Swedish Apple Cake (Äppelkaka)

Method5 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Preheat to 350°F / 175°C; grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan with separate pan supplies. Peel, core and cut the apples into ½-inch wedges. Heat only the 2 tbsp topping butter in a skillet; sauté the apples 5–8 minutes until lightly caramelized. Add the 3 tbsp topping brown sugar and cinnamon (1 teaspoon); cook 1 minute until dissolved and coated. Set aside the apples AND keep the butter-sugar liquid left in the skillet for the later glaze.

   Sauté apples 5–8 minutes then coat with sugar 1 minute · 9 minUses A little butter or oil for greasing the cake pan · A little additional flour for dusting the cake pan · 3 medium granny smith apples (peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch thick wedges (about 1 pound)) · 2 tablespoons unsalted butter · 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar · 1 teaspoon cinnamon

2. 2

   Step 2: Whisk the cake’s all-purpose flour (1 cup), baking powder (1 teaspoon), salt (½ teaspoon) and cardamom (½ teaspoon) in one bowl. Whisk both cake sugars (¾ cup)—the ¾ cup granulated and ¼ cup brown sugar—with the two eggs in another. Slowly whisk in the separate 6 tbsp melted and cooled cake butter (6 tablespoons), then sour cream (¼ cup) and vanilla (1 teaspoon). Fold in the dry mixture only until the batter comes together.

   Uses 1 cup all-purpose flour (5 ounces) · 1 teaspoon baking powder · ½ teaspoon fine salt · ½ teaspoon ground cardamom · ¾ cup granulated sugar · ¼ cup packed light brown sugar · 2 large eggs · 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

3. 3

   Step 3: Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Arrange the prepared apple wedges in two concentric circles, touching without overlapping; leave their skillet butter-sugar residue for glazing. Bake at 350°F / 175°C until golden and a centre toothpick is clean or has just a few moist crumbs. Begin checking around 30 minutes as the card states; the article allows up to 40–50 minutes, so follow the doneness endpoint.

   Check from 30 minutes; bake until clean or few-moist-crumb test · 50 minUses Mixed apple cake batter · Sautéed cinnamon apple wedges, skillet syrup reserved

4. 4

   Step 4: Add about 2 tsp water to the reserved butter-sugar liquid in the apple skillet. Warm over medium heat 1–2 minutes until syrupy, then brush this glaze over the baked cake, especially the apples.

   Warm reserved apple syrup for glazing · 2 minUses Baked apple cake · Reserved butter-sugar liquid from sautéing apples · About 2 tsp water for the reserved apple-pan glaze

5. 5

   Step 5: Cool the glazed cake on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.

   Minimum apple cake cooling time · 20 minUses Glazed apple cake