Sweet Apple Charlotte

 

This week’s bake is a Cinnamon Sponge Charlotte Cake With Caramel Apples from Cooking with Carlee.    A cinnamon sponge cake in the shape of a classic Charlotte, topped with fluffy whipped cream cheese and plenty of cinnamon and caramel apples.  It’s a perfect taste of sweet fall flavors!

 The Charlotte Russe Cake is said to have been invented by the French Chef Marie Antoine Careme (1784-1833), who named it in honor of his Russian employer, Czar Alexander I.  The word “russe” means Russian in French.

Some historians say that the word Charlotte refers to the Czar Alexander’s sister-in-law, Queen Charlotte, Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818), who was the wife of George III, king of Great Britain and Scotland.

 The Apple Charlotte is a golden-crusted dessert made by baking a thick apple compote in a mold lined with buttered bread.  This dessert was originally created as a way to use leftover or stale bread. Some historians think that this sweet dish took its name from Queen Charlotte, known as being a supporter of apple growers.

Nordic Ware’s baking pan now replicates the beauty of this famous French dessert that's traditionally been constructed, painstakingly, with individual Ladyfingers biscuits and custard.  It is easy & so delicious!   

Here is the recipe:

Cinnamon Sponge Charlotte Cake With Caramel Apples

from Cooking with Carlee

Ingredients

Cake

4 eggs, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Apples

2 Tablespoons butter

3 apples

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon corn starch (and 2 Tablespoons water)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Optional: caramel sauce for drizzling

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease your Charlotte or 8" cake pan.

In your mixer, beat eggs on high for 1 minute.

Add sugar and beat for 7 more minutes on high. The mixture should be really light and voluminous.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and cinnamon to ensure there are no lumps.

Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and carefully fold in. Add remaining flour mixture and fold in until incorporated.

Put cake batter in prepared cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Apples

Peel and dice the apples.

In a sauce pan over medium low heat, melt the butter. Add the apples, water, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the apples start to soften. This will take about 5 minutes.

Stir together 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons of cold water. Add cornstarch slurry to apple mixture and stir in. Continue to cook until it is bubbling and thick, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Allow to cool completely before topping cake.

Whipped Cream

Beat cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Beat in sugar and vanilla until incorporated.

With mixer running, slowly drizzle in heavy cream until it is incorporated and fluffy.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembly

Spread cream cheese whipped cream over completely cooled cake.

Top with cooled cinnamon caramel apples and drizzle with caramel sauce if desired.

Serve immediately or if assembled ahead of time, store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Here are some pictures from the bake:

Have a Great Day  !