Dec 4, 2021

Eplekake

Deliciously fragrant eplekake recipe (Norwegian apple cake) that is great to have on hand when friends come calling.

Naturally, the best time to use apples is when they are in season. They are at their peek in freshness and flavour making all those apple recipes taste even better and more memorable. One of those apple recipes I remember fondly from my youth is eplekake.

Eplekake is a delicious Norwegian apple cake that is perfect for entertaining guests. It's very easy to make, and can be frozen so it's always ready to enjoy.

My version isn't entirely authentic as I try to replace much of the sugar required with a natural sweetener. This lowers the calories per serving, but if this isn't a concern, I've included the alternate ingredients below as well.

Serve à la mode when warm, or drizzled with my homemade vegan salted caramel sauce.

Ingredients

(Makes 8 servings)

4 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and sliced (or Granny Smith)
3 tablespoons (47g) demerara sugar (or golden monk fruit sweetener)
2 tablespoons (5.3g) ground cinnamon
1 scant cup (200g) plant-based butter
1 cup (200g) monk fruit sweetener (or granulated sugar)
4 large eggs
1, 1/3 cups (170g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (4.8g) baking powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Prepare a 9-inch (25.4cm) springform pan with a thin coating of cooking spray. Set the springform pan on a parchment-covered sheet pan (to catch any batter leakage). Set aside.

Once the apples are peeled and cored, cut them in half then slice them into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add them to a large bowl and sprinkle with the demerara sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat the apple slices evenly. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add the butter and sweetener and beat with an electric mixer until it becomes creamy. Beat in one egg at a time ensuring they are fully incorporated before the next is added.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture, stopping when just incorporated (do not overmix).

Pour half of the batter into the springform pan. Lay half of the apple slices in overlapping rings to cover the pan. Pour the remaining batter over the apple layer then with the rest of the apples repeat the overlapping rings to cover the top.

Transfer the springform pan, on top of the sheet pan, into the oven and bake for about an hour or until a toothpick stuck into the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before serving warm or allow it to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. This cake can also be cut and frozen for several months.

Optional: If served warm, try it à la mode, or drizzled with my homemade vegan salted caramel sauce. Can be decorated with powdered sweetener or sugar, or crushed nuts.