Swedish Apple Loaf (Äppelkaka)
Nothing says Autumn to us like an apple loaf. This delicious Swedish sweet treat is simple for even the most novice of bakers, but tastes anything but simple! It really is the perfect Autumn fika treat.
Ingredients
- 3 Apples peeled, cored and cut into thick slices
- 50 g Unsalted Butter
- 4 Star Anise
- 3 Tablespoons of Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
- 250g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Dash of Salt
- ½ tsp Ground Cardamom (crush pods in a pestle & mortar)
- 120g Caster Sugar
- 120g Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 80g melted butter
- 1 Tbsp Sour Cream
- 1 Vanilla Pod
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease a loaf tin with butter – make sure it is really well greased.
- Firstly, we need to make the caramelised apples. Heat the butter in a saucepan and add the apples and star anise. Cook for 5 minutes until they turn a caramel colour. Add in the brown sugar and cinnamon and cook for a further minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Ground cardamom can sometimes be difficult to find, so if you can’t, open and crush 5 pods in a pestle and mortar.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt and mix well. In a separate bowl, add the sugar and eggs and whisk together. Mix in the melted butter, sour cream and scrape in the vanilla pod. Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Make sure it is a smooth batter.
- At the base of the loaf tin, layer the caramelised apples. Make sure to avoid any gaps that the batter may slip through. Set aside the remaining caramel liquid.
- Add the batter mixture on top of the layered apples.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes then leave to cool.
- Once cool enough to handle, tip the loaf onto a plate or board and drizzle with the remaining caramel liquid.
- Slice and enjoy!
