(Gerry Furth-Sides) My birthday last month was the second time I was treated to Sharlotka baked by @tableconversation, and the home grown apples and loquats in it got my attention. The attraction was the light-as-chiffon stone fruit cake texture. And this alone has a surprising history! And, as it turned out, the elegant, cake is one of the most popular Eastern European kitchen mainstays because five-ingredient cake is now so simple to put together.

Sharlotka was created by legendary French chef, Marie Antoine Careme.” It was made in honor of the wife of Tsar Alexander I of Russia. Early names for this recipe was Charlotte a la Parisienne, and then became known as Charlotte Russe.

As the cake (with lady fingers) became popular, the home kitchen evolved without the lady fingers, into a light, almost chiffon like cake.

3 medium apples, sliced thin (we followed @table conversation and added loquats she offered)

3 eggs

1 cup  white sugar

1 cup regular flour (sifted)

Bread crumbs to coat the bottom of the pan. We used extra crunchy panko.

Directions:

Coat baking pan with butter. Sprinkle crumbs on the bottom (which will become the top after baking) Beat eggs and sugar (mixer is best, but can be done in blender or by hand) until white. Gradually add flour.

Coat baking pan with butter, sprinkle crumbs on the bottom.

Layer  sliced apples (and any fruit being added) over the crumbs.

Pour batter over the apples (making sure to cover apples as much as you can).

Preheat oven to 400F. Bake for 45 min or until the matchstick inserted n the cake comes out clean.

When cool enough, turn cake over onto a wire rack.

There are many versions of the home version this recipe, some still using lady fingers, others crushed cookies to emulate the original. It has evolved to a simpler cake recipe with ingredients that everyone has in their pantry. In Poland, this recipe is known as Szarlotka.

This recipe is light, fluffy, moist and delicious. It’s a basic apple sponge cake made with only 5 simple ingredients.

My neighbor who grew up in Moscow, Natalia, was the most enthusiastic about this cake.  An easy cake to whip up at the last minute when guests pop over unannounced for tea. Simple and unpretentious, a classic Russian dessert.

According to Natalia, “It’s a popular cake I think because it is so simple to cook and all the ingredients  are always available in any store any time if the year. It’s funny,  knew people who cooked it on gheir backpacking trips. I don’t think each family has their own recipes. There are definitely slight variations from household to household. 

“Yes, I think people here are conditioned that pies are all they may ever desire.  it’s wrong.  Long live Sharlotka cake!,” she laughed. 

Natalia added, “A round baking pan with hole in the middle works very well for this recipe. Any apple will work.  I sometimes use Granny Smith to offset the sugar.”   

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