Torta de Manzana: Colombian-Style Apple Cake

apple cake recipe (Torta de manzana). Photo: Gladis Mendoza

Torta de Manzana (Apple Cake) is a popular and comforting dessert. In Colombia, it is frequently consumed in cooler, high-altitude regions like the Boyacá department, making it a wonderful treat to pair with a hot beverage.

The secret to this 45-minute recipe is creating a unique base dough by blending boiled apples with crumbled pound cake, then topping it with fresh apple slices and an egg white wash before baking to a golden finish.

Colombian apple cake recipe (Torta de manzana).

Torta de Manzana (Apple Cake)

A comforting and simple baked dessert! A unique dough made from mashed apples and crumbled cake, topped with fresh apple slices.

Pin Receta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Course Dessert / Sweets

Cuisine Colombian, Latin American

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

6 Large apples
4 Eggs
125 g Butter
125 g Cornstarch
1 teaspoon Baking powder
250 g Pound cake ponqué
Sugar to taste
1/2 cup Raisins Optional

Instructions

Prep the apples: The very first step is to carefully place all the apples in a pot of boiling water for exactly 5 minutes to soften them slightly. Remove from the water and drain well.
Build the dough: Take exactly half of the apples (3 of them) and mash or blend them into a purée. In a large bowl, mix this apple purée with sugar to your liking, the melted butter, baking powder, cornstarch, 2 previously beaten eggs, and the finely crumbled pound cake. Mix and knead everything thoroughly to form the base dough.
Assemble the cake: Place the prepared dough into a previously buttered baking mold. Thinly slice the remaining 3 apples and arrange the slices neatly to completely cover the top of the dough. Separate the egg whites from the remaining 2 eggs, and use a pastry brush to wash the apple slices with the whites.
Bake: Place the mold into a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes until the top is beautifully golden brown. (Chef's Hack: You can optionally sprinkle the raisins into the batter or over the top before baking). Let it cool slightly before serving!

Notes

Regional Consumption: In Colombia, baked apple desserts like this are commonly found and enjoyed in the Boyacá region, which is known for its cooler climate and agricultural production.
Pound Cake Base: Using pre-baked, crumbled pound cake (ponqué) as a core dry ingredient is a clever and practical shortcut to build the structure of the dough without relying entirely on raw flour.