This apple cake is easy to make and delicious. Perfect dessert to make during apple season.
This Torta de Manzana (apple cake) is a traditional Colombian dessert from the Boyacá department of Colombia. I do not bake very often so you won't find many cake recipes on the site, however, when I do bake, the recipes are mostly simple and easy to make cakes, or traditional Colombian breads.
Colombian-Style Apple Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 medium apples, peeled and cored
- ¾ cups sugar, divided
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- Juice of ½ lime
- ¼ cup water
- 5 tbsp melted butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups ponqué or pound cake crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 8 or 9-inch round baking pan.
- Slice the apples into thin slices. Place the apples in a medium pot with ¼ cup of the sugar, cinnamon powder, lime juice and the water. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
- Place half of the cooked apples with the melted butter, eggs, corn starch, flour, baking powder, remaining sugar and vanilla extract and the remaining in a large bowl. Using and electric mixer whisk until just combined. Add the pound cake crumbs and whisk until the cake batter is smooth.
- Place the remaining apple in the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Pour batter in the baking pan.Bake for about 25 minutes. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes. Run small sharp knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto platter and serve warm or cold.
Nutrition
This apple cake is my kind of dessert. It is very easy to make and incredibly soft and moist. It is delicious served with coffee or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. If you have apples at home, you must make this delicious apple cake recipe.
We all loved this cake! I have never seen a cake disappear so fast in my house. I hope you enjoy this Colombian-Style Apple Cake as much as we did.
Cooking Tips
Any leftover apple cake should be tightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
I recommend using apples that won’t turn very soft a when baked. I like to use Honeycrisp, Galas, Fuji, and Pink Lady apples.
I baked my own pound cake to make this recipe, but feel free to use store bought pound cake if you prefer.
More Cake Recipes to Try
Plantain and Cheese Cake (Torta de Plátano)
Layered Jam Cake (Torta Maria Luisa)
Colombian Black Cake (Torta Negra)
Belinda @zomppa
That's one gorgeous looking apple! This cake looks like the perfect tea or dessert accompaniment.
Erica
Thank you,Belinda!It is delicious!
Lisa
This looks delicious and simple!! I wonder if you could make this with pears instead of apples? And what kind of apples are best to use...I have Golden Delicious in the fridge right now or do you recommend more tart like Granny Smith?
Erica
Lisa,
I used Gala apples!
Evekyne@cheapethniceatz
I started of as a baker and now I am more of a cook. I have gotten lazy for baking so a simple recipe that looks so amazing is tempting..like the pics. Yumm
Erica
Thanks for the comment, Evelyne!
grace
how delicious! it's like an apple cake and an upside down cake all in one!
Erica
Thank you,Grace!
Velva
I don't bake very often either so this recipe definitely grabbed my attention.
I really do enjoy the simplicity of this recipe. Apples are in season and they are awesome in desserts this time of year.
Thanks for sharing. As always, I enjoy your recipes.
Velva
Erica
Thank you,Velva!
Joanne
A good simple apple dessert always sounds good to me! This looks divine!
Erica
Thank you,Joanne!
Pam
Made this cake yesterday for a party and it was a hit. It was a moist, sweet and wonderful cake. Thanks for the recip
Erica
Thanks,Pam!
tasteofbeirut
What a splendid way to use up cake crumbs! Love it.
Erica
Thanks,Joumana!
Sofia
Where do you get the cake crumbs or ponqué.Do you recommend doing this for my Latin America because I am trying to choose a recipe.
hilary
what do we use the other half a cup of sugar for? The top? Also is it supposed to rise? Mine hasnt risen much yet
Erica
I fixed the directions,sorry 🙂 The cake doesn't rise!
Marylou
I don't see where the other 1/2 cup of sugar goes.
Erica Dinho
Step 3. Place half of the cooked apples with the melted butter, eggs, corn starch, flour, baking powder, remaining sugar and vanilla extract and the remaining in a large bowl. Using and electric mixer whisk until just combined. Add the pound cake crumbs and whisk until the cake batter is smooth.
Marylou
Oh. Now I see it! Sorry. I will be making this soon! Thanks again!
Ashley
This is a great and simple recipe! I used it for my Latin America project and everybody loved it. Thanks for sharing~
Sofia
Do you recommend doing this because I am trying to choose a recipe.
Anonymous
We made this in class at kindergarten today. It worked out wonderfully and was a very tasty tasty introduction to Colombia. The kids and teachers loved it!
We don't have a big cake tin so made two smaller versions. I found that it took a bit longer, more like 35 minutes, for them to be cooked through but that may be down to the portable ovens that we use.
I would recommend this recipe to anyone. The only thing missing was a big scoop of ice-cream 🙂
Ednita
Wow! Pero que belleza de torta! Looks scrumptiously delicious and I can hardly wait to try it! The pics left my mouth watering!
Thank you for sharing!
E
Vida
Can I use a pie tin. I don’t have a round baking pan
Jami
I attempted to make this delicious looking cake today, but when I got to adding the cooked apples, I wasnt sure what to do with all the liquid that was in the pot. I ended up adding it to the cake batter. So far it seems okay. But when I added half the apples to the bottom of the pan, it covered it completely. And then when I flipped my cake over, it just all fell apart.