Dessert📍 All of RomaniaMedium🥗 Vegetarian🐟 Pescatarian💪 High-protein

Apple cake

Name: Apple cake
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 6 h
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 5 eggs; 180 g sugar; 150 g flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 50 ml neutral vegetable oil; a pinch of salt; 1 kg Golden or Jonagold apples (peeled and cored); 80 g brown sugar; 50 g butter; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 sachet vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract); 500 g mascarpone, room temperature; 300 ml cold whipping cream (minimum 35% fat); 100 g icing sugar, sifted; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp powdered gelatine + 2 tbsp cold water (optional, for stability); 150 ml water; 80 g sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; ½ tsp cinnamon; 1 red or green apple for decorative slices; ground cinnamon for dusting; walnuts or flaked almonds, optional; neutral glaze or honey for glazing (optional)

Apple cake is one of the most beloved home desserts in Romania, made with light vanilla and cinnamon sponge layers soaked with syrup, filled with caramelised apples and a delicate vanilla cream. The warm notes of apple, cinnamon, and vanilla make it equally suited to family gatherings and special occasions. The flavour rounds out after a few hours in the refrigerator as the sponge absorbs the cream and filling.

🍽️

Servings

⏱️

Prep

60 min

🔥

Cook

25 min

⏰

Total

5–6 h (cu răcire și frigider) / 5–6 h (with cooling and chilling)

🥘Ingredients

servings

Cinnamon sponge

Caramelised apple filling

Vanilla mascarpone cream

Soaking syrup

Decoration

📝Preparation steps 🗓️Add to Meal Planner 🎨Serving & Presentation

✅Dietary Compatibility

🥗Vegetarian🐟Pescatarian💪High-protein

🍽️

Yield

1 cake 22–24 cm, approx. 12 slices

📦Storage

❄️

Refrigerator

Store covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. The flavour improves after 24 hours.

🧊

Freezer

Baked and cooled sponge layers (unassembled) can be frozen for up to 1 month, tightly wrapped in cling film. The apple filling can be frozen separately. Thaw at room temperature before assembling.

🥗Nutrition Facts

Values per slice (approx. 120 g)

🔥

Calories

380 kcal

🥩

Protein

6 g

🧈

Fat

22 g

🍞

Carbohydrates

42 g

🌾

Fiber

2 g

🍷Pairs Well With

🥂Café au lait or cappuccino

🥂Cinnamon tea or apple tea

🥂Dry or semi-dry apple cider

🥂Semi-dry white wine (Fetească Regală, Riesling)

💡Variations

Apple salted caramel cake: add a layer of salted caramel sauce between the sponge layers and the apple filling for extra complexity

Apple walnut cake: add 80 g ground walnuts to the sponge and sprinkle coarsely chopped walnuts into the caramelised apple filling

Apple cream cheese cake: replace the mascarpone with well-drained cottage cheese mixed with whipped cream and icing sugar for a lighter, more tangy version