🍏 Swedish Apple Cake (Äppelkaka)
🍽️ Servings: 8
⏰ Prep Time: 15 minutes
⏱️ Bake Time: 40–45 minutes
🥄 Skill Level: Easy–Medium
📝 Ingredients
For the Cake:
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3 large apples (preferably tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
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1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
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1 ½ tsp baking powder
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¼ tsp salt
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½ tsp ground cinnamon
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½ tsp ground cardamom (optional but traditional and adds lovely aroma)
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¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
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½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
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2 large eggs
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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½ cup (120ml) milk (whole or 2%)
For the Topping:
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2 tbsp granulated sugar
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1 tsp ground cinnamon
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Optional: Sliced almonds or chopped walnuts for extra crunch
🍳 Instructions
🔪 Step 1: Prepare Oven & Pan
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Grease and flour a 9-inch (23cm) round springform pan or a deep pie dish.
🍎 Step 2: Prepare the Apples
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Peel, core, and slice the apples into thin, even slices.
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Toss apple slices with a little lemon juice if you like to prevent browning.
🥣 Step 3: Mix Dry Ingredients
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In a medium bowl, whisk together:
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Flour
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Baking powder
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Salt
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Cinnamon
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Cardamom (if using)
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🥄 Step 4: Mix Wet Ingredients
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In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and melted butter until combined.
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Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
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Stir in vanilla extract.
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Gradually add the flour mixture alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth but don’t overmix.
🧁 Step 5: Assemble the Cake
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Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
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Layer half of the sliced apples on top of the batter.
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Pour the remaining batter over the apples and spread gently.
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Arrange the remaining apple slices on top in a pretty pattern, slightly pressing them into the batter.
🍯 Step 6: Add the Topping
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Mix the topping sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
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Sprinkle evenly over the apples.
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Optionally, sprinkle sliced almonds or chopped nuts over the top.
🔥 Step 7: Bake
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Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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If the apples or topping brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil halfway through baking.
🌿 Step 8: Cool & Serve
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Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.
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Remove the springform ring if used.
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Serve warm or at room temperature.
🍦 Serving Suggestions
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Dust with powdered sugar.
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Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
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Drizzle with caramel sauce for extra indulgence.
🔄 Tips & Variations
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Use different spices like nutmeg or ginger if you want to experiment.
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For a denser cake, use less milk or swap for sour cream or yogurt.
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Add raisins or dried cranberries in the batter for extra texture.
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For gluten-free, substitute flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
