The classic apple cake is a timeless staple of home baking: fragrant, soft, and made with lots of juicy apples.
The most commonly used varieties are generally Renette, Fuji, and Golden, perfect because they maintain their texture during baking and offer a balanced aroma between sweetness and acidity.
In this version, the apples appear both in the batter, sliced to make the cake moist and soft, and on the surface to create a simple yet very inviting decorative effect.
Once the cake has completely cooled, it is traditional to sprinkle it with a dusting of powdered sugar; those who like it can also add a pinch of cinnamon, which enhances the aroma of the cake and makes it even more enveloping.
There are countless variations of apple cake, and often every family jealously guards its own recipe, handed down over time and considered unbeatable. Some love more rustic versions, others prefer soft and light batters, some add raisins, pine nuts, lemon zest, or yogurt to give the cake a unique character.
Personally, I favor very soft cakes, rich in apples and with a slightly buttery texture, those that release an irresistible fragrance during baking and offer a full and velvety bite.
After all, apple cake is a dessert known and appreciated all over the world.
In the United States, for example, the “apple pie” has become a true national symbol: the dough is often enriched with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger, and the dessert is served warm, accompanied by vanilla cream or a generous scoop of ice cream.
Every culture offers a variation, but everywhere the same spirit is found: a simple, welcoming dessert that feels like home.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 351.00 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 47.44 (g) of which sugars 32.45 (g)
- Proteins 5.34 (g)
- Fat 16.29 (g) of which saturated 10.11 (g)of which unsaturated 6.08 (g)
- Fibers 3.23 (g)
- Sodium 75.09 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 120 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.6 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar (plus 4 tablespoons)
- 3/4 cup butter
- 4 eggs (large)
- 1 packet baking powder
- 1 packet vanillin
- to taste table salt
- 2.2 lbs apples (Fuji)
- lemon juice (from half a lemon)
- to taste powdered sugar
- to taste ground cinnamon
Tools
- Electric Whisks
- 3 Bowls
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Spatula silicone
- 1 Sifter for flour
- 1 Baking Pan non-stick springform pan dia. 24 cm
Steps
To make the classic apple cake, start by lining the bottom of a non-stick springform pan with parchment paper.
Butter and flour the sides.
Sift both the flour and the baking powder.
In a saucepan, melt the butter over very low heat, without letting it fry.It is advisable to stir it very often during this phase.
Wash and peel the apples, cutting them into many slices.
Place them in a bowl, adding the filtered juice of half a lemon and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Gently stir and cover with plastic wrap.
Separate the yolks from the whites and beat the latter until stiff with an electric beater.
Similarly, mix the yolks well with the sugar and vanillin.
To the yolk mixture, add the melted butter (keeping aside the equivalent of 2 tablespoons for the surface of the cake). Continue to work.
Next, incorporate, always with the whisks, the flour and baking powder.
Add the beaten egg whites, mixing with the help of a spatula.
Finally, distribute a pinch of salt in the obtained mixture and then more than half of the apple slices, making sure to remove the liquid first.
Once a homogeneous batter is obtained, pour into the pan and level.
Insert the remaining apple slices on top and then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Bake in the central part of the preheated static oven at 356°F for about an hour.
Halfway through baking, if the surface of the cake is already golden brown, cover with parchment paper topped with aluminum foil.
Before removing from the oven, perform the toothpick test.
However, consider that it will always come out a little moist from this cake; the important thing is that it does not have dough residues attached and that stability is felt in the structure of the cake.
The classic apple cake is now ready.
Let it cool before removing from the mold.
Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon.
Storage
At room temperature, under a glass dome, for 2 or 3 days at most.
