Swedish Apple Almond Cake (Äppelmandelkaka)
Swedish Apple Almond Cake is a simple classic filled with tart apples and crunchy almonds, perfect for breakfast or a Fika break!
Jump to RecipeSeptember and October are peak apple season and I look forward to it every year. Our neighborhood has some lovely old trees with generous neighbors to share the harvest. Fall also means “comfort baking” for me, with easy and homey recipes that are just soul-filling. This is the time I most enjoy pulling out the old family cookbooks, which inspired this recipe for Swedish Apple Almond Cake. Apple cake is a serious staple in Sweden, seen in a plethora of forms in every bakery. I adapted an old recipe for Äppelmandelkaka found in a cookbook that belonged to my grandmother into a gluten and dairy-free version using almond flour and olive oil, which makes the cake extra moist and just a touch savory!
The Ingredients for Swedish Apple Almond Cake:
You will need really lovely tart apples and some finely-ground and blanched almond flour (my favorite brand is Anthony’s Goods). You may sweeten the cake with either honey or maple syrup, but don’t skimp on a really good quality extra-virgin olive oil. Cinnamon, cardamom, and lemon zest round out the flavors and you will have a nice crunch from the slivered almonds and raw sugar on top.
Equipment:
I find that using a springform pan works best for this recipe, as the cake is very delicate.
The springform pan allows for easy removal of the cake, along with lining the entire pan with parchment. This makes for an easy lift-out and no loss of the crunchy garnish from the top!
Making the Swedish Apple Almond Cake:
Combine the almond meal and other dry ingredients.
Mix the eggs, sweetener, olive oil, vanilla, and lemon zest together in a separate bowl and then add to the dry mix.
Once the batter is smooth, fold in the diced apples.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
Sprinkle the top with almonds and raw sugar.
Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then carefully release the sides and lift out the cake with the parchment.
Serve your Swedish Apple Almond Cake slightly warm or room temperature for the ultimate fall fika treat!
Äppelmandelkaka is delicious with some ice cream or vanilla sauce, but I think it is perfect on its own. Enjoy!!
Swedish Apple Almond Cake–Äppelmandelkaka
Equipment
- 8-inch springform pan
Ingredients
- 8 ounces finely ground blanched almond meal (2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup raw honey or maple syrup
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Finely chopped zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 pound firm and tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch dice
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- 1 Tablespoon raw sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit.
- Prepare an 8-inch springform or deep cake pan by oiling and lining with parchment on the bottom and sides.
- In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom and sea salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey or syrup, olive oil, vanilla and lemon zest.
- Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Carefully fold in the diced apples. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle the almonds and raw sugar on top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes in the pan and then carefully release the springform or lift out the cake in parchment.
- Serve warm or room temperature with ice cream or a vanilla sauce if desired!