Crispy puff pastry, a thick layer of juicy apples with cinnamon, and smooth vanilla pudding create a moist cake that’s perfect with coffee or for weekend snacking.
This dessert is easy to assemble right on the baking tray, and the oven does the rest. Crushed ladyfingers soak up the excess juice from the apples, so the bottom pastry stays pleasantly crisp. You can serve the cake warm or chilled, on its own or with your favorite creamy topping.
What You’ll Need
For a tray approximately 30 × 40 cm:
- 400 g puff pastry – 2 sheets,
- 1 kg apples, peeled and coarsely grated,
- 1 l milk,
- 3 packets vanilla pudding powder,
- 6 tablespoons sugar,
- 1/2 pack ladyfingers, finely crushed,
- cinnamon sugar to taste,
- lemon juice for drizzling over the apples,
- 1 egg for brushing,
- powdered sugar for dusting, optional.
Step-by-Step Preparation:
1. Cook the pudding: From 1 liter of milk, 6 tablespoons of sugar, and 3 packets of pudding powder, cook a thick vanilla pudding. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and let the pudding cool to lukewarm.
2. Prepare the oven and tray: Preheat the oven to 190–200 °C. Line a baking tray about 30 × 40 cm with baking paper so the finished cake can be easily removed and the bottom layer doesn’t stick.
3. Make the bottom layer: Roll out the first sheet of puff pastry onto the prepared tray and prick the surface lightly with a fork. Evenly sprinkle the finely crushed ladyfingers over the pastry; these will absorb the juice released from the apples during baking.
4. Prepare the apples: Coarsely grate the peeled apples, drizzle with lemon juice, and mix with cinnamon sugar to taste. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the ladyfinger layer.
5. Add the pudding layer: Gently spread the lukewarm vanilla pudding over the apples in an even, continuous layer. Don’t let the pudding cool completely, as it’s easier to spread when lukewarm but won’t run to the sides.
6. Close the cake: Cover the filling with the second sheet of puff pastry and press the edges well. Brush the surface with beaten egg and make a few small slits to allow steam to escape during baking.
7. Baking: Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake at 190–200 °C for about 20–30 minutes. It’s done when the surface is golden and the puff pastry is visibly crispy.
8. Cooling and serving: Let the baked cake cool briefly so the pudding and apple layers can set. Then cut into slices and, if desired, lightly dust the top with powdered sugar.
How to Keep the Cake Juicy and Crispy
Crushed ladyfingers between the pastry and apples aren’t just for flavor. They absorb some of the apple juice, help hold the filling together, and protect the bottom pastry from getting too soggy.
If your apples are especially juicy, you can gently squeeze them after grating. You can also replace the ladyfingers with a tablespoon of breadcrumbs mixed with ground nuts, which serves the same purpose and adds a delicate nutty flavor.
Why Spread the Pudding Lukewarm
Freshly cooked hot pudding might run to the sides and unnecessarily heat the other layers. Lukewarm pudding is thick enough but still easy to spread into an even layer. This keeps the filling uniform across the entire tray.
How to Serve the Cake
The cake tastes great warm or completely chilled. You can serve it on its own, lightly dusted with powdered sugar, with sour cream, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
