Swedish apple cake is a delightful dessert that combines the best of pies and cakes. It features a soft, apple-rich sponge cake with a pie-crust bottom (and sometimes top), typically made using Granny Smith, Fuji, or Honeycrisp apples.
The cake is seasoned with warm fall spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom, and is often served with vanilla sauce or powdered sugar. Moist and tender, yet sturdy enough to hold the apples on top, which are cooked in cinnamon, sugar, and butter before being added to the cake. The result is a delicious cake with sweet, firm apple chunks and a flaky pastry crust.
Swedish Apple Cake Ingredients
– Butter – 1/2 cup of softened butter provided richness and moisture to the cake. Creaming it with sugar created a light texture.
– Sugar – The 1 2/3 cups of sugar not only sweetened the cake, but also helped with browning and added structure.
– Eggs – The 2 eggs acted as a binding agent, adding structure and stability. They also contributed to leavening and moisture.
– Vanilla – The 11⁄2 teaspoons of vanilla enhanced the overall flavor, adding a warm, aromatic note.
– Flour – The 11⁄2 cups of flour gave the cake structure and stability as the base of the batter.
– Baking soda – The 1 teaspoon helped the cake rise through the chemical leavening reaction with acidic ingredients like apples.
– Salt – The 1 teaspoon enhanced flavors and balanced the sweetness.
– Spices – Cinnamon and nutmeg added cozy, warm flavors that complemented the star ingredient – apples.
– Apples – The 3 cups of diced, peeled apples provided natural sweetness, moisture and tender bites throughout.
The perfect balance of these components resulted in a wonderfully moist and flavorful Swedish apple cake!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cups diced & peeled apples (about 2 large apples)
- Optional: 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
How I Made Swedish Apple Cake
Firstly, I preheated the oven to 350°F and prepared a springform pan by greasing it with butter.
After that, I creamed softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. This helped incorporate air into the batter.
Next, I added eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition to fully incorporate them.
Then, I gradually mixed in the dry ingredients like flour, baking powder and salt. I did this in batches alternating with milk so as not to overmix.
Following that, I pressed apple wedges evenly into the batter. The apples would add moisture and flavor while baking.
After adding the apples, I sprinkled a mixture of cinnamon and sugar atop the cake batter. This gave it a sweet and spicy touch.
Finally, I placed the prepared pan in the oven and baked for around an hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick came out clean.
Once cooled, I enjoyed slices of the moist, aromatic Swedish apple cake! The different components blended beautifully.