Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Torta di Mele (Apple Cake)
A rustic, moist, classic Italian apple cake. Loaded with fruit, lightly scented with lemon and vanilla, and perfect for breakfast.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 8 servings
- apples (Golden Delicious or similar)
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- eggs
- butter (melted)
- milk
- baking powder
- lemon (zest and juice)
- vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
Equipment
- Springform pan
- Mixing bowls
Instructions
- 1
Prep the Pan
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch springform cake pan.
- 2
Prepare Apples
Peel and core the apples. Slice two of them very thinly. Dice the remaining apples into small cubes.
- 3
Lemon Bath
Toss all the apple pieces in a bowl with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning and add tartness.
- 4
Beat Eggs and Sugar
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until pale and slightly thick.
- 5
Add Wet Ingredients
Mix in the melted (and slightly cooled) butter and milk until smooth.
- 6
Add Dry Ingredients
Sift in the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Fold gently just until combined.
- 7
Fold in Apples
Gently fold the diced apples (and their juices) directly into the batter. It will seem like there are too many apples, but that is correct.
- 8
Pour Batter
Pour the heavy batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- 9
Decorate Top
Arrange the thinly sliced apples in a decorative concentric circle pattern over the top of the batter.
- 10
Sugar Sprinkle
Sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over the sliced apples to help them caramelize.
- 11
Bake
Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- 12
Cool and Serve
Let the cake cool in the pan before removing. Dust heavily with powdered sugar and serve a slice with morning coffee.
Cooking Tips
- Do not skip the lemon juice on the apples; it brightens the flavor and contrasts beautifully with the sweet batter.
- The batter is intentionally very thick to support the large volume of fruit.
Variations
- Torta di Mele e Noci: Add half a cup of chopped walnuts to the batter for extra crunch.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Every Italian nonna has her own version of Torta di Mele, making it the ultimate comfort breakfast.
Nutrition Estimate
290 calories · 4g protein · 45g carbs · 10g fat · 2g fiber per serving
