My Torta di Mele is one of the best apple cakes you’ll ever have.
Today it gives me great pleasure to share with you a recipe taught to me by Mama Jeanette many years ago, it’s one of my favorite desserts, and it’s also one of the most reliable recipes I have.
No matter who I share this recipe with; the results are always the same……Delicious, and every time I make this buttery apple cake, I think back to a simpler time and the days I spent with Mama Jeanette……
The weather had changed that morning, it was the kind of day that really made you appreciate being alive. The air was cold and crisp, the cold wind held the scent of ripe apples from the nearby orchard, each breath felt like a gift from God.
Mama Jeanette said “Sonny Boy, let’s go pick us some apples” My mind went directly to a deep dish apple pie, but Mama Jeanette had other plans. As I peeled the Apples she explained we would be making a Torta di Mele, she went on to explain it was her mother’s recipe for an Italian Apple Cake that had been passed down through her family for generations, and now she was giving it to me.
That afternoon we sat by the fireplace, with a warm slice of apple cake and an espresso, it was a glorious day to be alive……and today my friends I’d like to pass along Mama Jeanette’s family recipe for Torta de Mele…….enjoy!
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Torta di Mele
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 large apples cut into slices
- ⅔ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar to dust
Instructions
- preheat oven to 375, butter a 9” round cake pan
- In a large frying pan over low heat, melt the butter, reserve 6 tbs for later. Add the
- apple slices and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl mix together flour, salt and baking powder. In a large bowl beat the whole eggs and egg yolks until blended. Add the butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest.
- Stir in flour and apples. Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake until cake is browned, 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool in pan for
- minutes. Invert cake onto plate to remove the pan and then invert again and return to rack to cool completely.
- Before serving dust with 10x sugar
Asha
Sugar seems excessive in this recipe. Is that an error of 1 cup sugar when the flour is only 2/3 cup?
Chef Dennis Littley
that is the correct amount for this recipe, but you can reduce it to 3/4 cup
Asha
I finally got to make this recipe using 2/3 cup of sugar as I like desserts but not too sweet. It was absolutely delicious. I took it to an event and people commented that it tastes even better than it looks.
Thank you!
Mary B-MacL
Dear Chef,
I recently discovered your site and I’m thrilled with all these wonderful looking recipes. today’s my birthday and I would like to make your torta do mele, however I would like to use sautéed pineapples is this a possibility? I like the fact that this recipe produce is such a beautiful and tall cake thanks again ,
Mary
Chef Dennis Littley
absolutely Mary. Here is the same cake using pineapple https://www.askchefdennis.com/pineapple-butter-cake-and-ask-chef-dennis/