Polish Apple Cake (Easy Szarlotka recipe)

Polish Apple Cake recipe is easy to make with just a few basic, wholesome ingredients. Known as “szarlotka”, it can be served warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream. Perfect for parties, pot lucks, or a delicious dessert that will make your house smell amazing.

I also love this apple baked oatmeal and these healthy air fried cinnamon apples.

Authentic Polish apple cake

This authentic Polish apple cake (“szarlotka”), is a fantastic fall dessert recipe and the perfect way to use up apples after apple picking - which is one of our family’s favorite apple season activities. Apple orchards in Maine are dreamy!

Usually, I like to make a crumble, such as this Apple Strawberry Crisp or my Blueberry Apple Crumble with some of the apples. But I always make sure to save enough apples left for this delicious and wholesome dessert from my home country!

There are many kinds of apple cake in Poland, some of them called "jabłecznik", but this one is my favorite - made with super simple ingredients, no need to cook the apples and very little added sugar - only ⅓ cup.

Szarlotka is Poland's answer to the American apple pie, so of course it’s amazing with some fresh whipped cream or a big scoop of vanilla ice cream! Serve it warm or cold, for a weeknight dinner or fancy holiday party.

Looking for more Polish sweets? Try my sweet cheese filled naleśniki (Polish crepes) recipe.

The traditional Polish szarlotka is made with fresh, wholesome ingredients that are commonly found in the kitchen.

How to make homemade authentic szarlotka

1. Make the pastry. Place the flour, butter, egg, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade (Image 1). Pulse the pastry ingredients mixture several times until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized bits - Image 2). After that process just until a ball of dough forms (Image 3). If it's too dry to come together, add a tablespoon of icy cold water or sour cream (only if you have to though).

2. Transfer the dough ball onto a piece of plastic film (Image 4) , wrap tightly and place in the refrigerator for one hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 7 x 11-inch rectangular baking dish with a little butter and line with parchment paper. Butter helps the paper stick to the dish. Set aside.
4. Prep the apples. While the dough is chilling, peel and core the apples (Image 5). Then grate the apples using the food processor or a hand grater and transfer to a large bowl (Image 6). Add cinnamon and mix to incorporate.

5. After 1 hour, take the dough ball out of the freezer and cut ⅔ of it into a few ¼-inch thick slices. Place the remaining ⅓ of dough in the freezer - you will use it to grate on top of the cake for a slightly crumbly top. Place the dough slices on the bottom of the prepared baking dish (Image 7), then press with your fingers to form an even layer (Image 8).

6. Using clean hands or a cotton kitchen towel, squeeze out most of the juice from the grated apples so you don't get a soggy bottom and place the apples on top of the dough layer. Do it in batches until the apple mixture is used up (Image 9). Then press the layer of apples lightly with your hands or a spoon to even out.
7. Take the remaining ⅓ of dough from the freezer, grate and place on top of the apples in an even layer (Image 10).

8. Place in a preheated oven and bake for 60-70 minutes until golden brown (Image 11). Let cool for at least 30 minutes (or completely) and dust the top with powdered sugar.

9. Cut into 12 squares and serve warm or at room temperature (Image 12).

Storage and Freezing Tips

• Leftover szarlotka will be good for up to 3-4 days covered or in an airtight container in a cool place. 
• The apple cake will last longer in the fridge,  but it tastes better when stored at room temperature.
• Szarlotka can also be frozen for up to 6 months. For best results, wrap the leftover pie in plastic wrap, then wrap again in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped apple cake into a freezer safe bag, date, and store in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature.

Recipe tips and tricks

• The best apples to use are tart and juicy varieties. I especially like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith. Fuji or Pink Lady will also work well. Stay away from apples like red or golden delicious that are generally mushy or have an overly soft texture.
• I like to grate the dough for the top layer but if you prefer, you can tear it into small pieces. For that version, place the remaining dough in the fridge instead of a freezer.
• Make sure the butter and the egg are cold for this recipe. 
• You can make the dough by hand using a pastry cutter (or 2 forks). See the notes in the recipe card for specific instructions.
• Squeeze the juice from the grated apples - this will prevent the bottom of the cake from getting soggy.
• I usually make this cake in a 7 x 11-inch glass Pyrex dish or a 9-inch springform pan. I do not recommend using a 9x13 pan because the cake will be too thin