Swedish Äppelkaka Recipe
A cosy apple cake for autumn afternoons.
There’s something special about a dessert that doesn’t ask for perfection — just a bowl of apples, a warm oven, and the patience to enjoy a slice slowly with coffee. Äppelkaka, or Swedish apple cake, is one of those bakes. It’s rustic, homey, and endlessly forgiving.
This version is a simple light sponge topped with thinly sliced apples and a dusting of cinnamon sugar. Perfect for fika, teatime, or as a gentle way to use up apples on the verge of going soft.
👉 Curious about the origins of äppelkaka and why it’s such a beloved Swedish bake? Read the full story here.
Tip:
Tart apples like Granny Smith work well, but Swedish varieties such as Aroma or Ingrid Marie are even better if you can find them.
Ingredients
- 125g unsalted butter, softened
- 100g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 150g plain flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp demerara sugar (or caster sugar)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (fan) or 190°C (conventional).
- Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Fold gently to combine, then add the milk and mix until smooth.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
- Arrange the apple slices in overlapping circles on top of the batter.
- Mix the demerara sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle over the apples.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a skewer comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Serve warm or at room temperature — with a spoonful of vanilla custard, if you like.
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