Romanian apple cake, also known as “placinta cu mere,” is a traditional dessert from Romania made with apples and a sweet dough. The dough is usually made with flour, eggs, sugar, and butter, and is rolled out and filled with a mixture of apples that have been peeled, cored, and thinly sliced. The cake is then baked until the apples are soft and the dough is golden brown. It can be served warm or cold, often dusted with powdered sugar on top. Variations of this dish exist in other countries with similar culture and cuisine.
Some variations of this dish can include nuts like walnuts or raisins or also can be made with different types of fruits, such as pears or plums. Some also add cinnamon and lemon zest to the apple filling to give it more flavor.
They say that nothing is American as apple pie, but apple cakes and pies are something that’s been around as long as people have been making desserts. Using simple, basic ingredients, you can have this easy Romanian-style apple cake assemble and in the oven within minutes, and be feeding the whole family within an hour!
Try this as dessert with whipped cream, and its delicious either hot or cold!
Ingredients:
5 honeycrisp apples, or whichever kind you like
3 eggs, beaten
1½ cups sugar
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup chopped walnuts
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 360° F.
Grease and flour a 9” x 13” cake pan. Peel and core the apples, then cut them into 1” slices. Set them aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well blended. Mix in the oil, baking soda, cinnamon and vanilla. Sift the flour and stir in a little bit at a time just until incorporated. Fold in the apples and walnut pieces.
Pour the batter into the baking dish. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.
