The Apple Slice That’s Always a Winner – Easy & Delicious
This apple slice is a bakery-style classic — buttery base, spiced apples, and a sweet almond glaze on top. It’s a recipe I’ve made countless times, and it always disappears quickly! Whether you try the classic version or the almond-meal variation, it’s simple, delicious, and easy to make gluten-free. If you love apple desserts, you might also enjoy my German Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting — another favourite that uses plenty of apples.
Original recipe inspiration: Apple Streusel Bars on Just a Pinch
The Apple Slice That’s Always a Winner
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 12 slices
A bakery-style slice with a buttery base, spiced apples, and a sweet almond icing. Includes a gluten-free swap and an almond-meal variation.
Ingredients
Classic Base & Crumb
- 2 cups plain (all-purpose flour) 300 g
- ½ cup sugar 110 g
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup cold butter, diced 240 g
- 1 egg beaten
Apple Filling (both versions)
- 600-800 grams thinly sliced apples (Use 600g for a firmer slice, or up to 800g for a softer, more pudding-like result — especially with juicy apples)
- ½ cup sugar 110 g
- ¼ cup plain flour 35 g
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
Almond-Meal Base & Crumb (Variation)
- 1 cup plain flour 150 g
- 1 cup almond meal 120 g
- 1/2 cup sugar 110 g
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 140 g cold butter, diced 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon AU (heaped 1/2 cup)
- 1 egg beaten
- Optional A handful of chopped natural or flaked almonds for sprinkling on top
Icing
- 2 cups icing sugar, sifted (320g)
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp cream or 4 tbsp half-and-half
- 1 tsp almond extract optional, gives a bakery-style flavour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to Fan 160°C/320°F, or Conventional 180°C/350°F. Line a 24 × 35 cm or 9 × 13-in baking pan with baking paper, I like to spray a little oil first, so the baking paper sticks.
Classic base & crumb
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Rub in the cold butter until crumbly with small flecks of butter.
- Stir in the beaten egg and mix well.
- Press ⅔ firmly into the pan, reserving ⅓ for the topping.
Almond-meal variation
- Mix flour, almond meal, baking powder, sugar and salt.
- Rub in cold butter until crumbly. Stir in the beaten egg and mix well.
- Press ⅔ firmly into the pan, reserving ⅓ for the topping.
Apple filling
- Toss sliced apples with sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Spread evenly over the base.
Add the topping
- Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over the apples.
Bake
- Bake for 50–65 minutes, until the top is golden and the apples are tender when tested with a skewer (see Notes).
- Allow to cool completely before icing.
Make the icing
- Sift icing sugar, then add milk, cream, and almond extract; stir until smooth.
- Spoon into a plastic sandwich bag and snip a tiny corner off. Drizzle over the cooled slice in both directions. Let set for 10–20 minutes before slicing.
Slice & serve
- Once the icing has set, cut into bars or squares with a sharp knife. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Video
Notes
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of plain flour in the classic version.
- Fruit: Pears make a delicious alternative to apples.
- Apples: Granny Smiths hold their shape best, but any variety works well.
- Icing: If you don’t like the flavour of marzipan, leave the almond extract out, or use just ½ teaspoon for a milder taste. You can also halve the icing recipe if you find the full amount makes too much.
- Butter tips: My method is rubbing the butter into the flour with my fingertips. Alternatively, you can use a pastry blender, freeze the butter for 10 minutes and grate it in, or gently pulse it a few times in a food processor.
- Baking time: All ovens vary. The slice generally takes 50–65 minutes. Start checking at 45 minutes and continue baking until the apples are tender and the top is golden. If baking two pans at once, allow extra time and rotate trays halfway: tent with foil if browning too quickly.
Very similar to our German recipe which also includes baking powder and 1/2 c milk. We also use sour cherries sometimes and ….. yum!!!!!!!
Ooh that sounds delicious with sour cherries, I’ll have to try this with the cherries, thank so much for the idea.
Looks easy and delicious!
Thank you so much, yep, you’re right very easy & yum.
Hi Lee, this looks amazing. Did you cook the apples first. Sometimes apples don’t fully bake to a nice soft filling as the picture shows here.
Can’t wait to try this!
Hi Janet, no I don’t cook the apples first, I just slice them thinly and cook in a slower oven for longer, they work out great like that, nice and soft, I have a video on it if you would like to watch. I hope you enjoy this when you make it.
I made this tonight with einkorn flour. Turned out great! Thank you for the recipe!
Oh, that’s wonderful, thanks so much for letting me know, I really have to check out that einkorn flour, it looks so good, and good for you.
Was the einkorn freshly milled?
Another beautiful recipe of yours that cooked up perfectly. I had a little trouble with the icing. I don’t think the ratios were quite right. I halved to 1 cup icing sugar, 1 tbsp milk, 1 tbsp cream and a tiny bit of almond essence and it was way too dry. I ended up adding an extra 3 tbsp of cream. This made the right consistency for piping and the exact right amount for the slice and firmed up fine. I froze half the slice, so hoping it will be just as nice defrosted.
Realised why the icing was not right. I accidentally bought icing mixture not pure icing sugar.
Oh, that makes sense, but icing sugar mixture usually works fine too — that’s actually what I use most of the time. Pure icing sugar can make the icing set a little firmer, but both give great results. 😊
This was delicious and so simple to make!
My only issue was with the icing – I can’t have dairy so I swapped the milk and cream out for oat milk, and it was way too runny. I added mre powedered sugar and it thickened up a bit but still wasn’t the right piping consistency. I will have to play around with the quantities next time I make this.
Oh, thank you — I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Yes, just a touch of oat milk would probably work better next time. I hope the icing turns out perfectly for you then. 😊
Hello Lee
Just wanted to give you a big thank you for adding the conversion measurements to this delicious apple cake, your the best🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💙💙🇺🇸🇺🇸👍🏻👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Barbara
Aww thank you, Barbara — my pleasure 😊 I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for letting me know.
If you use the 800 grams of apples, would the other ingredient amounts increase or would they stay the same?
No, I don’t increase the other ingredients — just be aware that the extra apples will make the slice a little softer 😊 I hope that helps.
I made this slice today as I had some apples to use up, and it was amazing! Such a lovely combination of textures and flavours with its short, buttery base and smooth lightly-spiced apple. Definitely a winner. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe, Lee!
I’m so glad it turned out beautifully for you. I agree, it’s such a lovely combination of textures. Thank you so much for letting me know, it means a lot.
Warmly, Lee.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! You mentioned it freezes well… I wonder about making a larger batch, possibly in sheet pans (18x26x1 inches)? Would appreciate your thoughts, thanks again!
Hello Fey, yes, I have doubled this recipe before, but I made it in two trays. I do think a large sheet pan should work though. You may just need to keep an eye on the baking time if the slice is a little thinner. This recipe freezes well too. I usually unwrap it while it’s still frozen and defrost it on a little rack at room temperature so the air can circulate and it doesn’t become too wet. I hope that helps. Warmly, Lee.