Apple Sharlotka: Easy Russian Apple Sponge Cake
Just four main ingredients: eggs, sugar, flour and apples. A tender, fragrant cake on the table within the hour.
Sharlotka is the cake to make when friends drop by unexpectedly. You almost always have the ingredients, and preparation takes just 15 minutes.
Why sponge cakes sink
- The eggs weren’t whisked for long enough.
- The flour was mixed in with the beaters.
- The oven door was opened too early.
Avoid these three mistakes and your cake will be tall and airy.
Nutrition
Per serving (≈ 120 g). Approximate values.
How to make it
4 steps · start a timer right inside a step
Prepare the apples
Core the apples and slice them thinly; there is no need to peel them. Toss with the cinnamon. Butter a 22–24 cm tin and line the base with baking paper.
Whisk the eggs
Beat the eggs and sugar on high speed for 7–8 minutes until pale, tripled in volume and falling from the beaters in a thick ribbon. This is the key to a light, airy sponge.
Fold in the flour
Sift the flour with the baking powder and fold it in with a spatula in three additions, using a gentle bottom-to-top motion. Don’t use the mixer or the foam will collapse.
Bake
Spread the apples in the tin and pour the batter over. Bake at 180°C for 35–40 minutes without opening the door for the first 25. It is ready when a skewer comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes and dust with icing sugar.
Cook’s tips
- 1Room-temperature eggs whip up better.
- 2Add a handful of raisins or walnuts to the apples.
- 3Let it cool in the tin for ten minutes before turning out.
- 4Slice your apples into thin, uniform half-moons rather than large chunks to ensure they soften completely while the delicate sponge sets around them.
Serving & storage: Serve warm with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream or thick sour cream to balance the sweetness of the apples. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or refresh individual slices by warming them briefly in a low oven.
Best apples to use
Choose tart, firm varieties such as Granny Smith or Bramley. Sweet apples turn bland and mushy when baked.
The takeaway
Sharlotka is beauty in simplicity. Serve it warm with a spoonful of sour cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
