Textual Chef Textual Chef

Sharlotka

A classic airy sponge cake baked over sliced tart apples. It features a delicate crisp top crust with a tender sponge interior.

55 minEasyServes 8180 cal/serving

RussianDessertOvenVegetarianKosher-styleNut-FreeDairy-FreeSoy-FreeShellfish-FreeSesame-FreeLow-SodiumPork-FreeNightshade-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

  • 4 tart apples, sliced
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a springform pan with parchment paper.

  2. 2

    Arrange 4 sliced tart apples evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan.

  3. 3

    Beat 4 large eggs and 1 cup granulated sugar together in a large bowl with a mixer until pale and thick, about 5 minutes.

  4. 4

    Fold in 1 tsp vanilla extract and gently stir in 1 cup all-purpose flour until just combined.

  5. 5

    Pour the batter evenly over apples in the pan.

  6. 6

    Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake center comes out clean.

  7. 7

    Cool completely, then dust the top with 2 tbsp powdered sugar before serving.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Questions

What is Sharlotka?

A classic airy sponge cake baked over sliced tart apples. It features a delicate crisp top crust with a tender sponge interior. This reference files it under Russian dessert: made in the oven, rated easy and about 55 minutes start to finish.

How long does Sharlotka take?

As written, 55 minutes: 15 of prep and 40 of cooking. The longest single stretch is step 6 (40 minutes): "Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake center comes out clean."

What oven temperature does Sharlotka need?

For Sharlotka, the oven is set to 350 F (about 175 C) in step 1. The longest stretch at that heat is 40 minutes, in step 6.

Why does Sharlotka say not to overmix?

Step 4 reads: "Fold in 1 tsp vanilla extract and gently stir in 1 cup all-purpose flour until just combined." Stirring develops gluten, and gluten makes quick batters tough and tunneled. Stop at step 4 while a few streaks of flour remain; they hydrate on their own.

Do I need any special equipment for Sharlotka?

Beyond a knife and a board, the method uses a springform pan (step 1) and parchment paper (step 1).

Can I make Sharlotka gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in Sharlotka is 1 cup all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

Does Sharlotka contain eggs?

Yes: 4 large eggs. The full allergen list for this entry is gluten and eggs. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,530 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.

More Russian entries

All Russian recipes · All Dessert recipes · All Apples recipes