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Layered Apple Cake Recipe

Name: Layered Apple Cake Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 15
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 6 eggs; ¾ cup of sugar; 1 tsp of baking powder; 1 tbsp of vinegar; ¾ cup of all-purpose flour; ¼ cup of potato starch; 3 ½ lbs (1 ½ kg) of apples; 2 packages of lemon jelly mix (galaretka); 2 packages of vanilla pudding mix; 3-4 cups of milk; 3-4 tbsps of sugar; 3-5 tbsps of cocoa to decorate; fruits/candies/nuts to decorate

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Sponge cake is one of the easiest cakes to make. In fact, you will find that this cake recipe is popular all around the world. The best part about the sponge cake recipe is its versatility.

In Poland, we have a version of it that uses apples to give the traditional recipe a unique twist. While many apple cakes around the world incorporate apple pieces in the dough, this cake is layered. The soft sweet layer is made with jelly and apples. A pudding layer is also used and it complements the apple taste well.

The best part about it? It does not matter if you are a novice or a seasoned baker, you will find that the recipe is extremely easy. The layers in the cake make it look really cool and are one of the reasons why it is loved by kids.

Why Use Apples?

You probably noticed that many of the Polish baking recipes use apples. Poland is the largest apple producer in the whole of the European Union. This means that we have fresh apples during the season. Since they are locally produced, apples are also cheap.

Those aren’t the only reason why apples are used in baking. Naturally sweet, apples add a lot of flavor to any dish. This is why most people reduce the amount of sugar that they add to desserts and cakes when they use apples. This makes the cakes much healthier.

Another reason why apples are used in baking is that they retain their structure when baked. Unlike many fruits, it does not release liquid during the baking process so the dough consistency remains perfect. Apples also caramelize well because of their natural sugars. All great reasons to use them for baking.

Apples are also considered the original superfood and are packed with antioxidants. They are also a great source of fiber which helps in gut motility. Pectin (a type of fiber) which is present in apples has been found to reduce cholesterol! The fruit is also loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Layered Apple Cake Recipe

Make And Bake The Sponge Cake

Part I – Preheat The Oven To 356°F

Preheating the oven is one of the most important steps when it comes to baking a cake. If the oven is too hot then the cake will burn at the top but not cook in the center. If the oven is too cold, the cake will not rise well. Preheating makes sure that the temperature is perfect for the spongy texture.

Part II – Bring The Eggs To Room Temperature

For this recipe, it is essential that the eggs are at room temperature. You can do this by placing them in a bowl of warm water. It takes about 5 minutes for this. You can skip this step if your eggs were not refrigerated.

Part III – Mix The Flour, Potato Starch And Baking Powder

Use a large mixing bowl for this step. Add in ¾ cup of all purpose flour, ¼ cup potato starch and 1 tsp of baking powder. Sift this mixture. This will ensure that all the ingredients are evenly distributed. It also incorporates air into the mixture. This gives the sponge cake a light and airy feel. It also helps remove any lumps that may be present in the flour.

Part IV – Separate The Whites From The Egg Yolks

Use 6 eggs for this step. Gently separate the whites and the yolks.

Part V – Whip The Egg Whites Till They Make A Solid Foam

Part VI – Add Sugar Slowly

Slowly start adding 3/4 cup of sugar to the whipped egg white. Make sure to keep mixing as you add in the sugar.

Part VII – Add In Vinegar and Egg Yolks

Add in 1 tbsp. of vinegar and mix. Then add in the egg yolks. Make sure to add in one yolk at a time and mix.

Part VIII – Add In The Flour Mixture

Now it is time to add in the flour mixture. Make sure to set your mixer to its lowest setting. Add in a little flour mixture at a time and continue to mix till it combines. Continue till the flour mixture is finished.

Part IX – Bake The Sponge Cake

Use a 8” round pan for this part of the recipe. You can grease it with butter or oil. You could also choose to line it with parchment paper. This will ensure that the cake does not stick to the bottom of the pan when baking. It also makes it very easy to remove.

Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes.

Part X – Throw The Cake Upside Down Right After Baking

Immediately after the cake has been baked, turn the baking pan over and remove the cake. Let it rest till it has cooled. Once the cake is completely cooled, cut it horizontally and set it aside.

Prepare The Apple Layer

Part I – Prepare The Apples

This recipe requires 3 ½ lbs (1 ½ kg) of apples. Peel, core, and dice the apples.

Part II – Fry Them Until Soft

Part III – Add Lemon Jellies

Add in 2 packages of the lemon jelly mix. Keep mixing until it dissolves. Set aside and allow the mixture to cool. This will be used as the apple layer at a later stage.

Prepare The Pudding Layer

Use the 2 packets of vanilla pudding mix for this step. Follow the instructions on the box. In order to make the pudding thicker, add 1 cup of milk less than the instructions.

Assemble The Cake

This step is not as complicated as it looks. All you have to do is add everything in the right order. Assemble the Layered Apple Cake Recipe in the following order:

sponge cake
pudding layer
apple layer
sponge cake
a thin layer of pudding
cocoa
candies/fruits/nuts as decoration

The layered Polish sponge cake with apples. — Layered Apple Cake Recipe.

FAQ About The Layered Apple Cake Recipe

Why Do You Need To Warm The Eggs To Room Temperature?

Cold eggs do not whip well. In order to get a nice airy texture to the Polish sponge cake, you need the egg whites to form a nice firm peak after whipping. The only way to get this is to ensure that the egg is at room temperature. There are two ways to do this. One is to remove the eggs a couple of hours in advance. The other way is to soak them in warm water for around 5 minutes.

Can Sponge Cake Be Stored In The Refrigerator?

Sponge cake can be stored in the refrigerator for a week. This however is the sponge cake without the pudding and apple layers. The pudding has a shorter shelf life of two to three days.

You can also freeze the sponge cake. It remains great frozen for as many as 4 months. The trick to using a frozen sponge cake is to defrost it slowly in the fridge. You can then assemble the layers of apple and pudding after it has defrosted.

What Other Easy Sponge Cake Recipes Can Be Made At Home?

As mentioned before, sponge cake is one of the easiest things to make at home. There are numerous Polish sponge cakes that you can try. Here are some recipes.

Yield: 15 pieces

Layered Apple Cake Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Additional Time 50 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

6 eggs
¾ cup of sugar
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tbsp of vinegar
¾ cup of all-purpose flour
¼ cup of potato starch

Apple Layer

3 ½ lbs (1 ½ kg) of apples
2 packages of lemon jelly mix (galaretka)

Others

2 packages of vanilla pudding mix
3-4 cups of milk
3-4 tbsps of sugar
3-5 tbsps of cocoa to decorate
fruits/candies/nuts to decorate

Instructions

Make And Bake The Sponge Cake

Start with baking the sponge cake. Preheat the oven to 356°F.
Bring the eggs to room temperature by putting them inside the bowl with warm water. Keep them there for 5 minutes. If the eggs are already warm, go to the next step.
Mix the flour, potato starch, and baking powder in the bowl. Sift the mixture to make sure there are no lumps.
Separate whites from egg yolks.
Whip egg whites until they make a solid foam.
Start adding sugar slowly, mixing all the time.
Add vinegar and egg yolks, one by one, mixing all the time.
Using the slowest speed of mixer or a spoon, start adding the flour mixture. Make sure you do it slowly and gently.
Place the dough in the 8'' round pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Throw the cake upside down right after baking and wait until it's completely cold, then cut it in half, horizontally.