• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Food and Journeys

International recipes. Travel. Savour them all.

  • RECIPE INDEX
  • CUISINES
  • HOW-TOS
  • JOURNEYS
  • ABOUT
    • About Me
    • Notes on Copyright
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
Home » Recipes » Cakes » Tuscan Apple Cake

Tuscan Apple Cake

August 22, 2017 By Neriz 9 Comments

  • 94
  • 2311
  • 43
Print Recipe Jump to Recipe

Looking for an alternative to apple pie? Tuscan Apple Cake is the one to try! Sometimes called ‘Italian Apple Cake‘, this rustic apple cake from Tuscany is unbelievably easy to make — and yet so DELICIOUS!

Side shot of Tuscan Apple Cake showing the apples on top|foodandjourneys.net

(*This post contains some affiliate links)

You will be surprised how DELIGHTFUL this treat is – especially once you realize how simple it is to make.  The hardest part is probably the peeling and slicing of the apples (seriously!).

Tuscan Apple Cake or ‘Torta di mele’ in Italian has become my go-to apple dessert since I discovered it during our Toscana vacation, back in summer of 2014.

Nowadays, good apples are available all-year round.

That means, you do not need to wait for apple season to enjoy this authentic Torta di Mele recipe!

An image of a slice of Tuscan Apple Cake|foodandjourneys.net

You do not need fancy ingredients to prepare this cake either. 

Admittedly, I sometimes add liquor, but nowadays, I just stick to the base ingredients and then I drink my sweet wine with it – Vin Santo. 😀

HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN APPLE CAKE

Collage of images showing step by step process on how to make Tuscan Apple Cake (Italian Apple Cake)

WHAT TYPE OF APPLE SHOULD I USE FOR THIS ITALIAN CAKE?

I have always used red apples for Italian Apple Cake.

I honestly don’t think the green ones would work in this case.  Well, maybe you could add more sugar to balance the tangy flavor, but still, there is a vast difference in sweetness coming from sugar and sweetness coming from a fruit, right?.

Nah, call me ‘old school’, I will stick to my red apples. 🙂

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT SIZE OF PAN FOR THIS APPLE CAKE?

Yes, you can even use the square ones. 

The only thing you need to remember is that when it’s a smaller pan, the cake would be slightly thicker, so you would need to adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Oh!  One last thing, if your oven is one of those that’s only got heat coming from the top, make sure you place your baking pan on the lower part of your oven, not the middle. 

We used to have one of those and I would always forget until I notice how fast the sides are turning brown.  Annoying.

A closer image of Tuscan Apple Cake from the side|foodandjourneys.net

WHAT DO I SERVE WITH APPLE CAKE?

I love pairing this treat with a glass of sweet wine, or a shot of espresso, depending on the time of the day. 

This cake is light enough that you can have it for breakfast or as an after-meal dessert – and filling enough for an afternoon snack.

Give this cake a try — especially if you like apple pie, this is a good alternative. To be honest, I have stopped making apple pie since I started making this cake.

Tuscan Apple Cake is just easier to prepare and involves less waiting time, but just as YUMMY! 🙂

WANT MORE APPLE RECIPES? CHECK OUT THESE POSTS –

  • German Apple Fritters (Apfelküchle)
  • How to Make German Applesauce (Apfelmus)

OR IF YOU WANT MORE CAKE IDEAS, CHECK OUT MY CAKES COLLECTION!

5 from 6 votes
A side shot of an entire Tuscan Apple Cake, showing a bowl of apples in the background and a glass of sweet wine.
Print
Tuscan Apple Cake
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

Sometimes referred to as 'Italian Apple Cake', this traditional treat from Tuscany is so easy to make -- and yet so DELICIOUS! (VIDEO ABOVE).

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: apple recipes, cake recipes easy, fall desserts
Servings: 8
Calories: 260 kcal
Author: Neriz
Ingredients
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup sugar (plus 1/2 tsp for dusting)
  • 1 & 3/4 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 lemon, grated zest
  • 3 apples, peeled and cored
  • 25 grams butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
  • 1 tsp powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
  1. Cut one apple into small cubes and the rest into thin slices. Set aside.

  2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees-C (350 degrees-F). Grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan.

  3. Beat eggs and sugar together until the mixture turns pale yellow. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, milk and lemon zest. Mix thoroughly.

  4. Pour the mixture into the greased (and floured) cake pan. 

  5. Add cubed apples on the mixture and arrange the thin slices of apple on top.

  6. Sprinkle the apples with ½ tsp sugar. Add the bits of butter randomly.

  7. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, until the top has slightly turned golden. The sides will be the first portion to turn dark, that is normal.

  8. Take pan out of the oven and set aside to cool.

  9. Sprinkle with powdered sugar (if desired). Serve.

Recipe Notes
  • You can use a different size of cake pan, just remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly.

  • Feel free to use your favourite type of apple, or a combination of different varieties.

  • Depending on your type of oven, do not forget to place the cake pan on the lower part of your oven, to prevent browning the tops and sides too much.

Last Updated on August 30, 2019

Filed Under: Cakes, Popular Posts Tagged With: italian recipes, italian sweets

Previous Post: « Sicilian Sesame Seed Cookies
Next Post: Roman-Style Chicken (Pollo alla Romana) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sonal says

    August 8, 2018 at 10:49 pm

    5 stars
    Loved your post. So many tips and questions answered. I love apple cake. This looks delicate and delicious 🙂

    Reply
  2. tisha says

    August 9, 2018 at 12:21 am

    5 stars
    Great simple recipe! Looks delicious and can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
  3. georgie says

    August 9, 2018 at 12:30 am

    5 stars
    I’m obsessed with apple cake and this looks heavenly!! I love your step by step recipe instructions too!

    Reply
  4. Hannah Healy says

    August 9, 2018 at 1:28 am

    5 stars
    This looks so good! I love apple anything!

    Reply
  5. Linda says

    August 9, 2018 at 1:46 am

    5 stars
    Thanks for all of the tips you provided to make this cake. Fall is around the corner, so will definitely want to try this recipe.

    Reply
  6. Kristine says

    August 9, 2018 at 2:08 am

    5 stars
    This apple cake is just gorgeous! This is the perfect recipe for fall baking – oh, who am I kidding, I’m baking all year, I’ll bake this next week! LOL! Looks fab!

    Reply
  7. BTP says

    October 8, 2018 at 8:43 pm

    Made this today. It was very dense. Yes all ingredients were used. I’m in Northern Italy so maybe air quality. But it’s tasty.

    Reply
  8. Lola says

    October 27, 2018 at 7:18 pm

    Just took mine out of the oven…it puffed up and over one side of the pan a bit, but it looks and smells delicious. One question: How do I get it out of the pan without completely demolishing it?

    Reply
  9. Lena says

    January 14, 2019 at 6:32 am

    I put 1/2 cup ricotta chees instead of the milk and my cake was not flyffy and moist it was like gluish type
    I was upset anyway Will follow receipt
    I bought a very nice cake in the store and I thought to do something but it seems that I really need to put some oil in this recept

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Thanks for dropping by!

I’m Neriz and this is my blog. I am originally from Manila, Philippines, but I have been living in Stockholm for years. I love cooking, traveling, and reading, not necessarily in that order, but it all depends on the time of the day, and the day of the week ;-) Learn more >>

Follow me

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Popular Posts

Closer shot of Swedish Almond & Cardamom Mini Cakes, arranged on a cooling rack.
Swedish Almond Tart
Sicilian Sesame Seed Cookies (Biscotti Regina), ready for serving.
A side shot of an entire Tuscan Apple Cake, showing a bowl of apples in the background and a glass of sweet wine.
Feature image for Salt & Pepper Pork Belly
Overhead shot of Italian Cream Filled Pastry (Pasticciotto), with a cup of coffee and a shot of espresso on the side.
Overhead shot of a pot of Calabrese-Style Meat Sauce (Ragu alla Calabrese)
A slice of French Orange and Almond Flourless Cake on top of the rest of the cake. The texture of the cake is highlighted in this image, as well as the undeniable orange color of the inside of the flourless cake.

A participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Copyright © 2019 · FOOD AND JOURNEYS