This cake is pure nostalgia for me. My mom discovered the recipe in a magazine back in the 80s and tucked the clipping into her handwritten recipe book. I’ve made a few small tweaks to deepen the nutty flavor, but kept the spirit intact with its wonderfully unusual pairing of apple and coconut.
Ingredients:
- 100 g butter, softened
- 100 g sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g almond flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 100 g butter, softened
- 100 g sugar
- 3 eggs, separated
- 75 g shredded coconut
- 750 g (about 6 medium) apples, peeled and coarsely grated
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon rum
- Optional: Add 1–2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, or a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom, to the apple mixture for warmth in the fall
- Handful of slivered almonds for topping
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 26 cm (10-inch) springform pan.
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is light and fluffy. Sift together the flour and baking powder, then add to the batter in two parts, alternating with the sour cream, mixing gently after each addition until just combined. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Lightly toast the shredded coconut to bring out its nutty flavor before mixing it in.
In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. In another bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gently fold them into the batter. Add the shredded coconut and the grated apples with lemon juice and rum, folding gently until just combined.
Spoon the topping evenly over the base and scatter a handful of almonds across the surface.
Bake for about 60 minutes, until the top is golden and set.
Cool before serving. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
