Safta’s Apple Cake
Safta means grandma in Hebrew. This is a recipe that has been in my family since I was little.
My grandma used to make it all the time, and I actually never liked it as a young child. Now my grandma lives in Florida, so my cousin and mom have continued the tradition of making this cake. It's a family favorite for sure!! I have gotten to like it as I've grown older, and now I am sharing it with you!
It’s the perfect recipe for fall baking after you go apple picking. You can even enjoy it in the summer with some vanilla ice cream! It’s also a great dessert for Jewish New Year or Rosh Hashanah. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!
I N G R E D I E N T S
Dough:
2 sticks softened butter or vegan butter
3/4 cups sugar
A splash of vanilla bean or vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 egg
2 cups + 1 tablespoon AP flour
Apple Filling:
4-5 Granny Smith apples, cored & grated using a food processor
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon apple or pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup flour or graham crumbs
I N S T R U C T I O N S
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor & pulse until combined into a dough.
Spread half of the dough on the bottom of a well greased spring form pan (about 9in). To help spread the dough, grease your hands with non-stick cooking spray to prevent dough from sticking all over. Try to make the bottom layer as even as possible.
Place the pan with 1/2 the dough in the fridge to chill while you prep the apple filling.
Using the same food processor, not even cleaned, fitted with a grating blade, grate the apples. I don’t even peel the apples anymore.
Place grated apples in a bowl along with sugar, lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon. Mix until well coated.
Get the dough from the fridge and evenly spread the apple mixture in the spring from pan.
With greased hands, spread the rest of the dough on top of the apples. Use a fork to poke holes in the cake to allow the steam escape while cooking.
Sprinkle top layer generously with sugar. Place in oven & bake for about 60-90 min or until golden brown on top and on edges.
Let cool slightly before taking a knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the pan. Open spring form pan & use large spatula or knife to loosen bottom & slide onto serving platter.
Serve at room temp.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment and don’t forget to tag a photo using #feedyoursister on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
