Apple Rose Cake
This apple rose cake has an amazingly fluffy and moist sponge cake base with a beautiful rose decoration! Thin apple slices cover the top of the cake for a simple yet show-stopping dessert.
This apple rose cake recipe combines a soft and moist sponge cake base with an apple rose topping for both a delicious and beautiful dessert. During the apple season, I was searching for unique apple recipes that use up many apples at once. One was this custardy invisible apple cake. Another was French apple rose tarts. However, I do not have a tart pan, so I decided to combine cake and the technique for apple roses into one recipe!
This recipe isn’t quite the quickest or easiest dessert to make, but I think the result is worth the extra elbow grease! Check out my tips below for more help with this recipe.
Notes for this Apple Flower Cake
- Make sure that the eggs have a generous amount of air incorporated into them so that the batter bakes into a fluffy apple cake!
- Add lemon juice to the apple slices to prevent them from browning.
- You want to microwave the apple slices until they are very bendy. This step will prevent the apple slices from cracking/snapping while arranging them in the rose shape.
- Adding the sugar and lemon juice also helps to make the slices flexible.
- If the apple slices are covered in a lot of extra lemon/apple juice when you arrange them on top of the cake layer, there will be a custard-like layer after baking. That layer will prevent the rose topping from staying in place.
- Make sure to press the apple slices into the apple sponge cake batter. This step helps them stay in place after baking and while slicing the cake.
- If just the apple topping appears watery/custardy on the top, try testing the cake from the side.
- You could turn this into an apple roses cake (plural) by putting several smaller apple roses on top of the cake.
Apple Rose Cake
Ingredients
Apple Rose Topping
- 4 apples halved, cored and thinly sliced about 1/8 inch thin
- 1 lemon or around 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar 12.5 grams
Cake
- 3 large eggs
- 133 grams sugar 2/3 cup
- 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 84 grams unsalted butter melted (6 tbsp)
- 80 mL milk 1/3 cup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 210 grams all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cup
- 2 apples grated (around 2 cups)
- powdered sugar optional for dusting
Instructions
Prep the Apple Slices
- Slice the apples in half, remove the core and slice each half into thin slices around 1/8″ thick.
- Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the sliced apples and toss them evenly with sugar.
- Spread the slices in an even layer on a microwave-safe plate(s).
- Microwave the slices until very flexible and bendy, around 2 minutes. Note 1
- Drain any extra liquid and set the slices aside. Note 2
Prep the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and salt until fluffy, around 3 minutes.
- Mix the hot melted butter and milk. Then, gradually pour the mixture into the beaten eggs while mixing. (If the melted butter has already cooled down, you can add it and the milk directly into the beaten eggs.)
- Also, mix the vanilla extract and baking powder.
- Gently mix in the flour.
- Fold in the grated apple.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and smooth it into an even layer with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Start placing the apple slices at the outer edge of the cake. Slightly press a slice down into the batter at roughly a 45-degree angle. Add the next apple slice, overlapping either 1/2 or 3/4 of the previous one. Continue working around the cake in an inward spiral until you reach the center. Note 3
Bake and Serve
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Note 4
- Dust the cake with the powdered sugar just before serving
Notes
- You want to microwave the apple slices until they are very bendy. This will prevent the apple slices from cracking/snapping while arranging them in the rose shape.
- If the apple slices are covered in a lot of extra lemon/apple juice when you arrange them on top of the cake layer, there will be a custard-like layer after baking. That layer will prevent the rose topping from staying in place.
- Make sure to press the apple slices into the cake batter so that they stay in place after baking.
- If just the apple topping appears watery/custardy on the top, try testing the cake from the side.
How to Make Apple Rose Cake
Prep the Apple Slices
First, slice the apples in half, remove the core and slice each half into thin slices around 1/8 inches thick. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the sliced apples and toss them evenly with sugar.
Spread the slices in an even layer on a microwave-safe plate(s). Then, microwave them until they are very flexible and bendy, around 2 minutes. Drain any extra liquid and set the slices aside.
Prep the Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and set it aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and salt until fluffy, around 3 minutes.
Mix the hot melted butter and milk. Then, gradually pour the mixture into the beaten eggs while mixing. (If the melted butter has already cooled down, you can add it and the milk directly into the beaten eggs.)
Also, mix the vanilla extract and baking powder. Gently mix in the flour. Then, fold in the grated apple.
Pour the batter into the cake pan. Smooth the batter into an even layer with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Start placing the apple slices at the outer edge of the cake. Slightly press one apple slice down into the batter at roughly a 45-degree angle. Add the next apple slice, overlapping either 1/2 or 3/4 of the previous one. Continue working around the cake in an inward spiral until you reach the center.
Bake and Serve
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Dust the cake with the powdered sugar just before serving
