Here’s a full, detailed recipe for Swedish Apple Cake (Äppelkaka) — a cozy, lightly spiced dessert that’s incredibly popular in Sweden. It’s moist, buttery, and filled with tender apples, often served with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla sauce.
🍏 Swedish Apple Cake (Äppelkaka)
Servings: 8–10 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40–45 minutes
🍎 Ingredients:
For the cake:
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1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
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3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
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2 large eggs
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1 1/4 cups (160g) all-purpose flour
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1 tsp baking powder
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1/4 tsp salt
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1/4 cup (60ml) milk or cream
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2–3 medium apples (firm, tart varieties like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and sliced thinly
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1–2 tsp cinnamon
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1 tbsp sugar (for sprinkling over apples)
Optional toppings:
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Pearl sugar or sliced almonds
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Powdered sugar (for dusting)
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Whipped cream or vanilla custard (to serve)
🧁 Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan or cake tin and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.
2. Prepare the apples
Peel, core, and slice your apples into thin wedges. Toss them in a small bowl with the cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Set aside to let them marinate a bit while you make the batter.
3. Make the cake batter
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes with an electric mixer). Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, and mix until just combined. Don’t overmix — the batter should be smooth and thick.
4. Assemble the cake
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Arrange the apple slices in a circular pattern on top of the batter, slightly overlapping them. If you like, sprinkle pearl sugar or sliced almonds over the top for a traditional Swedish touch.
5. Bake
Bake in the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown. If the apples start to brown too quickly, loosely cover the cake with foil during the last 10–15 minutes of baking.
6. Cool and serve
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10–15 minutes before removing the sides of the springform pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or vaniljsås (Swedish vanilla custard).
🍽 Tips & Variations:
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Spice it up: Add a pinch of cardamom or nutmeg for extra warmth.
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Apple variety: Tart apples like Granny Smith hold their shape well and offer nice contrast, but you can use sweeter apples like Fuji or Braeburn too.
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Make it gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
🇸🇪 What Makes It Swedish?
Swedish apple cake differs from American-style apple cakes in its simplicity and elegance. It typically has a moist, buttery base and a dense crumb, with the apples showcased on top rather than folded throughout. The use of pearl sugar or a hint of cardamom is also quite traditional.
Would you like a recipe for Swedish vanilla sauce (vaniljsås) to go wit