Lesya 
This apple cake is as easy to make as an omelet. My mom baked this dessert in a cast iron skillet like an omelet. And to me, this recipe resembles a soufflé omelet – a sweet variation of its savory counterpart. To prepare this homemade dessert you will need a couple of apples, eggs, a cup of flour, and sugar. That is why it was so popular in Ukraine – you can make this simple and yet tasty cake for family or friends in the blink of an eye.
Sharlotka apple cake is puffy and very light, with a texture that is slightly moist because of the apples. It tastes the best right from the oven, with coffee or tea. You can chill it or put leftovers in the refrigerator. However, most likely, there will be no leftovers after you try the first piece. Use any apples you have at hand. If they are sour, add a little more sugar. Sprinkle the top with walnuts or almond slices, maple syrup, or berries if you want to set up this simple cake for a better presentation. The taste is tender and sour-sweet. You don’t need to add anything to the batter except for, perhaps, a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg. The baked apples inside the cake do the main job!
“Sharlotka” Apple Cake
Equipment
- Springform cake pan
- food processor
- whisk
- spatula
- bowls
Ingredients
- 4 apples, peeled
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup white all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tspn vanilla sugar
- 1 tspn baking powder
- ½ tspn nutmeg or cinnamon optional
- 2 tbsp sliced almonds or pieces of walnut optional
- powdered sugar for dusting
- vegetable oil for brushing
Instructions
Method of Preparation
- Slice the peeled apples thinly. Brush the springform cake pan with vegetable oil. Place the apple slices at the bottom as if you were making a hand fan.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).
- Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, beat eggs with a whisk or with a fork. Add sugar and continue to beat the eggs with a mixer for 5 minutes.
- Gradually add flour, vanilla sugar, baking powder, and nutmeg and mix well. The batter will look like the one for pancakes, maybe a little bit thicker. No need to add more flour.
- With a tablespoon, cover the apples in the baking form with the batter. Spread the batter between the apples. Then sprinkle the top with pieces of walnut.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Put aside to cool.
- In about 20 minutes, remove the cake from the form, put it on a cake platter, and dust it with powdered sugar. It is optional, in this recipe we used walnut pieces to garnish.
Why Sharlotka Apple Cake is healthier than other cakes?
The Sharlotka Apple Cake is healthier than other cakes because it has no preservatives, butter or margarine, cream, or decorative non-edible products. For this homemade dessert we use simple products, such as eggs and apples. Check out our other recipes for homemade desserts: Pumpkin Pancakes, How to Make Nalysnyky (with cottage cheese) or How to make Ukrainian Hand Pies (Pyrizhky) with cherries or cottage cheese.
Conclusion:
Sharlotka Apple Cake is a healthier option for dessert because it contains only natural products. This homemade dessert can be prepared in 40 minutes and will still look and taste great. Its texture is moist and tender, and its taste is sour-sweet but can be modified by adding some spices. Follow the easy steps in our recipe, enjoy the cake, and let us know how you like it. All the best in 2023!
