Apple Sharlotka Cake #TheCakeSliceBakers

Each month The Cake Slice Bakers are offered a selection of cakes from the current book we are baking through. This year it is The European Cake Cookbook by Tatyana Nesteruk*. We each choose one cake to bake, and then on the 20th - never before - we all post about our cake on our blogs. There are a few rules that we follow, but the most important ones are to have fun and enjoy baking & eating cakes! 

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest pages where you can find all of our cakes, as well as inspiration for many other cakes. You can also click on the links below to take you to each of our cakes. If you have a blog and are interested in joining The Cake Slice Bakers and baking along with us, please send an email to thecakeslicebakers at gmail dot com for more details. 

The Cake Slice Bakers also have a new Facebook group called The Cake Slice Bakers and Friends. This group is perfect for those who do not have a blog but want to join in the fun and bake through this book.

The September 2019 selections were...

Apple Sharlotka Cake

• Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• My Recipe Reviews
• Amandie Bakes

Strawberry Verdens Beste

• Camille Cooks

Apricot Mousse Cake

• All That's Left Are The Crumbs

Italian Coconut Creme Cake

• A Little Bit of All Right 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Oven Delights

Apple Sharlotka Cake

makes one 8" cake + 2 cupcakes

This recipe is slightly adapted from the original because the proportions and instructions, as written, didn't work for me. Also, it made an 8" pan completely overflow. So, round two, I filled it where I knew it wouldn't overflow and used the extra batter to make two cupcakes. And I added some spices that weren't in the original because I love the combination of apple cake and warm Autumn flavors.

Ingredients

• 16 ounce cottage cheese
• 1/2 C butter, softened
• 1 C organic granulated sugar
• 1 t pure vanilla paste (extract works, too)
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 C milk (reduced from the original 1 C)
• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 3 t baking powder (reduced from 4 t)
• 2 C peeled, diced apples (she wrote 2 apples, but mine were small, so I used four) + a few slices for the top
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t ground cardamom
• 1/2 t ground ginger 
• powdered sugar for serving
• Also needed: 8" baking pan, parchment paper

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 335 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Drain the cottage cheese, just through a mesh strainer - no need to wring it dry, in my opinion. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the vanilla. Then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour in the milk and whisk until smooth.

Sift in the flour, baking powder, and spiced. Mix lightly until just incorporated. Fold in the cottage cheese and apples. 

Pour the batter into the lined baking pan and top with sliced apple. Bake for an hour or until the top is set. If not done after an hour, check back at five minute intervals. Remove the cake to a wire rack and let cool.

When it's just barely warm to the touch, remove from the pan and dust with powdered sugar.

Serve slices plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a truly decadent Fall dessert.

*This blog currently has a partnership with Amazon.com in their affiliate program, which gives me a small percentage of sales if you buy a product through a link on my blog. It doesn't cost you anything more. If you are uncomfortable with this, feel free to go directly to Amazon.com and search for the item of your choice.