Tata's Torta di Mele – Italian Apple Cake Recipe
Tata means nanny in Italian. My children's Italian Tata Victoria spent a lot of time cooking and baking with the children when they were little. It was both enjoyable and practical. The children developed a love for food early on, and we got help with meals in a busy everyday life. Try this recipe for Italian apple cake.
Italian Apple Cake Recipe
One of the more popular cakes was the apple cake. It is light, quick, and delicious.
I imagine it's a bit healthier than other cakes, as it's made with oil and not butter. It's said to stay fresh for several days – but it has never lasted long enough for me to test it.
Ingredients for Italian Apple Tart:
3 eggs
2 dl sugar
3 dl flour
1 tsp. vanilla sugar
1 dl yogurt (whatever you have, with fruit or plain)
1 dl neutral-tasting oil
1 tsp. baking powder
1 pinch of salt
Zest of one grated lemon
3 apples
optionally, a little cinnamon sugar
How to bake Tata's Torta di Mele (Italian Apple Cake)
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Peel the apples and cut one into small cubes and the rest into very thin slices.
Carefully separate the eggs, putting the yolks and whites into two different bowls.
Whisk the whites until very stiff.
In the other bowl, first whisk the yolks well with sugar and vanilla sugar. It should be frothy and white and is best done with a hand mixer.
Then add the yogurt, whisk briefly, and add the oil.
Add salt, grated lemon, the diced apples, and fold everything together with a spoon. Now gently fold the whisked whites into the batter.
Grease the springform pan and pour the batter into it. Take the apples cut into thin slices and arrange them in a dense pattern on top of the batter. Mix cinnamon and sugar, and sprinkle it evenly over the cake.
Bake in the oven at 190 degrees Celsius for about 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Done! Mixed together in fifteen minutes. The tart can be served as is or with a yogurt cream, a scoop of ice cream, or with a dusting of powdered sugar and a lovely Italian dessert wine.
Who knows, maybe it will become your favorite cake too? Enjoy baking. I would love to hear from you when you've tried baking it.
Written by Elisabeth Hjorth
May 2025
