 Apple cake | |
| Course | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Flour,butter,sugar,apples |
Apple cakes are cakes in whichapples feature as a main flavour and ingredient. Suchcakes incorporate apples in a variety of forms, including diced, pureed, or stewed, and can include common additions likeraisins,nuts, and 'sweet'spices such ascinnamon ornutmeg. They are a common and popular dessert worldwide, thanks to millennia of apple cultivation inAsia andEurope, and their widespread introduction and propagation throughout the Americas during theColumbian Exchange and colonisation. As a result, apple desserts, including cakes, have a huge number of variations.
Apples are also used in other cakes to add moisture and sweetness, often as a partial substitute for refinedsugar.
Regions of Great Britain and Ireland have the ideal climate for apple growing, making apple cake a common dessert with many regional varieties throughout. However, it is in the traditionally agriculturalWest Country ofEngland that apple cakes have been raised as culinary symbols of their counties, such asDorset apple cake,[1]Devonshire apple cake, andSomerset apple cake.[1] They are characterised by the use of wholemeal flour and often a combination of dessert apples andBramley apples, and are typically served warm with cream or custard, or more rarely, with cheese.[citation needed]
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Apple is a common fruit in German baking. TheVersunkener Apfelkuchen (sunken apple cake) is an apple cake that has apples halves, usually peeled andhasselbacked, sunk into the sponge cake batter.[2]Apfelkuchen mit Hefeteig (apple cake with yeast dough) combines apples with a rich yeast dough, like a traditionalcoffee cake.Apfelstreuselkuchen (apple streusel cake) is a sheet cake with apples andstreusel over the top.[2] AnUnsichtbarer Apfelkuchen (invisible apple cake) pairs a large volume of thinly sliced apples with just enough thin batter to retain the shape of the cake after baking.[2]
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An apple cake calledszarlotka orjabłecznik is a common traditional dessert inPoland, made from sweet pastry crust and spiced apple filling. It can be topped withkruszonka (crumbles), meringue, or a dusting of caster (powdered) sugar. An additional layer ofbudyń (a Polish variation of custard) can sometimes be found. In restaurants and cafes, it is usually served hot with whipped cream and coffee.[citation needed]
InScandinavia, apple cakes are typically prepared from sour apples and baked in a dough made from sugar, butter, flour, eggs, and baking powder. The cake is then topped with apples, cinnamon and sugar, sometimes also chopped almonds. Apple crumble pie is also common. In Sweden and Norway it's usually served lukewarm with whipped cream, custard (vanilla sauce) or vanilla ice cream.[3]
An apple cake calledtarte tatin is an upside down apple pie, very popular inFrance. According to theLarousse Gastronomique, it was created by the sisters Tatin and democratized in theirrestaurant "Lamotte-Beuvron" in the 19th century.[4]
This apple pie is actually a derivative of an old Solognese speciality with apples or pears. It has existed for a very long time, and the recipe was passed down from mother to daughter.[citation needed]
Traditionally the bottom of the pan is generously lined with butter and a layer of granulated or powdered sugar is added.[citation needed]
On top of this mixture, apple wedges are placed and sugar is sprinkled on it. A shortcrust pastry thinly arranged is placed on the apples. The cake is served hot, often with a ball ofvanillaice cream.[5][better source needed]
Dorset apple cake.
