Apple Sharlotka is such a popular dessert in Russia that virtually every household would have some version of it in rotation. Apple sharlotka is very light and airy dessert usually made without any butter. It gets its lightness from whipped eggs and technically doesn’t even need a leavening agent. I prefer to use just a touch of baking powder since whole grain flour tends to be heavier than the white one. The most important thing is to not over mix the batter when adding flour, otherwise this cake becomes tough and chewy from development of gluten.
Ancient wheat flours like einkorn and spelt work really well in this recipe. All whole grain and even sprouted flour works also.
Don’t let anyone tell you that you must use a certain variety of apples – anything goes. My mom used to add whatever fruit was in season, and when we had no fruit in the winter, she added peanuts. I like to add lemon zest and cinnamon. Zest adds more depth of flavor, and cinnamon is just made to go with apples! Apple sharlotka is very easy to make, and I just love the aroma that fills my house during baking.
And of course, nothing can compare to apples freshly picked by my little helpers!
HOW TO MAKE RUSSIAN APPLE SHARLOTKA
Ingedients
3 large eggs, or 4 small
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of one lemon
1 cup flour (I used 1/2 cup whole grain spelt flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose einkorn on the photos here. All whole grain flour works too)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons powdered cinnamon
2 medium to large apples, peeled, cored and diced (I have honey crisp on the photos here)
Powdered sugar/cinnamon for dusting finished cake
Equipment
9 inch cake pan
Parchment paper
Stand mixer with whisk attachment or electric hand mixer
Sieve
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan with parchment.
Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest in a bowl of a stand up mixer fitted with a whisk. Turn mixer to highest speed, mix until it becomes airy and fluffy, three minutes should do it.
Using a sieve, sift flour, baking powder and cinnamon straight into the egg sugar mixture.
With a spatula, stir until just combined, do not over mix (mixing too much would cause gluten development, which would lead to tougher cake).
Add apples and gently stir to coat them in batter.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool, run a toothpick around the edges, remove parchment paper.
Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon.
Russian Apple Sharlotka Recipe {with whole grain flour}
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs or 4 small
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 cup flour I used 1/2 cup whole grain spelt flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose einkorn on the photos here. All whole grain flour works too
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons powdered cinnamon
- 2 medium to large apples peeled, cored and diced
- Powdered sugar/cinnamon for dusting finished cake
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan with parchment.
- Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest in a bowl of a stand up mixer fitted with a whisk. Turn mixer to highest speed, mix until it becomes airy and fluffy, three minutes should do it.
- Using a sieve, sift flour, baking powder and cinnamon straight into the egg sugar mixture.
- With a spatula, stir until just combined, do not over mix (mixing too much would cause gluten development, which would lead to tougher cake).
- Add apples and gently stir to coat them in batter.
- Transfer batter to parchment-lined 9 inch cake pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool, run a toothpick around the edges, remove parchment paper.
- Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon.
