Easy Rustic Italian Apple Cake – Torta de Mele
This light and fluffy rustic Italian apple cake, known as torta di mele, is a beloved homemade dessert that Italian nonnas are famous for making and will become yours too. It’s light, fluffy, not too sweet, letting the flavor of the apples stand out.
It’s simple to prepare and looks beautiful thanks to the apple slices standing upright, giving it a lovely textured top. As it bakes, your home fills with the warm, comforting scent of apples just like a nonna’s kitchen in the fall.
Why You Will Love This Italian Apple Cake
First of all, it tastes delicious. It bakes into a soft cake, moist, flavorful, and light. But what makes it different from other apple cakes is that it looks beautiful, as if you’ve spent a lot of time on it. The secret is that the apples are arranged standing upright, giving it a really nice design.
The second reason you will love this cake is that, of course, it is one of the healthier cakes you can make. I’ve used extra-virgin olive oil instead of butter, which is often used in the traditional torta di mele, and I’ve also used yogurt instead of cream. So, you’re getting a nice, light dessert that pairs great with coffee. I also think it’s a nice little dessert for kids if you want to make something sweet but not too sweet.
I love how this cake is a great example of Mediterranean baking, where they incorporate healthy ingredients like olive oil, yogurt, and plenty of apples. It looks like you put in a lot of effort, but in essence, it’s a simple cake made with just a few ingredients that you already have at home. Oh, and yes, it’s a one-bowl recipe, so not many bowls to wash!
Nutritional Value of Italian Apple Cake. The Dietitian’s Take.
This Italian apple cake offers a more balanced alternative to your typical cake since it incorporates key Mediterranean ingredients like extra virgin olive oil and Greek yogurt. The apples add natural sweetness, fiber, and antioxidants, while the yogurt contributes protein and beneficial probiotics. It also has less saturated fat thanks to the use of extra virgin olive oil. All in all, it’s a dessert that satisfies your sweet tooth without overloading on refined ingredients.
Italian Apple Cake Ingredients
- Apples: Granny Smith or Pink Lady work well, but you can use what you have
- Lemon zest and juice : Lemon juice prevents the apples from browning, zest adds some tanginess to the cake.
- Eggs: Room-temperature eggs mix more evenly.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is fine for this recipe and powdered sugar only for dusting the cake.
- Vanilla extract: Use real vanilla extract if possible.
- Olive oil: Make sure you use extra virgin olive oil that is fresh
- Flour: All purpose flour or 00 flour is fine here.
- Greek yogurt: Use full fat plain yogurt (no flavors or sweeteners)
- Baking powder – For proper rise
Step By Step Instructions
1. Wash the apples, dry them, peel them and cut them into slices, not too thin .
2. In a large bowl mix with electric mixer the eggs, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest.
3. Mix until you have a fluffy and pale mixture about 3 minutes.
4. Add the olive oil and continue mixing until incorporated and smooth.
5. Mix the flour with the baking powder and then add by the spoonful to the egg mixture alternating with the yogurt while mixing at medium speed.
6. Empty the batter in the 9-inch cake pan or springform pan that has been lined with parchment paper.
7. Arrange the apple slices in a circular pattern placing them upright (not flat), pushing them in only slightly.
8. Starting with the outer circle, then moving inner wards with a smaller circle, and another until you have filled the whole surface.
9. Mix together 2 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle the surface of the cake.
10. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, at 350 F (180 C). Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes and dust with the powdered sugar.
How to Serve Torte de Mele
Typically this is served at room temperature. It pairs well with coffee but it is a great dessert especially after a heavy holiday meal. Lighter than a typical apple pie. You can also serve with some whipped cream or ice cream for a richer dessert, but I feel that its simplicity and lightness is what makes this dessert special.
How to Store
Keep the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. You can also freeze it, by covering in aluminum foil and then with plastic wrap.
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Rustic Italian Apple Cake – Torta de Mele
Ingredients
- 3 apples peeled and sliced
- 1 Juice and zest from 1 medium lemon 2 tbsp juice
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) Granulated sugar + 2 tbsp for sprinkling on top
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 ½ tbsp (50 g) Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ⅔ cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (200 g) full fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp (16 g) baking powder
- 1 tbsp Powdered sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 ℉ (180 ℃) and line a 9-inch springform pan or cake pan with parchment paper.
- Wash the apples, dry them, peel them and cut them into slices, not too thin (see photo above). Place them in a bowl and squeeze some lemon juice over them so that they do not turn brown.
- In a large bowl mix with electric mixer the eggs, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest until you have a fluffy and pale mixture about 3 minutes. Add the olive oil and continue mixing until incorporated and smooth.
- In a measuring cup, mix the flour with the baking powder and then add by the spoonful to the egg mixture alternating with the yogurt while mixing at medium speed. Once ingredients have been incorporated you should have a smooth but thick mixture, it should not be liquidy.
- Empty the batter in the 9-inch cake pan or springform pan.
- Arrange the apple slices in a circular pattern placing them upright (not flat), pushing them in only slightly, starting with the outer circle, then moving inner wards with a smaller circle, and another until you have filled the whole surface (see photo above).
- Mix together 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle the surface of the cake.
- Place the cake in the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes, use the toothpick test to make sure it is done.
- Remove from the oven. Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes and dust with the powdered sugar.
Notes
Keep the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. You can also freeze it, by covering in aluminum foil and then with plastic wrap. How to Serve
Typically this is served at room temperature. It pairs well with coffee but it is a great dessert especially after a heavy holiday meal. You can also serve with some whipped cream or ice cream for a richer dessert, but I feel that its simplicity and lightness is what makes this dessert special.
