Äpplekaka: Swedish Apple Cake

Äpplekaka means Apple Cake in Swedish, and it is so simple to make. Just prepare the batter, add some apples, bake, and voila! You have the perfect autumnal snacking cake.

Swedish Origins 

I originally got this recipe from my Swedish grandmother. Although I don’t recall her making it, she mentioned it was a favorite, so I had to give it a try. The first time I made it, I found it a bit plain. It was essentially cake with apples— not very sweet and lacking that extra something, in my opinion.

I Love Fall 

Being the Basic B that I am, I decided to add some warm fall spices. Nothing brings me more joy than the arrival of fall: the vibrant leaves, the crisp air, apples, candles, and Taylor Swift songs playing on repeat (she’s great all year round, obviously, but she really hits in the fall). In this cake, I’ve included cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom. Cardamom isn’t typically found in fall spice mixes, but it complements the cake beautifully, and a Swedish cake wouldn’t be complete without it. The ginger in the recipe is dried and ground, but fresh ginger would also be delightful. Feel free to add nutmeg or allspice if you enjoy them. The spices are purely for extra flavor, so use what you prefer and have on hand. Alternatively, you can skip them altogether and try the original version.

Apples 

When selecting apples for this cake, choose varieties that retain their shape well when baked. Granny Smith, Fuji, and Honeycrisp apples are all excellent choices. Personally, I like to cut the apples into thick slices, but this is not a strict rule. Dicing them is also an option. Just ensure that the pieces aren’t too large, or they won’t cook through. Keep the dice size smaller than a centimeter.

Äpplekaka, Swedish Apple Cake, is perfect as a snacking cake. It’s easy to eat, easy to serve, and delicious at any time of day or night.

Print Recipe

ÄPPLEKAKA | Swedish Apple Cake

This cake is perfect as a snacking cake. It’s easy to eat, easy to serve, and delicious at any time of day or night. It is especially delicious in the fall when apples are at their peak.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 150 g sugar
• 120 g flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100 g melted butter
• 2 apples
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp cloves
• ½ tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375F/180C. Grease a springform pan thoroughly, ensuring you cover the corners and sides.
• Crack the eggs into the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the sugar and whip on high speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
• While the egg and sugar mixture is whipping, prepare the apples. Fill a bowl with cold water and add half a lemon to create an acidulated water solution. Peel the apples and place them in the acidulated water as you go to prevent browning. Cut the apples into chunks and return them to the lemon water.
• Once the egg and sugar mixture is light and fluffy, sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, and salt directly into the bowl. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the mixture until there are no longer any streaks of flour.
• Stream in the melted butter and fold it in gently until well combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Pat the apple slices dry and press them into the batter. You can create a pattern if you like, but keep in mind that the cake will rise around the slices, so the pattern won’t be visible.
• Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until the cake turns golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Once the cake is out of the oven, run a small knife or offset spatula around the edge to loosen it. Release the sides of the springform pan and allow the cake to cool.
• Once cooled, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.

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