Desserts in Estonia, as already mentioned, are characterized
by original flavors and unconventional combinations of products.
In addition to the usual cinnamon buns, shortbread biscuits
and berry jams, Estonian desserts include sweet soups, which are available in many
different variations.
One of the most famous desserts is bread soup, which is made
from stale bread soaked in water, with sultanas and whipped cream.
No less popular among locals is berry soup, which is made of
various berries with honey and nuts.
Tourists visiting Estonia should also try the favorite
Christmas biscuit of Estonians – piparkook. Its distinctive feature is a large
amount of cinnamon.
Special attention should be paid to original Estonian sweets
filled with mint, nuts, coffee or liqueur.
In addition, lovers of sweet desserts can try in Estonia
whipped manna mousse made of fruit juice, apple casseroles and sour cream with
whipped cream.
You can try the national cuisine of neighboring Latvia at
one of the Lido chain restaurants in Riga. Pork ribs and ears, peas with
spaetzle, etc.
Estonian Apple Cake
A simple, rustic apple cake made from scratch in just one bowl with so many fresh apples, you'll be wondering if they're too many. The old-fashioned cake itself is moist and scented with cinnamon, the topping is thin and crackly-sweet.
If our apples are local, let our inspiration be global.
Egg Just one egg, it helps give the cake structure. It's listed first in the ingredient list so that it can be whisked really well before adding the remaining ingredients.
Milk Milk adds moisture. Skim milk works, so does 2% milk, whole milk, etc. You can easily substitute buttermilk or keffir or yogurt for milk, just add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and if needed, enough milk to match the consistency of milk.
Salted Butter For flavor, I really prefer cakes that use butter rather than vegetable oil. Like many European bakers, I use salted butter 100% of the time. I just find that it works better for me, especially with old-fashioned recipes like this. And besides, I'd rather buy one kind of butter versus two or more!
Sugar Sugar adds sweetness but also helps give the cake structure and helps give it a pretty color.
Flour + Salt + Baking Powder I use unbleached all-purpose flour. Bread flour has a tiny bit more protein but makes a good substitute in nearly all baked goods but especially ones with a rustic texture like Estonian Apple Cake. Don't skip the salt, which flavors the cake. Don't skip the baking powder, it helps the cake rise in the oven.
Cinnamon Estonian Apple Cake is definitely cinnamon-y, that's because there's cinnamon in the cake itself but even more importantly in the crisp topping. Instead of cinnamon, you might use ginger (it's good with pears) or two long-time favorite Penzey's spice blends, one called "baking spice" and another called "cake spice".
Apples Estonian Apple Cake uses an entire pound of apples, so much apple you might wonder if it's too much. It's not! Do peel and chop the apples into small bits. Could you use a mix of apples? Of course, that's a favorite trick when making American Apple Pie. I've also baked Estonian Apple Cake with ripe pears, very good!
Crisp Topping (Butter, Flour, More Cinnamon and Cold Butter) The topping is crisp and crackly, I just love it! Be sure to start with cold butter. If you start with warm butter or yikes, melt it, you'll end up with a greasy mess on top instead of a crisp, cinnamon-y crumb topping.
Which Apples Are Best in Apple Cake?
Estonian Apple Cake, a rustic apple cake ♥ KitchenParade.com, moist and cinnamon-y with a crackly top. Fresh & Seasonal, Perfect for Fall & Apple Season. Mix In One Bowl, No Mixer Required. Recipe, baking tips, nutrition and WW Weight Watchers points included.
WHAT'S ON HAND The best apples for apple cake are the ones you have on hand so that can move to the kitchen to start baking this very minute. Delicious apples (that's a capital D Delicious, the bright-red eating apples) are a possible exception but hey, if that's what you've got, that's what you've got. Estonian Apple Cake is a rustic, adaptable cake, it can take pretty much anything you throw at it.
CHOOSING BAKING APPLES AT THE GROCERY STORE The pretty green Granny Smith apples are good for baking, they are less sweet and keep their structure during baking. I also like Jonathan apples, Golden Delicious apples and their hybrid called Jonagold. Also look for Braeburn apples, Gala apples, Empire apples (my favorite eating apple) and Cortland apples. Honeycrisp apples bake well but, well, they're more expensive so we eat honeycrisp apples more than we bake with honeycrisps. That said? Please see #1, What's On Hand.
BONUS APPLE-SHOPPING TIPS The apple labels at the grocery store will give you tips on whether an apple is a better eating apple or a better baking apple. Unless you're speaking to the actual apple grower, don't count on the salespeople at farmstands, fruitstands or farmers markets to know much about which apples are best for what. Apples are often more expensive when purchased individually, instead look for less expensive bags of apples. But do check the bags for dates. One September, I saw bags of apples at a local grocery store, right up front and for a good price. The problem? They were year-old apples and were from freaking-New Zealand! Just when local Missouri and Illinois apples were at their very best. The produce manager just shrugged when I mentioned it. Arrrgh.
What Pan Is Best for Estonian Apple Cake?
Estonian Apple Cake, a rustic apple cake ♥ KitchenParade.com, moist and cinnamon-y with a crackly top. Fresh & Seasonal, Perfect for Fall & Apple Season. Mix In One Bowl, No Mixer Required. Recipe, baking tips, nutrition and WW Weight Watchers points included.
8x8 Square Pan I love the casual, everyday feel of Estonian Apple Cake cut into easy squares. Over time, I use an 8x8 pan for this cake more often than other pans.
9-Inch Round Cake Pan A round pan makes for more elegant pie-shaped slices, the kind you'd put on a dessert plate to serve with vanilla cream sauce or whipped cream or even a scoop of ice cream. If you'd like to lift the cake out after baking to display on a cake plate, spray the bottom of the pan with baking spray, line with parchment, then spray the parchment too.
9x13 Rectangular Pan A 9x13 pan is almost double the area as an 8x8 pan. That means it's easy to just double the recipe. Do know, the baking time may vary.
Sheet Pans A half-size sheet pan has four times the area of an 8x8, so quadruple the recipe to serve a crowd. A quarter sheet pan has double the area of an 8x8, so double the recipe. Please know, the baking time may vary and I haven't tested these options.
Estonian apple cake recipe
Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 90 minutes
Makes 1 8x8 square pan or 1 9-inch round pan, about 9 squares or slices
Double the recipe for a 9x13 pan or quarter sheetpan. Quadruple the recipe for a half sheetpan.
CAKE
1 large egg
1/2 cup (115g) milk (skim is fine)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 60g) salted butter, melted (see TIPS)
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1-1/4 cups flour, fluffed to aerate before measuring or 155g
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon (see TIPS)
2 large baking apples (about 1 pound/450g), peeled, quartered, cored and chopped to yield about 3 cups chopped apple
TOPPING
4 tablespoons (50g) brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour, fluffed to aerate or 15g
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons (30g) cold salted butter
Heat oven to 400F/200C. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan or an 8x8-inch square cake pan with baking spray.
CAKE
In a large bowl, whisk the egg well on its own, then whisk in the milk, butter and sugar. Scoop the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon onto wet mixture without mixing in. With whisk’s tip, lightly combine without mixing in. Now whisk the dry mixture into the wet mixture until just combined. Stir in the apples. Spread the batter evenly in the baking dish.
TOPPING
In a bowl, mix topping ingredients with your fingers until mealy, spread evenly atop the batter.
BAKE & SERVE
Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 15 – 30 minutes. Serve alone, with Crème Anglaise/Vanilla Cream Sauce (recipe below), simple whipped cream or Swedish Cream.
HOW LONG DOES APPLE CAKE LAST?
Estonian Apple Cake keeps 2 - 3 days. With so many apples, after the first day, cover and store in the fridge.
You'll Love Estonian Apple Cake If You ...
- appreciate simple cakes made in one bowl, no mixer required
- love cinnamon, here it's in the cake and especially in the topping
- like a cake that can be rustic and casual or dressed up for a special dessert
- live for barely sweet coffeecakes for weekend breakfasts and brunches
Recipe adapted from kitchenparade.com
Photo credits - Pixabay.com
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