Tuesdays with Dorie: Russian Grandmothers’ Apple Pie-Cake
March 11, 2008 at 12:02 am | Posted in cakes & tortes, groups, pies & tarts, simple cakes, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 43 Comments
Natalie from Burned Bits chose Russian Grandmothers’ Apple Pie-Cake as our Tuesdays with Dorie recipe of the week. I love apple pie and I love cake, so this one sounded great, even though I didn’t really know what to expect from it. Made from dough like a pie, but bakes up like a cake– huh?? Dorie doesn’t have a photo in her book to help me out (although she does have a nice story about the recipe), so I’d just have to see this paradox for myself.
It wasn’t hard to make– two layers of crust sandwich a cinnamony apple filling. When the “pie” bakes, the crusts poof up, and it really does become cake-like. It’s a really rustic dessert–all lumpy and bumpy and browned on top. And it’s really good…tonight I will be dreaming about eating it for breakfast!
I did make a couple of changes. Dorie uses raisins in her recipe, but I’m not too fond of them so I substituted dried cranberries instead. Also, I wanted to make half a recipe, which is a more manageable amount for us, and my 8-inch square glass pan worked perfectly.
You can find the recipe in Baking: From My Home to Yours or on Burned Bits. And check out the posts from the other Tuesdays with Dorie members!
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a whisk and a spoon 
That first picture of the piece on the fork is absolutely drool worthy. What a simple yet amazing cake.
Comment by cheryl— March 11, 2008 #
You’re a day early 🙂 Nice looking Pie-Cake!!
Comment by noskos— March 11, 2008 #
Your post makes me very excited to make this today! It looks delicious! I too was thinking about using cranberries instead of raisins and baking it in a square dish. Hoping mine comes out half as good as yours!
Comment by Gretchen Noelle— March 11, 2008 #
It’s Tuesday already for you folks in OZ, eh? I was thinking about subbing the raisins for dried cranberries, as well, but decided to go apples-only in the end. Your pie-cake looks great!
Comment by mari— March 11, 2008 #
Omg. scrumptious! I am not fond of raisins either so I am switching out for cranberries too! GMTA! 🙂 Great job!
– Clara
Comment by CB— March 11, 2008 #
Looks wonderful! I also made mine in an 8×8 and it was perfect.
Comment by Michelle— March 11, 2008 #
Talk about a looker! I didn’t get to make this cake as I baked something entirely different for a friend’s bday over the weekend, but after looking at your pictures, I might have to make it this coming weekend. The cake parts look extra buttery and delicious with the moist apple filling inside.
Comment by amanda— March 11, 2008 #
Oh my! After seeing your pictures I wish I had done the pie-cake instead of turnovers. It looks amazing!
Comment by Amanda— March 11, 2008 #
I am loving this pie-cake thing! Thanks for all the comments! Noskos and Mari–Yeah, a plus to living in Australia is getting to post “early” (it’s a minus when you need to make phone calls to the States during US business hours, though).
Comment by steph— March 11, 2008 #
Gorgeous job with this week’s recipe. I was also disappointed with the lack of a photograph…harder to tell if I’m doing it “right”. I went with the turnover option, which I’ll be posting about tomorrow. 🙂
Comment by Dolores— March 11, 2008 #
oh my.
i’m so smitten with that cake that i can’t even make an intelligent comment.
nicely done! 🙂
Comment by a. grace— March 11, 2008 #
This is comfort food for me! What I wouldn’t do for a plate in front of me right now! 🙂 Looks delish!
Comment by Chris— March 11, 2008 #
It looks fantastic. I said to Chelle, this would be great with cranberries at Thanksgiving. Great job Steph!
Comment by slush— March 11, 2008 #
Ooooh, that looks good. I always wondered what it would like and now I know. 🙂
Comment by Gigi— March 11, 2008 #
I’m so used to be the one posting early being in Europe, that I didn’t realize that you are even further ahead when I saw your post pop up in my RSS reader in the afternoon 🙂
Comment by noskos— March 11, 2008 #
I thought this was a fantastic dessert, but I think it needed a little something, and your addition of whipped cream is it!
Comment by Madam Chow— March 11, 2008 #
The filling looks so tasty between the crust on your fork! Love the whipped cream on top too.
Comment by lemontartlet— March 12, 2008 #
your pics are beautiful as always- the pie was a smart pic since March 14th is Pi day! And there is major applause from me on substituting dried cranberries for raisins. Nice call!
Comment by Tempered Woman— March 12, 2008 #
It looks YUMMY! Great pics!
Comment by Annemarie— March 12, 2008 #
This looks beautiful! I love the cranberry idea. I think I might try that next time!
Comment by Erin— March 12, 2008 #
Ah, whipped cream on top! I’d like that, it looks delicious
Comment by Ulrike aka ostwestwind— March 12, 2008 #
Your pics are great. I can imagine having it for breakfast with a cup of coffee. MMMM!
Comment by Amy P— March 12, 2008 #
Oh my goodness! I almost ate the screen with that first photo! I added a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of maple syrup to mine when it came time to eat it. Whipped cream would have been perfect also!
Comment by Marie— March 12, 2008 #
great job and beautiful pics! i did actually eat it for breakfast. 🙂
Comment by tara— March 12, 2008 #
i would totally eat that for breakfast.
Comment by kate— March 12, 2008 #
Loving the pictures! The whipped cram looks divine! Lovely job!!!
Comment by joythebaker— March 12, 2008 #
I made a few changes with mine too. Your pie-cake looks great! 🙂
Comment by Dianne— March 12, 2008 #
Oh wow! I’ve never heard of anything like this but it sounds like something I’d love (apples/pie/cake = love, generally speaking XD). Looks great!
Comment by Indigo— March 12, 2008 #
I agree that the cranberries are a great idea. I might do a combination of currants and cranberries next time. Maybe even dried cherries.
Comment by Judy— March 12, 2008 #
That looks glorious! 🙂
Comment by carrie— March 12, 2008 #
Your photos alwasy look soooo good!! This looks fab. I loved it too
Comment by Tammy— March 12, 2008 #
That looks soooo yummy! Great job….
Comment by That's My Cake!— March 12, 2008 #
Your pictures are amazing!
Comment by Melissa— March 12, 2008 #
your crusts look gorgeous! mine was like a rock, and a wet sponge…
Comment by lynettechng— March 12, 2008 #
the top photo makes me want to take a bite out of the screen! i like the cranberries int his too 🙂
Comment by Jaime— March 12, 2008 #
Very nice photos Steph, looks like a great pie-cake!
Comment by Nicisme— March 12, 2008 #
Gorgeous pictures! I enjoyed mine for breakfast too!
Comment by Karina— March 12, 2008 #
I keep bypassing this recipe but no more!! looks delicious!
Comment by Tartelette— March 13, 2008 #
Oh, I lvoe apple pie cake…we had a place locally that used to serve it warm with a brandy sauce…
Comment by marye— March 13, 2008 #
Rustic is the perfect description of this recipe. Beautiful photos!
Comment by Danielle— March 13, 2008 #
Oh, the vanilla bean whipped cream looks awesome!
Comment by peabody— March 13, 2008 #
looks delicious. i love the cranberries and whipped cream idea!
Comment by zakia6— March 14, 2008 #
This really looks wonderful- a great cross between a pie and a cake. Damn diets!
Comment by Deborah Dowd— March 14, 2008 #