Russia · Sweet Dishes

Sharlotka — Russian Apple Sponge Cake

The Russian home cake that appears the moment apples come into season: a whisked sponge poured over sliced apples and baked until golden.

55 min✻8 servings✻245 kcal
Sharlotka — Russian Apple Sponge Cake

Ingredients

  • eggs4
  • granulated sugar200 g
  • plain flour160 g
  • apples500 g
  • vanilla1 tsp
  • baking powder (optional)1 tsp
  • salt1 pinch
  • powdered sugar1 tbsp

Method

  1. 1Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 22–24 cm round tin.
  2. 2Peel and core the apples, slice thin, and spread them over the base of the tin.
  3. 3Whisk the eggs with the sugar 8–10 minutes until pale, tripled in volume, and thick enough to leave a ribbon. Mix in the vanilla.
  4. 4Sift the flour with the salt (and baking powder if using) and fold in gently, in two or three additions, keeping the air in.
  5. 5Pour the batter over the apples and level the top.
  6. 6Bake 35–40 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
  7. 7Cool in the tin, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.