Sharlotka Apple Cake
Sharlotka is what we bake when a few tart apples are left in the bowl and we want cake within the hour. All the lift comes from eggs whipped with sugar into a thick, pale foam, while the apples underneath keep everything juicy. Our favourite part is the top, which cracks a little and sets into a thin, crisp sugar crust.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Rest
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 h 20 min
- Servings
- 8
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 255 kcal
Ingredients
Makes: 1 cake (24 cm / 9 in), 8 slices
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
-
Step 1: Prepare the tin
Heat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F), conventional setting. Line the base of a 24 cm (9 in) springform tin with baking paper and butter the sides.
-
Step 2: Slice the apples
Core the apples and cut them into wedges about 1 cm thick; there is no need to peel them. Toss with the cinnamon and set aside.
-
Step 3: Whip eggs and sugar
Beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high for 7–8 minutes. The mixture should turn almost white, triple in volume and fall from the beaters in a thick ribbon that sits on the surface for a few seconds.
-
Step 4: Fold in the flour
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the foam in three additions. Fold with a spatula, scooping from the bottom up, slowly and only until no dry streaks remain, so the foam keeps its air.
-
Step 5: Assemble the cake
Spread the apples evenly over the base of the tin and pour the batter over them. Give the tin a gentle shake so the batter settles between the slices.
-
Step 6: Bake the cake
Bake on the middle rack for 40–45 minutes, keeping the door shut for the first 25 minutes or the sponge may sink. It is done when deeply golden, springy to the touch and a skewer in the centre comes out dry.
-
Step 7: Cool and serve
Let the cake rest in the tin for 15 minutes, run a knife around the edge and release the ring. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Tips & variations
-
Tip
Choose firm, tart or sweet-tart apples: they hold their shape and balance the sweet sponge. Soft dessert apples collapse into purée in the oven.
-
Tip
If the top is browning too fast while the skewer still comes out damp, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the tin for the last 10–15 minutes.
-
Variation
Swap a third of the apples for pears, or add a handful of lingonberries or cranberries and use grated lemon zest instead of cinnamon.
-
Storage
Sharlotka is best on the day it is baked, but it keeps well, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 8 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 255 kcal | 2,040 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g | 40 g |
| Fat | 4 g | 32 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g | 400 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
Cooked it? Rate the recipe
No ratings yet — yours will be the first.
