This recipe was my reward for taking the time to organize a big folder of loose recipe clippings. It’s for Swedish Apple Cake — or better yet, Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Swedish Apple Cake. The recipe is from a clipping out of House Beautiful. A friend gave it to me in 2016, and I’d planned on making it soon thereafter, but it got lost in the shuffle.
Anyhow, I’m so glad I found the recipe because I now have two great Swedish cakes in my repertoire. The Tosca Cake, which is topped with almonds, and this cake topped with and filled with fresh apples.
Like the Tosca Cake, the Swedish Apple Cake is baked in a 9 inch round cake pan. It’s a pleasure to make, from sifting the flour to peeling the two big apples. Here’s what it looked like before going in the oven.
And here it is right after it came out!
The top photo shows it dusted with sugar, but after sitting for an hour some of the sugar sank around the apples changing the appearance.
In the magazine article Marcus Samuelsson says his mother used to keep one of these cakes in the refrigerator and one in the freezer, so this one will go in the freezer for now.
Marcus Samuelsson’s Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs panko works just fine
- 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 160 grams
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar !00 grams
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar !00 grams
- 2 large Granny Smith apples
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons I used salted butter at room temperature (plus more for pan)**
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla optional
- 2/3 cup half& half or use a mixer of whole milk and cream
- 2 teaspoons confectioners sugar or more
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch round springform pan very generously with butter, then coat with breadcrumbs.
- Thoroughly mix or sift together the flour and baking powder
- Mix together the granulated and brown sugar and set aside.
- Peel and core the apples, then slice one apple into 16 wedges. Toss the apples with 1/3 cup of sugar mixture and the cinnamon.
- Dice the remaining apple. If the second apple is very large you can use all of it or measure out 1/2 cup chopped.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and remaining brown sugar mixture until light, creamy and fluffy. Add the egg and mix just until blended, then reduce speed of mixer and add the vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture and the half & half alternately, stirring until well blended, then stir in the chopped apples.
- Pour batter in the pan and spread evenly. Arrange 14 apples slices around the outer edge of the pan and place the two remaining wedges in the enter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely.
- When the cake is cool, dust it generously with powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar).
Anna
Whipped cream makes everything better.
Sue
There was some leftover whipping cream in my refrigerator so I whipped it up with a little powdered sugar and a little cinnamon and served it on top. I wouldn’t hesitate to do that again if I had leftover whipping cream in the fridge. The cake is really nice without it though.
Anna
Sue, thanks for trying it! This is one I made back in Chicago, but I think I need to try it again with North Carolina apples ;). I might throw in some cardamom as well.
Sue
This is extremely easy to make and it turned out great. It has a lightness to it and the apples and cinnamon are really nice with the cake part. I didn’t use the breadcrumbs. I can’t imagine that really makes much difference?
Sue
What coincidence. Last night I was explaining to my husband who Marcus Samuelsson is. I would love to try this cake.
T. Martin
Will be interested to know how this cake will stand up after freezing…