Danish Apple Cake (Æblekage) is not actually a cake but a traditional Danish dessert comprising layers of stewed apples, caramelised toasted oats, and finished off with whipped cream.
This is my mum’s version and she always tops it with a delicious grating of dark chocolate!
So it’s officially Autumn and my mind automatically turns to apples.
I was recently lucky enough to be given a couple of carrier bags of Bramleys from a neighbour and also managed to forage some dessert apples from a recent trip out kayaking! So what to make?
Well for some time now I have been meaning to make my mother’s Danish Apple Cake (Æblekage) which translated from Danish means Apple Cake.
It’s not really a cake though as there is no baking involved, it’s more like a trifle-type dessert minus the cake and custard!
However, it is often served in the afternoon with coffee and does solidify like a cake when left in the fridge.
My mum has been making Æblekage for as long as I can remember and I think most Danes have their own way of making it.
Some use bread crumbs or even crushed macaroons in the layers but this version uses toasted oats which are coated in butter and sugar.
Many versions also use all dessert apples but there is a nice contrast to be had when using Bramleys too, in both texture and flavour.
The stewed apple doesn’t want to be sweet but the sugar is just there to take away the tartness from the Bramley apples.
The crunchy sweet layer of oats contrasted with the apples and cream make for a delicious dessert and the grated chocolate is just my mum’s indulgent addition.
This recipe makes enough for about 6 – 8 servings as personally I like to have enough dessert for the next day (and it’s so good) but you could always halve the quantity.
Traditionally Danish Apple Cake is served in a crystal bowl but can also be made in individual goblets if you prefer (fab for dinner parties).
This is a very budget-friendly dessert, especially at this time of year when apples are in plentiful supply and there are lots of offers out there!
I don’t think my mum has ever measured anything for her Danish Apple Cake as most of her recipes are done from her head and by eye.
This is therefore my interpretation and after asking my son to compare the 2 versions he said mine was spot on – job done!
I have now made a Cheat’s Danish Apple Cake (Gammeldags Æblekage) served in individual glasses which you should check out if you’re pushed for time!
More Apple Cakes & Desserts
- Quick Apple Puddings
- Apple Meringue
- Lilian’s Apple Cake – Danish
- Apple & Marzipan Dumplings
- Apple & Blueberry Tarte Tatin
- Eve’s Pudding
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
I’m sure you’ll love Danish Apple Cake so do give it a go.
Breaking News
Was thrilled when Felicity Cloake tagged me in her Instagram on 7/08/2023 to say that she’d made this recipe.
Then I was even more thrilled when a friend pointed out that my mum’s recipe had been referenced in Felicity’s article in The Guardian’s Feast Magazine.
Felicity took elements from various Danish food writers’ Danish Apple Cakes, such as Trine Hahnemann and Signe Johansen, and came up with her own version.
Do leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe as I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
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Danish Apple Cake (Æblekage)
Ingredients
- 500 g Bramley apples (about 3 apples)
- 500 g dessert apples (about 5 apples)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla sugar
- 50 g unsalted butter (2 oz)
- 200 g rolled oats (2 cups)
- 125 g granulated sugar (1 cup + 2 tbsp)
- 300 ml whipping cream (1.3 cups)
- 1 tbsp grated plain chocolate
Instructions
- Fill a large pan with water.
- Peel, core and finely slice apples and drop into water.
- Drain water, leaving 1 tbsp and stew apples with 3 tbsp sugar and vanilla sugar under a lid until tender. (About 10 – 15 minutes).
- Transfer cooked apple slices to a bowl and allow to cool.
- In a large frying pan melt butter over a gentle heat, then add 125g sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Once sugar has turned into a caramel with butter (this will take a few minutes) stir in the oats until they are golden and toasted. (Be careful not to burn).
- Allow to cool.
- Finally whip cream and place half the apple mixture into a bowl followed by half the toasted oats, then repeat and finish off with a layer of cream and decorate with grated chocolate.
- Serve straight away or chill until needed.
Barbara Lovell
This looks wonderful, I’ll try it! My parents immigrated from Denmark to the US in their twenties, they are from the neighboring towns of Skive and Fredericks. They make their aeblekage with layers of stewed and blended prune pudding, stewed and blended apples, vanilla pudding, toasted and caramelized bread crumbs and whipped cream. Sometimes they substitute sugared Graham cracker crumbs or macaroons for the bread crumbs. The variations are fun to try, thanks for your recipe!
Camilla
Thank you Barbara, a wonderful story! Enjoy the Aeblekage:-)
Tony Hvid
i tried this recipe (without the Chocolate) and it was great, just like my Grandmother made it, my Cousin in Denmark uses Macaroons as well
maybe a coincidence but my Father emigrated from Skive to England, and he said he had a cousin that emigrated to USA
who knows we may be related
Sandy
Thank you! This recipe looks very yummy! My family (Silkeborg, Aså and Saeby) made such fantastic foods when I was visiting. Æblekage is one dessert I really enjoyed. I’m going try your version with the caramelized oats for Christmas. I’m curious about the process between Steps 2 and 3. Is the water brought a boil and then lowered to simmer, or boiled…and for how long? How much time cooking in the pot?
With thanks,
Sandy Pedersen Inkster
Camilla
Hi Sandy, that’s wonderful, glad you can recreate this recipe! The water initially is there to stop the apples from browning as you peel them. You only cook them in 1 tbsp of water for as long as they take to soften on a medium heat with a lid on, it takes around 10 minutes but if not soft in that time cook a little longer.
Alyson J. Goroski
My mother was Danish and made Aeblekage all the time. I loved her version which was as follows:
The crumbs were cornflake crumbs which were toasted in a fry pan with melted butter and sugar until they were toasted brown and the sugar had slightly caramelized. Whipped cream slightly sweetened with vanilla, cooked chunky applesauce also slightly sweetened with a touch of vanilla, toasted slivered almonds and homemade strawberry jam and or fresh strawberries. The applesauce always went on top of the crumbs and the layers always started and ended with whipped cream. There was never any chocolate but the strawberries and or jam always added to the color of the layers. A great dessert to make when fresh strawberries were in season
Camilla
Mum’s recipes are always the best. It was my mum who chose to add the grated chocolate and I couldn’t have without now:-) I’ve heard about the added jelly version of this recipe but never encountered it amongst family & friends in Denmark. Mum is from Aarhus.
Aly
My mother was from Kobenhaven
Camilla
Awesome:-)
Mamita
What are the cooking temperatures?
Camilla
I’m sorry, I don’t understand. There’s no oven being used here.
Charles
My Grandmother was from Bohemia my grandfather from Denmark my grandmother made this for every holiday meal we called it Apple Groi. There were dabs of jelly or jam throughout it and on top as well. have you ever heard of the word groi or a similar danish word?
Camilla
Hi Charles, I have heard about Aeblekage being made with the addition of some red jelly but have never seen or had it that way myself. I wonder if you mean grod which means porridge as in this dessert: https://www.fabfood4all.co.uk/rodgrod-med-flode/ which could be made with many different fruits.
Laura
My husbands family used zwebak toast crumbs and apple sauce. Your recipe sounds much better! I’m trying it asap! Thank you
Camilla
Fresh ingredients always taste better, I’m sure you’ll love this:-)
Karen Jespersen
Do you have American amount of ingredients please?
My husband is Danish and his mother use to make this for him.
Thank you!!!
Camilla
Hi Karen, I don’t usually do conversions but as this is a recipe where you don’t have to be too precise (like in my jam recipes) I have Googled for conversion to cups and also weighed the apples in my kitchen to gauge how many you needed. Please see the updated recipe:-)
Vibeke Østergaard
Bread crums …that’s the right thing to use for an original Danish Apple Cake
Apples should be with a flavour of lemons.
Vibeke Østergaard
Denmark
Camilla
My mormor was a passionate foodie and moved over to using oats which became fashionable and my mum preferred this too although her sisters would make it with breadcrumbs. Recipes evolve and change with time and taste, nothing ever stands still. I’m in enough Danish Facebook groups to know that there is no one way of doing recipes, each family had and has their own way of doing things. I also have a cheat’s version where I crush up oat biscuits and serve in individual glasses which is my spin on it. But this is very much a Danish recipe although the grated chocolate was my mum’s addition.
Terri Nielsen Buchin
My farfar and farmor immigrated in the 40’s so my father was a young boy. Most of farmor’s written recipes were with measurements since she never measured. I am loving reading the recipes, comments, all of it!
Tak
Camilla
Aaw, that’s wonderful Terri, so glad you’re enjoying the recipes and that they’re bringing back memories:-)
Vibeke Østergaard
My family’s dessert. My mother always made this on our farm in Jutland in Denmark. Your recipe is perfect, and I’ m going to send it to Bob in Arkanss, who was an exchange student with. my family for the summer of 1959.
He has just contacted me again at the age of 80
Vibeke Østergarrd
Denmark
Camilla
Wonderful Vibeke, where was your farm? My mum is from Aahus originally.
Tanya
I think I’d like it using oatmeal better than bread crumbs….thank you!