Sharlotka is a light and airy Russian apple cake that’s great for dessert or even breakfast. It’s a very simple sponge cake that uses just 5 ingredients and can be made in under 10 minutes. The key to the fluffy texture is whipping the eggs until they become thick and pale; this process lets the cake rise without any leavening agents, and it also creates a delicious crackly crust after the cake bakes. You can use any apples you like for this recipe, though I prefer tart varieties. I also add apples both into the batter and on top of the cake, so that the apples can be evenly distributed in each layer.

Here’s some pictures of the sharlotka before and after baking. Those apples and the cake’s light and airy texture are to die for. Make this now!!

Imgredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3-4 apples, peeled and sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper or spray well with non-stick spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Use a hand or stand mixer to mix on medium-high speed for 5 minutes (I always mix things for less than a recipe says, but for this one, it’s important to mix for the full amount of time). At the end of the 5 minutes, the eggs should turn thick and pale in color.
3. While the mixer is running, peel, core, and slice your apples. 3/4 of the apples will go into the batter; reserve the remaining 1/4 of the sliced apples in a separate bowl to place on top of the cake later.
4. Gently fold the flour into the egg mixture (folding instead of mixing is essential so that you don’t deflate the eggs).
5. Add in 3/4 of the chopped apples into the batter and fold to combine.
6. Transfer the batter to your prepared pan and arrange the reserved apples on top.
7. Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes or until the top of the cake is browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing the sides of the springform pan and letting the cake cool completely. Once cooled, optionally dust the sharlotka with some powdered sugar. Slice and enjoy!