Apple and cinnamon cake/apple and strawberry cake
Apple and cinnamon cake is perfect for a weekend when you want a homemade dessert without much effort. The dough comes together quickly, and the apples are sautéed just enough to soften slightly and infuse the cake with flavor. The result is a fluffy base with chunks of apples and a bit of syrup absorbed by the semolina. You can also make it with a mix of apples and strawberries if you want to use seasonal fruit. Quick Info Total time: approximately 1 hour, not including complete cooling time; this is an estimate, as the preparation time is not specified in the original recipe Preparation time: approximately 15-20 minutes, estimated Baking time: 40-50 minutes Servings: number not specified; the cake is cut into generous squares Difficulty: easy Recipe type: homemade fruit cake, suitable for the weekend Ingredients For the dough 4 eggs 1 pinch of salt 1 and a half cups of sugar 150 ml of milk 100 g of melted and cooled butter 2 cups of flour 1 teaspoon of baking powder 1 teaspoon of lemon zest Vanilla extract For the apple filling 6-7 apples 50 g of butter 3-4 tablespoons of sugar 1 teaspoon of cinnamon Rum extract 3 tablespoons of semolina For the pan and finishing A bit of butter for greasing the pan A little cinnamon for sprinkling on top Powdered sugar, after baking Preparation method 1. Prepare the apples Peel the apples and remove the cores, then cut them into small cubes. They don’t all need to be perfectly equal, but very large pieces will take longer to soften during sautéing. Place 50 g of butter in a large saucepan and let it heat up. Add the apples and sauté them briefly, then add the sugar, rum extract, and cinnamon. Keep the saucepan on the heat until the apples start to soften slightly. They should not be turned into a puree. It’s enough for them to be tender on the outside and release a bit of juice. Finally, add the 3 tablespoons of semolina and stir. The semolina will absorb some of the juice released by the apples, allowing it to remain in the cake without making the dough too soft. Turn off the heat and let the filling cool. 2. Prepare the dough Crack the eggs into a bowl and add the salt. Add the sugar and whisk the mixture until it starts to foam. Pour in the melted and cooled butter, then add the milk. It’s important that the butter is not hot when you add it to the eggs. Mix the flour with the baking powder. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest to the liquid mixture, then gradually incorporate the flour. Stir gently until you have a smooth dough. 3. Prepare the pan Grease a pan of about 30 x 40 cm with butter. The original recipe uses a fairly high glass dish, which results in a taller cake. Pour the dough into the pan and level it out gently. If the apple filling is still hot, let it cool a bit before adding it on top of the dough. 4. Add the apples and bake the cake Place the apple pieces over the dough using a spoon. Also, add the remaining juice from the saucepan, distributing it as evenly as possible. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top, then place the pan in the oven. Bake the cake for about 40-50 minutes. Since the type of oven and the height of the pan can influence the baking time, check the cake towards the end of the interval. When it’s baked, remove the pan and let the cake cool. After it cools, dust the surface with powdered sugar and cut it into generous squares. Why I make this recipe often It’s a simple cake with ordinary ingredients and no complicated preparation. The apples don’t need to be turned into a fine filling, and the dough is mixed in a single bowl. Additionally, the recipe can be easily adapted based on the available fruits. The version with apples and strawberries is one of the combinations I’ve tried in the same cake. The base remains fluffy, while the sautéed fruits give it a moister and more flavorful texture. It’s better after it has cooled enough to be cut cleanly. Tips Let the melted butter cool before adding it to the egg and sugar mixture. Hot butter can affect the composition. The apples are sautéed just enough to soften slightly. If you cook them too much, they may lose their shape, and the filling will become too soft. The semolina is added at the end, after the apples have released juice. Its role is to absorb the liquid, not to thicken the filling completely. Distribute the apples with a spoon so that they cover as much of the surface of the dough as possible. There’s no need to incorporate them into the dough. For cutting, it’s better to wait until the cake has cooled. While it’s warm, the fruit layer is more delicate, and the squares may break apart. Substitutions The apples can be replaced or combined with other fruits, as mentioned in the basic recipe. The tried version is the one with apples mixed with strawberries. If using apples and strawberries together, keep the same idea for preparing the fruits: the apples are sautéed, and the strawberries can be added to the fruit mixture. Since the source does not specify a separate quantity for strawberries or a different cooking time, they should be used according to the total amount of fruit and the juice released. Variations The simplest variation is the cake with apples and strawberries. The apples provide the specific texture of the filling, while the strawberries change the taste and aroma. You can keep the same dough base and just change the fruits used without modifying the quantities of the other ingredients. In all variations, the semolina remains useful when the fruits release a lot of juice. For a more pronounced flavor, maintain the combination of cinnamon for the apples and rum extract in the filling, while using vanilla and lemon zest in the dough, as the recipe specifies. Serving ideas Serve the cake cold, dusted with powdered sugar. It can be cut into large squares, as described in the original recipe. It’s suitable as a simple weekend dessert or alongside coffee and tea. No additional toppings are needed, as the fruits and syrup absorbed by the semolina ensure the cake’s moist texture. Frequently asked questions Can a different size pan be used? Yes, however, the recipe is presented for a pan of about 30 x 40 cm, preferably quite high. In a smaller pan, the cake will come out taller, and the baking time may differ. In a larger pan, the layer of dough will be thinner. Why is semolina added to the apples? The semolina absorbs some of the juice released by the apples during sautéing. This way, the filling remains sufficiently moist but not overly liquid. Can I skip sautéing the apples? The recipe uses sautéed apples in butter with sugar, cinnamon, and rum extract. This step helps soften the apples and allows the semolina to absorb the liquid, so it’s recommended to keep it. When is the cake dusted with sugar? After the cake has cooled. If you add powdered sugar while it’s hot, it may melt on the surface. Can apples be mixed with strawberries? Yes. This combination has been used for the recipe. However, the exact quantity of strawberries is not specified, and the fruits may release more juice, so the consistency of the filling should be monitored, and semolina should be used for absorption. Nutritional values The values below are estimates. They depend on the size of the apples, the brand of ingredients, the amount of sugar used for the fruits, and the number of squares cut. The estimate assumes approximately 16 servings. Per serving: Calories: approximately 280-330 kcal Protein: approximately 4-5 g Carbohydrates: approximately 42-48 g Fat: approximately 11-14 g Fiber: approximately 2-3 g Most of the carbohydrates come from flour, sugar, and fruits, while the fats primarily come from butter and eggs. The values do not include any differences resulting from the amount of powdered sugar sprinkled at the end. Storage and reheating After cooling, keep the cake covered. For safer storage, especially if it’s warm in the kitchen, keep it in the refrigerator and take out pieces before serving. The cake can be eaten cold, without reheating. If you prefer it not to be cold, let the portion sit at room temperature for a few minutes. No actual reheating is necessary, and excessive heating can make the fruit layer too soft. Tags: apple cake, cinnamon cake, strawberry cake, fruit dessert, homemade cake
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