Hungarian Apple Cake (Almás Pite) Recipe (2024)

Is it apieor acake? It is definitely delicious, an easy to make dessert filled with sweetened shreddedapplespiced with cinnamon and lemon.

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Hungarian Apple Cake (Almás Pite) Recipe (1)

Hungarian apple cake is a true Hungarian classic, quite popular in the country. Is it a pie or a cake? It is definitely delicious, an easy to make dessert filled with sweetened shredded apple spiced with cinnamon and lemon.

I grew up eating this beautiful dessert, my grandmother loved to bake and often made almás pite for us. She alwyas let me help her in the kitchen, I always think of her when I make this recipe.

How to make Hungarian apple cake?

The dough is very simple, made with all purpose flour, butter, sugar, baking powder and egg. I always add some lemon zest, it makes the dough super delicious, and also sprinkle a little vanilla flavoring in. In Hungary we use vanilla flavored sugar, you can use extract as well.

I mix sour cream in the dough. Sour cream is definitely adding moisture to your cakes, also, make your cake richer as it is made from cream that contains fat. Use full-fat sour cream and stir it up in the container or in a a bowl before adding to the dough.

You have to devide the dough into 2 balls and rest for a while before rolling out.

What kind of apples to use in the apple pie?

The applse are shredded in this recipe (not sliced or cubed), I prefer using tart or sweet-tart apples.
These are the best apple for apple pie: Granny’s Smith, Idared, Pink Lady, Jonagold

Once you shredded the apples, add some powdered sugar and sprinkle with ground cinnamon and lemon juice. Let is sit, the apples will release a nice amount of liquid. Take large handfuls of apples and, with your hands clenched, squeeze out most of the juice from the apples (but make sure the apple are not super dry, keep some moisture in, otherwise your pie will be very dry!) and place the balls of squeezed apples in a bowl.

How to make powdered sugar in just 30 seconds?

I teach you how to make powdered sugar at home! It is so simple with the sugar of your choice, once you learn this, no need to buy it any more. In addition, since you are making yours fresh, you can skip the corn starch when you make it at home.

You just need a spice grinder, and you can prinkle the freshest powdered sugar in your dessert. My Mom gave me this grinder, it is a popular brand in Hungary but not available in North America. The Secura Electric Coffee and Spice Grinder at Amazon is easily available for anyone, you can even grind your own coffee and different spices.

Hungarian apple cake (Almás pite)

Hungarian apple cake is a true Hungarian classic, quite popular in the country. Is it a pie or a cake? It is definitely delicious, an easy to make dessert filled with sweetened shredded apple spiced with cinnamon and lemon.

5 from 2 votes

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Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Hungarian

Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls - large, medium

  • Measuring spoons

  • Measuring cup

  • Zester

  • Greater

  • Pastry brush

  • Parckemt papert

  • Rolling Pin

  • Baking tin (11x8)

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 2.5 cups of all purpose flour (300 grams)
  • 1 stick of butter (115 grams or 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 cup of powdered sugar (50 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 tbsp of sour cream + a little extra if needed
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of lemon zest

For the apple filling

  • 6 medium sized tart apples
  • 1/2 cup of powdered sugar (50 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp of ground walnuts (optional)
  • 1 tbsp of lemon juice
  • 1 whole egg for brushing the dough

Instructions

  • Mix the flour and the cubed butter by hand. The mixture will be quite crumbly.

  • Add 1 whole egg, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, baking powder, sour cream, and lemon zest. Knead thoroughly. Add more flour if necessary.

  • Divide the dough into 2 balls, cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

  • Peel the apples, core, and shred them. Add the sugar, the cinnamon, and the lemon juice. Mix well and drain the juice. Drink the apple juice, it is delicious. :)

  • Heat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Butter and flour your baking tin.

  • On a floured surface roll out one part of the dough to the size of the baking tin (11x8), then lay it in.

  • Sprinkle with half of the ground walnuts (optional). Spread the apples on the dough; sprinkle it with the remaining walnuts. Roll out the top crust and place over the apples, sealing the edges and making slits in it.

  • Prick to allow vapor to escape, and brush with egg wash.

  • Bake the cake for 30 minutes, until the top is light-browned. Let it cool. Cut into squares, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve.

Hungarian Apple Cake (Almás Pite) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why does my apple cake fall apart? ›

Why Did My Apple Cake Fall Apart? There are two main reasons why an apple cake would fall apart: (1) it was simply too warm when you were trying to cut and serve it or (2) you used too many/the wrong kind of apple.

What is apple cake made of? ›

Ingredients For Apple Cake

Apples (anything can work, but Honeycrisp or Granny Smith Apples are 💯) Dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, brown sugar) Wet ingredients (egg, oil, buttermilk, vanilla) Cinnamon.

What is the history of apple cake in France? ›

According to the Larousse Gastronomique, it was created by the sisters Tatin and democratized in their restaurant "Lamotte-Beuvron" in the 19th century. This apple pie is actually a derivative of an old Solognese speciality with apples or pears.

Why is my apple cake too moist? ›

The ratio of wet to dry ingredients determines a cake's moisture level. If there's simply too much flour and not enough butter, a cake will taste dry. On the other hand, if there's too much milk and not enough flour, a cake will taste too wet. Finding the right balance between wet and dry ingredients is key.

What type of apple is best for baking a cake? ›

Granny Smith (Tart)

Granny Smiths are typically my go-to apple for baking, so I'll always have them on hand during the fall months. Their tart, citrusy flavor make them perfect for sweet baked goods, where there's sugar in the recipe. I love using these for homemade caramel apples, too.

Why is my apple cake dense? ›

8. My cake is very dense. This could be because a/ the cake mixture hasn't had enough air beaten into it, b/ the eggs were added too quickly and curdled or c/ there's not enough raising agent.

What is the oldest cake in the world? ›

The world's oldest known cake, baked during the reign of Pepi II in Egypt between BCE 2251 and 2157. Alimentarium, Vevey, Switzerland. The Egyptians gave us the world's oldest known cake–and also the world's oldest Tupperware as it happens.

What is a Marie Antoinette cake? ›

One of the latest cake trends in vintage cakes or Marie Antoinette cakes. Think a pastel aesthetic with lashings of buttercream swirls and frills. Unashamedly feminine and almost too pretty to cut, these stunning cakes are delightful as they are tasty.

Who was the French lady who ate cake? ›

The phrase was supposedly said by Marie Antoinette in 1789, during one of the famines in France during the reign of her husband, King Louis XVI. But it was not attributed to her until half a century later.

Why does my fruit cake fall apart? ›

This can happen for a variety of reasons ranging from type of flour, not enough eggs/wrong size eggs, not enough liquid or fats and even storage. 'Causes of crumbly fruit cake'. It's a real eye opener.

Why is my cake falling apart in the middle? ›

Overbeating, Overmixing, or Undermixing Your Cake Batter

Too much air and your cake will collapse because it simply can't hold onto all that air. Overbeating can add too much additional air and/or large air bubbles which the cake can't support, causing it to collapse in the oven.

Why is my cake crumbling when I frost it? ›

Not chilling the cake will result in a non-straight cake. It can be lopsided, or even fall," explains Smith. Warm cake is more tender and likely to break. But chilling the cake helps the baked good firm up so it can withstand frosting, stacking, and any moving between places.

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