Description
Grandma’s classic Swedish Apple Cake brings Nordic comfort straight to kitchen counters, celebrating simple ingredients and generations of delicious tradition. Warm cinnamon-spiced apples nestled in buttery crumb create a delightful dessert you’ll want to share with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 cups diced & peeled apples
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
Cake Dry Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Cake Wet Ingredients and Topping:
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Topping:
- 1 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons half & half
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Calibrate the oven to 350F (175C) and meticulously coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray or butter.
- Sift the dry ingredients including flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a compact mixing vessel.
- Cream butter and sugar in a spacious mixing bowl until achieving a silky, uniform consistency. Incorporate eggs individually, ensuring thorough integration after each addition. Infuse with vanilla extract.
- Gently fold dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, maintaining a delicate touch to prevent overmixing. Carefully incorporate chopped apples and optional nuts, distributing evenly throughout the batter.
- Delicately transfer the batter into the prepared springform pan, ensuring smooth, even distribution.
- Position the pan in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, monitoring for golden-brown coloration and consistent texture.
- Simultaneously, craft the caramel sauce by combining brown sugar, half & half, and butter in a compact saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring consistently until achieving a glossy, smooth liquid consistency.
- After 30 minutes of initial baking, extract the cake and generously drizzle the prepared caramel across the surface.
- Return the cake to the oven, allowing an additional 10-15 minutes of baking until the caramel develops subtle crackling and the cake exhibits complete structural integrity.
- Remove from oven and permit the cake to cool for a minimum of 15 minutes, allowing structural stabilization before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Swap out regular flour for gluten-free alternatives like almond or oat flour to make the cake suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Choose overripe, soft apples for maximum natural sweetness and easier mixing into the batter.
- Keep an eye on the caramel topping during the final baking stage to prevent burning, as it can quickly go from golden to scorched.
- Add a sprinkle of sea salt over the caramel for a delightful sweet-and-salty flavor contrast that elevates the cake’s complexity.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Swedish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 303 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 174 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg