Lithuanian Apple Cake (Apple Yogurt Cake)
Each family has their own Apple Cake recipe. Today we are unveiling the secrets of a cherished Lithuanian Apple Cake that many families in Lithuania enjoy throughout the year. This time-honored recipe combines the natural sweetness of fresh apples with the richness of yogurt, ensuring a moist and tender crumb that will transport your taste buds to the picturesque landscapes of Lithuania with each blissful bite.
Equipment
- Electric Handheld Mixer
- 18cm (7in) Springform Cake Pan
Ingredients
- 125 g (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 150 g (¾ cup, packed) light brown sugar
- 3 medium eggs
- 100 g (⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon) natural yogurt or kefir
- 150 g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 medium apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Generously grease an 18cm (7in) springform cake tin with butter and line the base with a circle of baking parchment.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan and set aside to cool slightly — it shouldn't be hot when it goes into the egg mixture in Step 4, or it can scramble the eggs.
- Using an electric handheld mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture has thickened, turned pale, and roughly doubled in volume.
- Add the cooled melted butter and the yogurt (or kefir) to the egg mixture and beat for a further 30 seconds, until fully combined with no streaks of butter visible.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
- Add the flour mixture and the pinch of salt to the egg mixture. Fold gently with a rubber spatula just until no dry flour remains — a few small lumps are fine, don't overmix.
- Add the sliced apples and fold in just enough to distribute them evenly through the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40–45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Leave the cake in the tin for 5 minutes to firm up, then turn it out onto a rack, peel away the parchment, and leave to cool completely to room temperature before slicing.
Video
Notes
Cooling completely (not just to room temperature briefly, but a couple of hours) is what gives this cake its best texture — the apples continue to settle into the crumb as it cools.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Not suitable for freezing — the apples release moisture on thawing and the texture turns waterlogged.
US cup and spoon measurements are standard baking conversions, rounded for practicality (a cup measure can't represent an exact gram figure). For the most accurate and repeatable result, weigh ingredients on a kitchen scale using the metric amounts.