Apple cake with lemon and cardamom (äppelkaka med citron och kardemumma)

The flavour of apples is so good cooked in a cake. This is my favourite apple cake recipe. What makes it so special is the combination of cardamom and lemon. It’s also wonderfully moist. It will keep well for up to a day.

• serves

  8

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 150 g unsalted butter, chopped, softened
• 220 g (1 cup) raw sugar
• 2 eggs
• 150 g (1 cup) plain flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 60 ml (¼ cup) pouring cream, plus extra, to whip
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 3-4 red apples
• 2 tsp cardamom pods
• shredded coconut, for coating

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and coat the base and sides of a 20 cm round cake tin with coconut. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, whip the butter and 165 g (¾ cup) sugar until light and airy. Add the eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition. Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl, then fold into the butter mixture. Fold in the cream and lemon zest, then spoon into the prepared tin.

Using a mortar and pestle, grind the cardamom, then combine with the remaining 55 g (¼ cup) sugar.

Core and cut the apples into thin wedges, then toss to coat in the cardamom sugar. Arrange the apples on top of the batter. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Meanwhile, whip the extra cream.

Serve the cake with the whipped cream.

Recipe from Homegrown Swedes by Sanna Fyring Liedgren, with videos and photographs by Oscar Liedgren.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.