Apple Walnut Cinnamon Cake with a Buttery Tea Biscuit Base

Name: Apple Walnut Cinnamon Cake with a Buttery Tea Biscuit Base
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Bulgarian
Ingredients: 1 stick unsalted butter; Enough plain tea biscuits or tea cookies to cover the bottom of the baking dish in one layer (any crisp, lightly sweet European-style tea biscuit or butter cookie works); 8 large eggs, room temperature; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste; 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted; 2 tsp baking powder; Pinch of salt; 3 apples, shredded (about 3 cups); 2 tbsp ground cinnamon (use less for a lighter cinnamon flavor); 1 cup finely ground walnuts; Powdered sugar; Ground cinnamon; Vanilla ice cream, optional

My mom's cozy apple cake, with my own twist — a buttery tea biscuit base and a soft cinnamon apple-walnut cake baked right on top.

Serves

one 9x13 pan

Prep

20 min

Cook

40 min

Apple Walnut Cinnamon Cake with a Buttery Tea Biscuit Base

This cake is based on one of my mom's recipes, with my own little twist. It has a buttery tea biscuit base and a soft apple-walnut cake flavored with plenty of cinnamon. My mom spread the apple, cinnamon, walnut and sugar mixture over the biscuits first, then poured plain batter on top. I fold the apples and walnuts straight into the batter instead — it bakes more evenly, slices more cleanly, and comes together faster. It's simple, cozy, and especially delicious warm.

Instructions

Prepare the oven and pan

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2
Place the stick of butter directly into the baking dish and put the dish in the oven just until the butter melts, then carefully remove it.

Make the biscuit base

1
Arrange the tea biscuits over the melted butter in a single layer, covering the bottom of the dish as much as possible.
2
Break a few biscuits into smaller pieces to fill any gaps, then set the pan aside.

Make the batter

1
Peel and shred the apples, mix them with the cinnamon, and set aside.
2
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until very light, fluffy, and increased in volume. Add the vanilla and mix briefly.
3
In a separate bowl, combine the sifted flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
4
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, mixing gently and only until combined. Do not overbeat once the flour is in.
5
Add the cinnamon apples and ground walnuts, then switch to a spoon or spatula and fold everything together by hand — no mixer for this step.

Assemble and bake

1
Pour the apple-walnut batter over the tea biscuit layer and spread it gently and evenly.
2
Bake at 350°F until the cake is golden, baked through, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
3
Let it cool slightly before cutting.
4
Dust with powdered sugar mixed with a little cinnamon, or serve a warm slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Toti’s Tips

✓Use plain, crisp tea biscuits rather than soft cookies — the crisp ones soak up the melted butter and stay firm, so the base holds together under the batter instead of turning to mush.
✓Melt the butter directly in the baking dish you'll bake in. The biscuits sit right in it and drink it up, which is what turns the bottom layer buttery instead of dry.
✓Beat the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy before the flour goes in. There is no butter or oil in the batter, so all the lift comes from that air.
✓Once the flour is added, mix only until combined. Overbeating develops gluten and the cake turns tough and rubbery instead of soft.
✓Fold the apples and walnuts in by hand. A mixer would knock the air out of the eggs and tear the shredded apple into wet strings.
✓I use 2 tablespoons of cinnamon because we love a strong cinnamon flavor — cut it back to 1 tablespoon if you'd rather have it in the background.
✓Folding the apples and walnuts into the batter, instead of layering them over the biscuits, means every slice bakes evenly and cuts cleanly without the fruit layer sliding apart.
✓It's especially good served warm, when the biscuit base is still buttery and the apples are soft.

Storage

•Cover and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
•Warm a slice briefly before serving to bring back the buttery base.