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Traditional Swedish Apple Cake (Äppelkaka)

A close-up, appetizing shot of a single slice of swedish apple cake with visible layers of baked apple slices and a caramelized topping.
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This recipe for Swedish Apple Cake, or Äppelkaka, delivers a moist, tender cake filled with the warm flavors of cinnamon and cardamom. It is a simple, rustic Scandinavian dessert perfect for family gatherings or a cozy afternoon treat.

Ingredients

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  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 medium apples (like Honeycrisp or Gala), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons coarse sugar, for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom. Set this dry mixture aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined; do not overmix the batter.
  6. Toss the thinly sliced apples with the lemon juice in a small bowl to prevent browning.
  7. Spread half of the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Arrange half of the lemon-tossed apple slices over the batter. Top with the remaining batter, and then arrange the remaining apple slices decoratively on top.
  8. Sprinkle the coarse sugar evenly over the apples on top of the cake.
  9. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  10. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before inverting it onto the rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • For an extra cozy dessert, serve this moist apple cake warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
  • You can substitute the cinnamon and cardamom with 1 1/2 teaspoons of apple pie spice blend if you prefer.
  • This rustic apple cake pairs wonderfully with your afternoon coffee or tea.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cutcooktaste.com/swedish-apple-cake-recipe-easy-moist/