This rustic apple buckwheat cake combines the earthy flavor of buckwheat with sweet tart apples, and is a perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea on a chilly fall morning.
apple buckwheat cake

The wedding dreams have started again.

And no, not the fun happy ones where every hair is in place, I’m ready hours ahead of schedule, and the whole thing goes off without a hitch.

But the kind where it’s 15 minutes before I’m supposed to be walking down the aisle, my dress isn’t on, my hair isn’t did, and we forgot to order the cupcakes.

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In case you’re wondering, in the dream I’m most upset about the cupcakes.

Priorities, people.

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My subconscious found the whole thing so compelling(/disarming) that I even overslept my alarm. Which if you know me, you know that I never do.

Usually I’m chomping at the bit to get up! Have coffee! Do blog stuff! Be late for work!

And so I practically run out of bed.

Except, apparently, when my wedding cupcakes are in danger. Noted.

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Most of the big stuff for the wedding is done, which means now I’m supposed to be doing things like focusing on the details.

I’m not sure I have that trait. Does it skip a generation? In the final four weeks to the wedding will some kind of natural instinct suddenly kick in? A hormone takeover?

Also, I’m petrified to try on my dress again for fear that it won’t fit. Is this normal?

Please say this is normal.

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In the wake of all this crazy, sometimes you need something simple and just.good to calm you down. This apple buckwheat cake is just that thing.

Honestly, I hadn’t even been planning on making this but I got home from work one night with the intention of making apple hand pies, and all of a sudden making pie crust and then rolling it out and then making the filling seemed like too much. I wanted something easier that I could stir together and throw into the oven without having to worry about chilled butter or apple leakage.

As I was flipping through a copy of Huckleberry, which just happens to be one of the most inspiring and gorgeous (THAT COVER. WHOA.) cookbooks that I have ever owned, I stumbled across this recipe. And it just felt right.

It’s really quite a simple cake, but made more interesting by the mix of flours that goes into it, along with some grated apples for the actual batter, and apple slices on the top to raise some eyebrows. A cinnamon apple-infused glaze is brushed over the top while it’s still warm so it can seep into the cake as it cools. The end result is hypnotic. Moist, warm, sweet-tart, and a bit earthy. Perfect with a warm cup of tea when you just want to slow things down for a minute.

Or forget forgetting to order your wedding cupcakes. Whatever the case may be.

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Apple Buckwheat Cake
 
This rustic apple buckwheat cake combines the earthy flavor of buckwheat with sweet tart apples, and is a perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea on a chilly fall morning.
Yield: 1 10-inch cake
Ingredients
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1⅔ cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp, divided
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3-4 tart apples, peeled and cored, 1 grated and the others thinly sliced, cores reserved
  • 1½ cups almond flour
  • ¾ cup buckwheat flour
  • ⅔ cup all purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup cornmeal
  • 2 tsp baking powder
For the glaze
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease a 10-inch springform or cake pan. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and scraping down the bowl as necessary.
  3. Mix in the grated apple until combined, scraping down the bowl.
  4. Add the almond flour, buckwheat flour, all purpose flour, cornmeal, and baking powder to the mixing bowl. Mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, spreading evenly.
  5. Arrange the sliced apples on top of the cake in a concentric pattern. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp sugar over the top.
  6. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool.
  8. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, reserved apple cores, and cinnamon stick. Simmer over medium heat until sugar has melted. Bring to a boil and then shut off heat, letting the apple and cinnamon flavors infuse while the cake cools. Brush over the top and sides of the cake while it is still warm. Let cool completely before serving.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 slice

For more apple cake recipes, check out these:

cinnamon-apple cupcakes

Cinnamon-Apple Cupcakes

apple pie coffee cake

Apple Pie Coffee Cake with Dulce de Leche

apple spice layer cake with caramel swirl icing

Apple Spice Layer Cake with Caramel Swirl Icing

From Around the Web:

Apple Spice Layer Cake with Goat Cheese Frosting from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

Cheesecake-Filled Apple Cake from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Caramel Apple Mousse Cake from The Gunny Sack

Apple Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting from Bake or Break

Fresh Apple Cake from A Cup of Mascarpone

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56 Responses to Apple Buckwheat Cake

  1. Sune Moolman says:

    What a cake – I just want to bite into it!
    You’ll be reasonably calm for the next few weeks I think, but two days before the wedding you’ll turn into Bridezilla. It’s ok though, you’re the bride and everyone will scramble to make you happy. 🙂
    You’re wedding cupcakes are going to be amaze-balls. We had cupcakes too and they were a big hit.

  2. Wedding dress fitting worries are normal, so are worrisome dreams like forgetting the cupcakes – mine was did I invite my family?! Ha! So I totally get it. Perfect fall dish!

  3. This is hilarious! I also have LOADS of wedding nightmares, mainly I forget to tell the makeup artist and caterers to come in on the actual day. It’s a recurring nightmare. Glad it’s not just me!

  4. Johanna GGG says:

    Hmmm that must be why I prefer cakes to pastry, and had a short lead up to my wedding (and even got my hair done on the morning and never mentioned to the hairdresser that I was getting married) – and if you do forget to order cupcakes you will make some brilliant ones yourself and even if you don’t the boy will still be there which is important!

  5. Everything you’re thinking/dreaming about is totally normal! 🙂
    This cake? Unbelievable. I love everything about it!

  6. debbie says:

    Delicious, amazing…just two words to describe that cake!

  7. Zainab says:

    What a delicious looking cake!! And yes it’s normal to be in a little state of panic for the final dress fitting. But it will all go fine…you have nothing to worry about gorgeous!!!

  8. Oh how I wish I was having this for breakfast!

  9. Joanne, I LOVE this cake!!! oh my gawd, love the blend of almond, buckwheat and regular flour. . this is gorgeous!! and the dreams are totally normal . . I had the same dreams and anxiety. . and it’s so funny you mention oversleeping. I am the same way. I usually don’t even need to alarm b/c I jump out of bed at 6am, get my coffee, and do the blog work etc. . but yesterday I totally overslept. . I think this is my body’s way of telling me it is tired. I hope you can get some R&R this weekend and relax a little. and try not to stress. . maybe a visit to a spa is in order? 🙂

  10. SHOO wedding dreams…unless they involve Ryan Gosling, then they’re welcome. I want this cake. Buckwheat doesn’t appear in my diet enough.

  11. Kelly says:

    This cake is gorgeous! Love the earthy flavors of the almond and buckwheat flour in here. Eeks, wedding nightmares are no fun and yup, totally normal to feel scared about the last dress fitting. It will all be okay though – you’re gonna look gorgeous 🙂

  12. Yum! I love apple cake.
    I had so many dreams, or nightmares, before my wedding and everything turned out amazingly!

  13. Deena kakaya says:

    What a lovely contrast of a sensationally dark cake with the lightness of fruit on top; I have some buckwheat flour in the house from pizza making recently so will give it a go! C

  14. Haha! I love how your number 1 concern is the cupcakes. I’m right there with ‘ya. Cupcakes are of the utmost/primo uno importance. 😀 And this cake is a stunner! Totally loving the rustic combo of buckwheat and apples!

  15. This is just gorgeous!! I am just amazed at how much you get done in a week!

  16. Buckwheat flour, all purpose, almond flour and cornmeal is an interesting mix indeed! This is gorgeous and delicious!!! YUM!!!

  17. Rachel says:

    wow this just looks SO good! I would love to make this…perhaps this weekend!

  18. Kinsey says:

    That cake is so beautiful! The way those apples spiral on the top of that hearty crumb just makes my mouth water and wish that I had a cake pan to bake it in! It reminds of the pairing of Buckwheat crepes and hard apple cider, but I’m sure this will taste even better. And I hope the rest of wedding planning goes well–such an exciting but stressful time I’m sure!

  19. Johanna says:

    The good news: totally normal! The bad news: They don’t necessarily stop after the wedding! Although I don’t know why I should find that surprising since I still have dreams about realizing at the end of the semester that I was enrolled in classes I didn’t realize I was enrolled in… and I’m six years out of college.

  20. Pam says:

    It’s all normal… I had dreams & jitters too. Everything will be great on your big day. I am so excited for you!

    The cake looks lovely and delicious!

  21. This is one gorgeous fall afternoon tea cake! I love all the different flours you used in this recipe.

  22. Julia says:

    The fact that you had a little frightmare about your wedding cupcakes tells me they are going to be the BOMB diggity! I feel like we always have stressed out dreams about the things that end up turning out marvelously. Thiscake. UGH I love buckwheat and have never used it in a cake…it looks soooo cozy with all them apples and almond flour. I love this cake pretty hard. Lemme at it!

  23. Beth says:

    Can’t believe your wedding is so soon. I think we’ve all had those dreams, but knowing you, your day will be perfect.

  24. This cake looks amazing, Joanne! Love the sliced apple design, so pretty.

  25. Susan says:

    How gorgeous that looks! Wow, just four weeks to W day? Normal stress is understood 🙂

  26. sandra says:

    the cake looks amazing – must make it!! hopefully the time between now and the big day will go swiftly and you’ll be at the alter in the blink of an eye.

  27. what a lovely cake! and i’m sure your wedding will be so fabulous! 🙂

  28. Kate says:

    Wanna hear my nightmare? I’m almost out of apples from our apple picking trip. The scary part is that it’s real! Not a dream!

  29. This beautiful cake has me grinning, I love buckwheat in cakes 😀
    And apple? Definitely an autumn treat!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

  30. Hotly Spiced says:

    Whenever I have something big coming up (nothing quite as big as a wedding), I always dream about it in advance and it’s always disastrous where everything is going wrong and I wake up exhausted. Your apple cake is really lovely and I love the mix of flours xx

  31. have I ever made anything with buckwheat?
    do you know? lol
    well now I want too.
    this looks so good. I might want to omit the cornmeal though and add in some cake flour. I’ll let you know!

  32. Man. Weddings sound so stressful. Right now, I am thinking that I never want to get married. It’s just too much work :p
    But since this cake is not too much work, I think I can handle making this. 🙂

  33. Joyti says:

    Weddings. You’ll be fine. It will magical, even if it’s not perfect.

    Also, this cake? YUM

  34. Christine says:

    Totally stunning! And the dress will fit just fine! 😉

  35. Daniela says:

    This one amazing apple cake.
    It was such fun to read your post with all the pre wedding antic attacks .
    Relax, it IS normal to have these kind of worries before the big day but everything will turn out just perfect 🙂

  36. Wow this apple cake looks so healthy! I love the three different type of flours you added in here.

  37. Gahhh, I’m so worried about the wedding dreams that will most likely start after January. I had the one, which I mentioned to you today, where Connor decided to call it off (actually, I fell asleep before walking down the aisle, and THEN he decided to call it off). Not fun. Feel free to commiserate/freak out with me whenever you want!!

    Also, love this cake. Been way too long since I baked with buckwheat!

  38. Apples just make me smile from Fall happiness! What else makes me smile.. this cake!

  39. Sarah says:

    This cake looks BEAUTIFUL! I love the apple slices placed neatly on the top. I would love to have some with my morning tea.

    PS that fear of a dress not fitting? I feel you! I’m not getting married, but I’m going to med school prom tomorrow and I haven’t wore my dress since I went to senior formal back in college like … three years ago >.> I really hope it still fits.

  40. A month? I’d say lost cupcake dreams and dress fitting concerns are very normal about now! More of this cake is probably indicated.

  41. Lynn says:

    I’m thinking everything will go beautifully on your wedding day. I’d be having the same dreams probably though.

    Good looking cake!

  42. Delicious! Keep in mind that only you will know what’s gone wrong at the wedding and all will be okay. I put on a lot of weight before our wedding. My poor dressmaker 😉

  43. Ala says:

    I am totally forgetting to order cupcakes for my wedding so I can make this. Just kidding. I won’t. I mean, maybe. Buckwheat cake, come to me…

  44. Eileen says:

    It will all be ok! Just take a deep breath and have some cake. Ok, a lot of cake. And some coffee. Much better!

  45. You will get to a point (really soon), when you just let go, and let the whole thing be. This is the storm before the calm, if you will. This apple cake looks super, I have never baked with buckwheat before, but it looks like I should give it a bash!

  46. Sippitysup says:

    4 weeks? Wow it’s really crept up. XOGREG

  47. grace says:

    buckwheat flour has such a unique taste! i think apples are the perfect fruit to use with it.

  48. Teffy says:

    Looks amazing!!
    I love buckwheat, but I’ve yet to try and make a cake with it. Do you think I could increase the buckwheat and almond to make it gluten free?

    {Teffy’s Perks} X

  49. Danguole says:

    Ooooh, I love buckwheat so much! So toasty and nutty. Forget the cupcakes–bring this to your wedding and you’ll be good. Right? That’s how that works?

  50. Mira says:

    This tart is just gorgeous! Honestly I’ve never cooked with buckwheat, and I have to try it asap! Wedding worries are just normal, and I guess there is pretty much nothing to prevent them 🙂

  51. Reeni says:

    I haven’t done as much baking with apples this year as I usually do – I’m uninspired – until now! Your description and pictures make me want to go bake an apple cake right this moment! I think you’re wedding will go off without a hitch. . . I can’t believe it’s so close. I’m excited for you! Thanks for linking to my apple cake!

  52. Reeni says:

    I meant your not you’re. Duh. 🙂

  53. Once again, let me just pin everything from your blog for future baking… 😉

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