cream for a simple, yet indulgent treat.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • ½cup/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 2large apples (such as Braeburn, Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
  • 1cup/128 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1¼teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or ¾ teaspoon coarse kosher or fine salt
  • ½teaspoon baking powder
  • 1cup/200 grams sugar
  • 1cup/240 milliliters whole or reduced-fat milk
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Ice cream, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

319 calories; 13 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 34 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 341 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 375 degrees and place a rack in the center. While the oven is heating, add the butter to a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and place in the oven until the butter has almost melted (check after 5 minutes). Remove the pan from the oven and set it aside to cool slightly.

  2. Step 2

    Peel, core and thinly slice the apples.

  3. Step 3

    In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt and baking powder together. Add the sugar, milk and vanilla and whisk until combined. Then whisk in the melted butter from the loaf pan until combined and no lumps remain.

  4. Step 4

    Pour the batter into the pan that was used to melt the butter. Arrange the apple slices in the batter with the rounded edges facing up, leaving a small space between each for the batter to seep in. Bake until golden all over and set, 65 to 70 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving with ice cream.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
383 user ratings
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Comments

Libby B

Postscript: just made the buckle with still-firm nectarines (no need to peel them) and the finished product may be better than the apple version. Just saying…

RobinC

This was easy and really good. (Took forever to bake however.) However, it is incomprehensible to me baking apples without cinnamon. I added a teaspoon of Penzy’s Pie Spice (similar to apple pie spice) and it was great! Served with vanilla ice cream.

Bird

I peel apples if they're not organic. Conventionally grown apples can be sprayed with pesticides and herbicides many, many times, including after harvest, which is why they're one of the dirty dozen. Look at the EWG's website for a complete description.

Ross

This was great. Used Fuji apples, spent a long time trying to find the loaf pans after moving. I loved the buttery crust on the buckle. Will make again.

Miranda

A lovely easy recipe but very, very dense, heavy cake. Other buckle recipes I’ve seen contain eggs which I expect could make the batter a little lighter. Did I miss something with this version?

CharlesDallas

First - 75 minutes is barely enough time - I think I was @ 90 minutes when I finally decided it was time to declare the dessert finished! It is visually appealing and tasty. I - like others - couldn’t imagine an apple dessert without cinnamon so I sprinkled some spice on the loaf before placing it in the oven. I also sprinkled some brown sugar on top - just a dusting. I was drawn to the recipe because it was simple and didn’t require an hour to prepare. Peeling and slicing the apples was the most time consuming element.

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