Sharlotka brings memories of chilly but sunny autumn days in upstate New York, when we would pick apples at my parents house. The crisp air filled my senses with the sweetness of the apples. Bees would be buzzing around the apples that had fallen to the ground. We filled up our baskets and pockets with apples of all kinds – yellow, red and green. There’s nothing like taking a bite from an apple that you had just picked right off the branches a minute ago.
We made Sharlotka almost every day. As the days grew cooler, the warm cake-like apple dessert was especially satisfying with a glass of milk or some tea.
Sharlotka is a Russian apple dessert that we call an apple pie, but it’s definitely not like the typical American apple pies. It’s more like a cake. Most recipes for Sharlotka use a sponge cake batter (бисквит), using only eggs, sugar and flour, but our family has always made it just a little bit differently. With the addition of sour cream and baking soda, I like this version a lot, since it makes the cake a little bit more moist. The batter itself isn’t too sweet, and in combination with the sour apples, it’s the perfect union.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. You can also use a baking spray instead of the butter/oil and flour. Spray the top of the parchment paper also.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together until they are pale yellow and foamy.
Add the sour cream to the batter. Dissolve the baking soda in vinegar and add to the batter also. Mix to combine.
Add the flour to the batter and mix just until the flour is incorporated.
Meanwhile, peel the apples and cut into small, thin pieces. Add the apples to the prepared cake pan.
Pour the batter over the apples and distribute evenly over the top.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, until the sharlotka is golden, or when a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.
Run an offset spatula or butter knife around the edges of the cake pan. Flip the cake over onto a cooling rack. The parchment paper will peel right off.
Flip it over right side up. Allow it to cool for about 15 minutes. Place the sharlotka onto a serving platter. Dust with confectioner’s sugar. You can also sprinkle it with a bit of cinnamon if you like.
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda, dissolved in ½ teaspoon vinegar
- 1½ cups flour
- 5 large apples, (I like Granny Smith)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease and flour a 10 inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. You can also use a baking spray instead of the butter/oil and flour. Spray the top of the parchment paper also.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar together until they are pale yellow and foamy.
- Add the sour cream to the batter.
- Dissolve the baking soda in vinegar and add to the batter also. Mix to combine.
- Add the flour to the batter and mix just until the flour is incorporated.
- Meanwhile, peel the apples and cut into small, thin pieces.
- Add the apples to the prepared cake pan.
- Pour the batter over the apples and distribute evenly over the top.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, until the sharlotka is golden, or when a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.
- Run an offset spatula or butter knife around the edges of the cake pan.
- Flip the cake over onto a cooling rack. The parchment paper will peel right off.
- Flip the cake over right side up. Allow it to cool for about 15 minutes.
- Place the sharlotka onto a serving platter. Dust with confectioner’s sugar. You can also sprinkle it with a bit of cinnamon if you like.
Yum – this looks/sounds delicious! I am definitely going to try this out in the next few days. Do you just use regular all purpose flour? Thanks!
Regular all purpose flour is perfect.
Everyone I know bake this kind of apple cake. My friend here brings it to every potluck we have, my sister in Idaho makes it, and even my mom in Missouri… it must be the very famous thing to bake this time of year. I love your recipe with adding sourcream. I will have to try it.
ps: have you tried browning your butter? I found this intersting recipe, and thought that maybe you will like it too…
http://www.cheeseslave.com/browned-butter-and-cardamom-carrot-pudding/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Cheeseslave+%28CHEESESLAVE%29
Thank you so much for posting the recipe!!! I will definitely try it out and tell you how it goes!!
This might sound like a dumb question, but did you actually cut out that circle of parchment paper to fit the pan? If so, what’s the easiest way to cut it?
Hi Tanya,
The easiest way to cut out the parchment paper is to lay the baking pan on top of the parchment paper, trace it with a pen or paper and cut it out.
I usually just put the rectangular piece in and then when the pan is full cut the excess pieces off
happymedley.blogspot.com
Just made this & my WHOLE family loved it!! It was soo easy to make and yet it tasted so great! Thank you so much for the recipe, Olga!
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know:).
I start making your pie and got to the point were is nothing written about how much butter it needs to be added.
olesya,
There is NO butter in this Sharlotka. The only reason you would use butter is to grease the pan, otherwise, there is no butter in the actual batter.
After you add the flour, do you mix it with the mixer or with a spatula? When I made this pie, the dough didn’t go through the apples much if you know what i mean. When it was done, the apples were on the top with some dough in between and the rest of the dough was a seperate layer. On the picture you have i see that appleas are throught the cake (top and bottom) after its done.
We recently bought a big box of apples and its a good way to use them. I made this pie before, really yummy. Making 2 of them today, one for us and one to give away to another family. The timers going off, the pies are ready now actually. Can’t wait until they cool, so I can bite into it.
sounds yum do you think you could substitute the flour with almond meal
Hi Anne!
I don’t know anything about substituting almond meal for flour. I’ve never tried it myself. I think it would make the cake dense and hard.
Great recipe – tastes pretty good. I do have a question. Was “5 large apples” a typo? After I cut up 5 large apples (not really thinking about it) there was enough apples for at least 4 of the pies……… I will know better for next time and just cut it directly into the baking dish…….
Olga M,
I actually always use 5 apples. You need a large amount for this sharlotka. If you don’t like using so much apples, you can certainly use less.
Hi! I was wondering if it would be ok to add a certain kind of jam along with the apples. I read a recipie that used Blackcurrent jam and it looked absolutely delicious. Do you think it would work in your recipie as well?
You know, Anna, I’ve never heard of using jam in Sharlotka. If you try it out, let me know what you think.That’s a very interesting idea. I really like Black Currant jam.
thanks, Olyga! the best recipe of sharlotka!
but i used less apples and a cup of sour cream. turned out great.
P.S. great blog!