Sharlotka

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Grease a small 15-16 cm round cake tin or loaf tin with butter and dust lightly with flour, tapping out any excess so the cake releases cleanly.

2. 2

   In a bowl, toss the sliced apples with cinnamon, 10 g sugar, and lemon juice until evenly coated. Let them sit while you make the batter; this lightly seasons the fruit and helps prevent browning.

3. 3

   In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, 80 g sugar, salt, and vanilla extract for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is pale, thicker, and falls in ribbons. This aeration gives a light sponge, so do not rush this step.

4. 4

   Sift in the 70 g flour and baking powder. Fold gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain; overmixing will deflate the batter and make the cake dense.

5. 5

   Spread about half of the apple mixture in the prepared tin. Pour over the batter, then arrange the remaining apples on top, pressing them in lightly so they are partly submerged. This helps distribute the fruit through the cake while leaving a pretty top.

6. 6

   Bake for 28-30 minutes until the cake is golden, springy in the centre, and a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. If the top browns too quickly, lay a loose piece of foil over it for the final minutes.

7. 7

   Rest the sharlotka in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out or serve warm from the tin. Slice and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For the best texture, use firm tart-sweet apples such as Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Jonagold.
• •If you like, dust the finished cake lightly with a little extra cinnamon sugar before serving.
• •This small-format sharlotka is ideal for 2 generous servings or 4 small tea portions.
• •Do not overfill the tin; the batter rises around the apples and needs a little headroom.

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