This soft, tender dessert is a Chunked Apple Sponge Cake (often prepared as a quick European-style Sharlotka or German Apple Cake). It features a light, airy cake batter loaded with diced fresh apples, baked until golden and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Ingredients
For the Cake
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3 to 4 medium Baking apples (such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and cut into small cubes
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3 large Eggs (room temperature)
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¾ cup (150g) Granulated sugar
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½ cup (120ml) Milk or melted unsalted butter
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1 ½ cups (180g) All-purpose flour
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1 ½ tsp Baking powder
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1 tsp Vanilla extract
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½ tsp Ground cinnamon (optional)
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¼ tsp Salt
For Finishing
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2 tbsp Powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar) for dusting
Instructions
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Prep the Oven & Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
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Prep the Apples: Peel, core, and dice the apples into small, uniform cubes (about ½ inch). Set aside.
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Whip the Eggs & Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer on high speed for 3 to 5 minutes until pale, thick, and fluffy.
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Add Liquid Ingredients: Whisk in the milk (or melted butter) and vanilla extract on low speed until combined.
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Add Dry Ingredients: Sift in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gently fold with a spatula just until the flour disappears into a smooth, thick batter.
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Fold in the Apples: Add the diced apples into the bowl and fold thoroughly so the batter coats all the fruit pieces.
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Pour & Bake: Pour the thick apple batter into the prepared square pan and smooth the top gently with a spatula. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the top is puffed and golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Cool & Dust: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment paper. Dust generously with powdered sugar before slicing into squares to serve warm or cold!