Apple Shortcake

I’m loving this apple shortcake recipe. It’s so easy to make and it tastes amazing. The buttery shortbread will melt in your mouth and the texture and flavour of apples are the perfect pairing.

This delicious dessert is an absolute crowd-pleaser and my test group on this recipe said it was their favourite taste test yet. It really is a lovely cake and so simple to make.

• Easy to make
• Buttery, sweet shortbread-like cake
• Chunky cinnamon apple filling
• A classic for a good reason
• Great for morning or afternoon tea or a special dessert

I make my own apple filling for this recipe, using an adaptation of my sauteed cinnamon apples. It’s very quick to make and much nicer than using store-bought apple pie filling. It’s fresh, flavourful and has the texture to boot.

There’s loads of apple recipes on this blog and I know you’ll love this simple apple crumble and these apple pie cupcakes with salted maple buttercream.

What is apple shortcake?

Different from a US-style shortcake which consists of a biscuit sandwiching fresh fruit (often strawberries) and cream, apple shortcake is a classic dessert with an almost shortbread textured cake filled with apples.

Apple shortcake reminds me of apple pie and you could most definitely make it in a pie tin and serve it the same way. It’s lovely on its own or with a little cream or ice cream. However, if you know me, you know I’m going to drench this in crème anglaise.

Detailed quantities and directions in the recipe card below.

• Apples: Use granny smith apples. They have the ability to retain their shape and not turn mushy which in turn helps the dough not get soggy. Granny smiths are also just a touch tart, which is great with the buttery, sweet dough.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter as salted butters all have varying levels of salt. This way you can add what you need.  
• Lemon juice: Just a little lemon juice added to the apples helps them soften and gives them a slight tang.
• Cinnamon: I use less cinnamon in this than in my sauteed apples recipe but you can definitely taste it. Feel free to add more if you like a strong cinnamon flavour.
• Sugar: I prefer to use caster sugar in this recipe though granulated will work. It’s in both the dough and apples with a scattering on top too.
• Flour: Use regular plain / all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder: This gives the dough just a little lift.
• Egg: This adds some structure to the dough.

While you could use apple pie filling in this, I don’t recommend it as it has too much moisture in it and a lot less texture. Moisture can make your dough soggy and the texture from the apples is lovely in this.

Tools you’ll need

• I use a food processor for the dough which makes it incredibly quick but you can make it by hand (cutting the butter into the flour as you would with scones but to a much finer size).
• I use a 20cm / 8 inch square baking tin to bake mine in. It would work in a round springform tin too – either 20cm / 8 inch or 22.5cm / 9 inch. Always bake it until the top is turning golden. If you use a glass dish, the bottom may take a little longer to cook through.
• A simple rolling pin for rolling out the dough but technically you could just break it into pieces with your hand and flatten them, then patchwork it together.

Detailed quantities and directions in the recipe card below.

1. Cook the apples: Place sliced apples, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon in a saucepan (photo 1) and cook over low-medium heat, stirring every now and then until they soften and most of the liquid has evaporated.  
2. Make the dough: The dough is a simple case of adding cubes of cold butter to the dry ingredients in a food processor (photo 2). Blend that to a sandy texture (photo 3) then add egg, followed by milk until it starts forming large clumps (photo 4). Form that dough into a rectangle with your hands and cut it into two squares (photo 5, below).

I don’t recommend using the apples raw in this cake. Cooking them allows them to soften a little before going into the cake and it also allows some of the liquid to evaporate. Putting them in raw would lead to less cooked apples and possibly a soggy dough.

1. The base: After a short chilling time, roll out one of the squares of dough and place it into a prepared pan, pressing it out until it goes about 1 inch up the sides.
2. The filling: Tip the apples into the base and spread them out evenly (photo 6).
3. The top: Roll out the other half of the dough and place it on top, pressing down around the edges with your fingertips (photo 7). Finally, brush the top with a little milk, then dust with caster sugar (photo 8).

Removing the cake from the tin

I line my tin in such a way that I can use the two sides of baking paper to lift the cake out. If the butter that you greased the tin with has set, you can sit the base of the tin in warm water for 10 seconds and the cake will lift right out.

This apple shortcake is very forgiving though and if you haven’t left enough paper overhang to lift it out, you can literally flip it to turn it out. Place a plate on top of the tin, flip it so the cake falls out, then flip it right side up using another plate, just make sure it’s completely cool before doing this.

Can I use different fruits?

I’m planning to try a number of fruits in this shortcake recipe.

• Stonefruit: I think something like ripe peaches, plums or cherries would work a treat and I wouldn’t cook them at all first. Just slice thinly and place in the dough fresh. I also think tinned peaches or apricots would be lovely.
• Curds: Again, I haven’t tried yet and I’ll update here as soon as I do, but I think a lovely lemon curd would be beautiful in this cake. You could also try others like this orange curd.
• Mango: Fresh slices of mango would be gorgeous in this buttery, crumbly dough.
• Pears: Either fresh and slightly cooked the same way the apples are or canned pears, drained of the juice, would work really well.

I adore this apple shortcake recipe and I think the filling is so ripe for customisation. I’ll definitely be trying all of the above as and when the fresh fruits are available.

How to store apple shortcake

You’re unlikely to have leftovers, it tastes that good but if you do, it can be stored at room temperature with a tea towel draped over it or in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 days.

The apple filling will soften that shortbread the longer it sits so it’s best eaten as fresh as possible.