Super delicious and moist Apple Sponge Cake, also called Russian Sharlotka will become your new favorite apple dessert. It's so easy to make, topped with a sweet and crispy almond layer which literally melts in your mouth. Give this decadent fall treat a try and it won't disappoint!
If you love Russian cuisine, make sure to also try Russian Cottage Cheese Pancakes - Syrniki.
Apple Sponge Cake Recipe
Apple cake has always been a huge thing in Ukraine and Russia. Back in the beginning of 90s, in the era of widespread shortages and empty grocery stores, the most common types of desserts were made with the harvest crop.
Since apples were in abundance, homemakers always referred to apple sponge cake when they needed a quick and easy dessert idea.
I called my today's recipe an Apple Sponge Cake or Sharlotka. If you're familiar with Russian cuisine, you know that Sharlotka is extremely popular dessert and everyone can make it without even reading the recipe.
What I did differently to make it the Best apple cake ever?
Sharlotka is a very simple dessert which is usually made of sugar, eggs, flour and apples. Well, I took it up a notch and added a bit of sour cream into the batter for even more fluffiness. In addition, I topped my apple cake with a scrumptious layer or sliced almonds, that got caramelized in the oven and became crispy and simply irresistible.
I would say the batter for this cake resembles Sharlotka batter and the topping resembles another famous apple dessert - French Gâteau Invisible or invisible cake.
I think you won't mind, because the result will totally blow your mind. And I'm not exaggerating. I've been making this recipe for years and I can assure you that this is the best apple cake ever. Moist, sweet and really delicious!
It pairs wonderfully with a morning cup of tea or coffee, but can also be prepared the holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas.
How to make easy Apple Sponge Cake?
Slice the apples
Peel, core and quarter 4 large or 5 medium apples. Slice them thinly and place in a bowl while you make the batter.
Make the batter
In a large bowl add 3 eggs and ½ cup of sugar. Beat using a hand mixer until sugar dissolves. Add in 3 tablespoons of sour cream and beat again until it's fully incorporated into the batter.
In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Combine wet and dry ingredients
Add flour and baking powder mixture into the eggs and sugar and whisk until all ingredients are combined. Add 1 teaspoon of almond or vanilla extract and whisk everything once again. The batter will resemble a pancake batter.
Arrange apples in the pan
Cover the bottom of 9-inch springform pan with a parchment paper and grease the sides of it.
Arrange half of the apples in a circle so they overlap slightly. Pour half of the batter over the apples. Repeat the step with the apples and the remaining batter.
Bake
Bake in a preheated to 400 F oven for 25 minutes.
Prepare the almond crust
In a medium bowl whisk together 1 egg and ¼ cup of sugar. Add 3 tablespoon of melted butter and whisk again.
Remove cake from the oven, pour egg and sugar mixture over the cake, sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of sliced almonds and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Continue baking for another 10-15 minutes until crusty and golden-brown.
Which apples are best for Sharlotka?
Since apple cakes are generally quite sweet, I recommend choosing tart apple varieties that will balance out the sweetness of the cake. Here are some of my favorites:
- Granny Smith
- Pink Lady
- Mcintosh apples
- Cortland
- Honeycrisp
- Gala
- Fuji
How long will this cake last?
If stored properly, apple sponge cake will last anywhere form 4 days to 3 months depending on the method of storage.
Place slices of apple cake in the airtight container and store in a fridge for up to 4-5 days. I like these BPA-free storage containers.
You can also freeze the cake. Tightly wrap it in plastic or freezer-friendly zipper bag (these are my faves) and freeze for up to 3 months.
More easy apple desserts with fresh apples:
Healthy Baked Apples Ukrainian Style
Apple Sponge Cake
Ingredients
- 4 large apples
- 1 c all-purpose flour
- ½ c cane sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp almond extract you can replace with vanilla extract
For almond topping
- ¼ c + 1 tbsp cane sugar
- 3 tbsp butter melted
- 4 tbsp sliced almonds
Instructions
Slice the apples
- Peel, core and quarter 4 large or 5 medium apples. Slice them thinly and place in a bowl while you make the batter.
Make the batter
- In a large bowl add 3 eggs and ½ cup of sugar. Beat using a hand mixer until sugar dissolves. Add in 3 tablespoons of sour cream and beat again until it's fully incorporated into the batter.In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Combine wet and dry ingredients
- Add flour and baking powder mixture into the eggs and sugar and whisk until all ingredients are combined. Add 1 teaspoon of almond extract and whisk everything once again until no lumps remain.
- Arrange apples in the pan
- Cover the bottom of 9-inch springform pan with a parchment paper and grease the sides of it.Arrange half of the apples in a circle so they overlap slightly. Pour half of the batter over the apples. Repeat the step with the apples and the remaining batter.
Bake
- Bake in a preheated to 400 F oven for 25 minutes.
Prepare the almond crust
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together 1 egg and ¼ cup of sugar. Add 3 tablespoon of melted butter and whisk again. Remove cake from the oven, pour egg and sugar mixture over the cake, sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of sliced almonds and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Continue baking for another 10-15 minutes until crusty and golden-brown.
Remove cake from the pan
- Remove cake from the oven, let it cool and then run a sharp knife along the edges of the pan. Unlatch the pan and gently lift away the sides. Slide the cake onto a platter.
Nutrition
SL says
Very disappointing. Batter was too thick and did not spread well. Very bland and I added cinnamon.
Iryna says
SL, sorry the recipe wasn’t to your liking. I might give it a go again to see if anything needs tweaking.
This is a recipe that I love and make often and always have gotten great reviews for. Sorry again it wasn’t what you expected and I appreciate you sharing anyway!
Iryna says
Following up on my previous comment...I was wondering if you changed anything in the recipe and if you used a standard measuring cup for measuring out flour and sugar? I gave the recipe another try and as always it turned out great. Just like stated in the recipe card, the batter is supposed to be thick (almost like pancakes batter consistency).
I'm sorry you didn't like the taste of it. If you want to troubleshoot or have specific questions, feel free to drop me a line at [email protected]🙂