Torta di Mele (Italian apple cake)

November 10, 2017 Published by Dina

I would probably choose an apple dessert over chocolate. Did I lose you already? Hang in there. I love the contrast of sweet and tangy and the freshness that apples add to a dessert. When I have a chocolate dessert, I prefer it with a raspberry sauce, a cherry or some other fruity relief to provide contrast and context. Not that I can’t gorge on pure dark chocolate alone, I can do that well, but when it comes to desserts it’s apple all the way. I believe my son is the same when it comes to desserts, the apple does not fall far from the tree.

This means that I make a lot of apple desserts and I am on my third one this week alone. This particular cake has an Italian heritage, hence its name Torta di Mele (apple cake). It is made with a lot of apples and not much batter, just enough to bind the apples and suspend them in deliciousness. Leave it to the Italians when it comes to food. I am sure there are many versions of this dessert out there. If you have a good one, please share.

Enjoy, but this cake is best the day it is made.


Torta di mele


Recipe adapted from Judith Barrett

Ingredients:


2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons cream
2 eggs

3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sugar

3 large apples
Juice from 1 lemon

Butter for the pan

Powdered sugar for sprinkling over the prepared cake


Directions


Melt butter in a small dish in the microwave, cool down and then add cream and eggs. Whisk to combine.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar in a small bowl.

Core the apples, cut in quarters then peel.

Slice each quarter horizontally into thin slices. Place in a bowl with lemon juice and a little water to prevent the apples from oxidizing.

Butter an 8″ cake pan with removable bottom. Line the bottom with a round of parchment and butter the parchment.

Add the flour to the egg mixture and mix to combine.

Pour the batter over the apples and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Pour the apple batter into the prepared pan.

Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 35-40 minutes until cake is nice and golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Carefully invert the cake onto a plate and then invert again so it is right side up.

Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar.

Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. This cake is best the same day it is made. Keep leftovers in the fridge


Torta di mele (Italian apple cake)


 



 

2 Comments

  • Annie says:

    I will definitely try this! I agree with you on the apple cake. Have you used the Classic German Baking by Luisa Weiss cookbook yet? It is totally divine. So many amazing recipes and a window into German baking which is less sweet than American baking and more focused on fruit.

    • Dina says:

      Annie, hi, so nice to hear from you, hope all is well. Thank you for the book recommendation, i was just looking for a Getman apple cake recipe, will probably find it there. Ciao.