Apple Sharlotka (Russian Apple Sponge)
The cake of every Russian kitchen — barely more than eggs, apples and a little flour, puffed high and golden. Traditionally heavy with sugar; mine leans on the apples' own sweetness and a spoon of honey.
Why you'll love this recipe
- An old world recipe, made the way it always was
- Not one spoon of refined sugar
- Sweetened with real honey
- Makes enough for 8
- Easy, with clear steps and nothing fussy
What you'll need
Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.
- 4 medium tart apples (Antonovka or Granny Smith), peeled and sliced
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (120 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice (for apples)
How to make it
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9-inch springform pan.
Toss sliced apples with lemon juice and half the cinnamon; arrange in the pan.
Beat eggs with honey on high 5–7 minutes until pale, thick and tripled — this is the whole leavening, so do not skip it.
Add vanilla. Sift in flour, baking powder, remaining cinnamon and salt; fold gently to keep the air.
Pour batter evenly over the apples.
Bake 38–42 minutes until deep golden and springy. Cool, then invert or serve as is.
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Storage
Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.
Questions about this recipe
Is Apple Sharlotka (Russian Apple Sponge) really made without refined sugar?
Yes. All the sweetness comes from honey - there is not one spoon of white sugar in it. That is the whole point of how I cook.
How long does Apple Sharlotka (Russian Apple Sponge) keep?
Kept covered in the fridge it holds for three to four days. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months - hold back any fresh topping until just before serving.
How many does Apple Sharlotka (Russian Apple Sponge) make?
This makes enough for 8. It scales cleanly, so use the 1x / 2x / 3x buttons on the recipe card if you need more or less.
Apple Sharlotka (Russian Apple Sponge)
The cake of every Russian kitchen — barely more than eggs, apples and a little flour, puffed high and golden. Traditionally heavy with sugar; mine leans on the apples' own…
Ingredients
- 4 medium tart apples (Antonovka or Granny Smith), peeled and sliced
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (120 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice (for apples)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9-inch springform pan.
- Toss sliced apples with lemon juice and half the cinnamon; arrange in the pan.
- Beat eggs with honey on high 5–7 minutes until pale, thick and tripled — this is the whole leavening, so do not skip it.
- Add vanilla. Sift in flour, baking powder, remaining cinnamon and salt; fold gently to keep the air.
- Pour batter evenly over the apples.
- Bake 38–42 minutes until deep golden and springy. Cool, then invert or serve as is.
