Swedish Apple Dumpling Cake (Appelkäka)

By norsegal8

This is a cross between a cake, a dessert and a coffeecake. It is an interesting blend of almonds and apples in both flavor and texture.

Ingredients

• ICING:
• 4 large, tart cooking apples, pared
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• zweiback crumbs, vanilla wafer crumbs or fine, dry breadcrumbs
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds, ground or pulverized
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Preparation

Step 1

Cut the pared apples in half lemgthwise. Cut out the core and stem ends and scoop out the seeds using a melon baller or a round measuring spoon.

In a saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup sugar, water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the apples. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to simmering and cook for 8 minutes until the apples are just barely tender.

Butter a 9-inch square cake pan and dust it heavily with zweiback crumbs, vanilla wafer crumbs or breadcrumbs.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the apples and put them with their cut sides down in the cake pan.

Separate the eggs and, with a hand mixer, beat the whites until stiff. Set aside.

In another bowl, without washing the beaters, cream the butter and 2/3 cup sugar. Add the egg yolks, ground almonds, flour and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Mixture will be stiff. Blend in the egg whites and spread the mixture over the apples in the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden.

While the cake bakes, mix the icing ingredients. Drizzle the hot cake with the icing.