Italian Apple Bundt Cake with Olive Oil (Torta di Mele)

The best Italian Apple Bundt Cake Italian (torta di mele) recipe! Made with Fuji apples and olive oil, this amazing bundt cake is moist, fruity and easy to make!

Love apple cakes? Try German Apple Sheet Cake and Tarte Tatin with Brandy Caramelized Apples next.

Looking to whip up the perfect moist apple cake, even if it's your first time baking? You're in the right place! Apple cake is a classic for a reason-it's juicy, sweet, and smells like comfort. This cake is loaded with fresh apples, making every bite super soft and full of natural flavor.

Growing up, we had an apple tree in the backyard that produced more fruit than we ever knew what to do with. By late September, the lawn was covered in fallen apples and we were baking constantly just to keep up. That tree taught me early that a good apple doesn't need much fuss.

When I discovered Italian baking years later, it felt like the perfect match. Italy has a long tradition of simple, honest fruit desserts built around good ingredients and very little else. Torta di mele is exactly that - one bowl, one pan, olive oil instead of butter, and apples that do all the work. It tastes like the best parts of both worlds.

Italian Apple Cake Ingredients

• Flour - Unbleached all-purpose flour works best.
• Baking Powder - Baking powder is used instead of baking soda when a recipe lacks acidic ingredient.
• Salt - I love using sea salt in baking recipes. Makes such a huge difference in taste.
• Sugar - Granulated sugar allows the desserts to be sweet, brown and moist.
• Apples - Fuji apples are a perfect way to add texture, softness and fruitiness to the apple cake
• Whole milk - I recommend using whole milk due to its saturated fat content. It will also add moisture, assist in browning and it's a protein source that will support the structure of our cake!
• Eggs - Eggs is what will bind the ingredients together like a spider web -it's a glue that will hold our batter together. Eggs also add moisture and leavening to the batter.
• Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract definitely adds complexity to any cake, but especially apple cake.
• Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil is such a great way to add healthy fats to the dessert, I use olive oil even when I make brownies - it's perfect for baking.
• Lemon juice - I used lemon juice from a bottle, but if you have fresh lemons on hand, squeeze the juice from a small lemon.

How to make Italian Apple Cake with Olive Oil

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients, measurements & instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. Mix wet ingredients

Combine eggs, milk, olive oil, lemon juice, vanilla extract and sugar in a medium sized bowl.

2. Combine dry ingredients

Add flour, baking soda, salt to a second bowl.

3. Cut up apples

I cut 3 Fuji apples into good size chunks. I prefer to use Granny Smith, they are fabulous as well. You can definitely get away with using 4 apples as well - don't be concerned (or scared!) if that seems like a lot of apples when mixing with the batter. The batter will expand when baking, making you wish you used MORE apples. Not less!

4. Bake

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Tips on Making this Apple Cake

• Don't stress about peeling all the apples perfectly-rustic is good.
• Mix your ingredients just until combined. No overthinking here.
• The key to a moist cake? Don't skimp on the apples.
• Let the cake cool just a bit before cutting. (It'll hold together better, and your kitchen will smell amazing.)

What if My Cake is Too Dry?

• Use light olive oil, or melted butter in the amount specified; don't reduce the fat, as this Italian apple cake relies on it for moisture.
• Use whole milk and make sure it's not low‑fat. You can also use yogurt.
• Avoid overbaking: start checking 5-10 minutes before the recipe time; the skewer should come out with a few moist crumbs, not bone dry.
• Do not pack in extra flour; spoon flour into the cup and level off, or weigh it if the recipe gives grams.

My apples disappear, sink, or stay hard

• Choose good baking apples that hold shape but soften (e.g., Fuji, Honeycrisp-type or similar; avoid very watery apples that break down into mush).
• Slice apples thinly and fairly evenly so they cook through in the same time as the batter.
• Toss sliced apples with lemon juice and a little sugar to keep them from browning and to boost flavor. This optional and I didn't do this.
• To stop all the fruit sinking, fold some apples gently into the batter and arrange some on top, pressing them just slightly into the surface.

Variations and substitutions

Toss in some walnuts or swap cinnamon for nutmeg. Serve it with ice cream or a simple dusting of powdered sugar-either way, it's dessert done right.

What kind of pan should I use?

I used bundt cake pan to make this italian apple cake. Alternatively, you can use 9 inch round cake plate or even a bread loaf pan!

This Italian Apple cake is perfect for dessert, afternoon tea and as a breakfast snack!

More International Apple Cake Recipes

• French Apple Cake
• Russian Apple Sheet Cake
• Easy Jewish Apple Cake
• Tarte Tatin with Brandy Caramelized Apples
• Instant Pot Apple Cake (video)

Savory Apple Recipes

• Pork Chops with Apples and Cider
• Dijon Mustard Brussels Sprouts with Apples