Polish Apple Cake – Szarlotka – Traditional Polish apple cake known as szarlotka. A delicious vanilla cake with a layer of apples can make any day so much better!
Szarlotka:
– 2 sticks of butter
– 1/2 cup sugar
– 5 eggs, separated
– 2 tsp vanilla extract
– 1 & 1/3 cup flour
– 1/3 cup cornstarch
– 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
– 1/8 tsp cream of tartar (or pinch of salt)
– 6 small or 5 large apples
– 3/4 cup water
– 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
– Icing sugar
Prepare apples:
Clean and core apples and cut them in small chunks.
Place apples in a small pot with water and lemon.
Cover it halfway with a lid.
Cook until soft.
Once cooked (glossy and soft), mash them with the fork. Cool it off.
Flour mixture:
In a bowl sift flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Divide flour into 2 portions (1/3 and 2/3 in size).
Egg white mixture: Whip egg whites with cream of tartar.
Fold in 1/3 portion of flour.
Egg yolk mixture:
In the mixer (with a paddle attachment) cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Then add egg yolks (one by one), and vanilla extract.
Mix in 2/3 portion of flour.
Combine whipped egg whites mixture with egg yolk mixture.
Using 9” square baking pan lined with a parchment paper, pour 1/2 of the batter on the bottom, place apples, and then pour the remainder of the batter on top. Bake at 350 for 45 min. Once the cake is cooled, sprinkle icing sugar on the top.
