This beautiful Apple Strudel Cake is a fun take on the classic apple strudel dessert, filled with a deliciously spiced apple cranberry filling. It’s perfect for sharing with friends and total comfort food!
If you love apple desserts you should also try my Easy Apple Crumble Recipe and my Fried Apple Rings.
Apple Strudel Cake
Guess what?!
It’s somebody’s birthday!
Guess who?!
ME!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!
So! You know how you feel 21 until you’re in a room with a bunch of 21-year olds, and you now know you’re definitely not 21?!
Yeah. That’s what’s up.
Swear! I was like, “heeeeeey who cares! Welcome 36!! pssssht! BUT, I feel 23, and that’s what’s important!!” And then, over the weekend, a bunch of 21-year olds were in my face and I was all, like, “get me out of here!!! They are SO… 21!!!”
Also? My head and my neck hurt like hell the following day because I had 2 Tequila shots. 2! At 23-years old I was able to down 10 and walk away, sober. Now?! Um. Not so much.
I’ll just stick to my White Sangria – hasn’t resulted in a hangover, yet.
You know what else doesn’t result in a hangover?! CAKE!
This Apple Strudel Cake Is Pure Comfort Food
This cake recipe took some contemplation on my part. I know it doesn’t fall into the typical birthday-cake category, but I’m also not your typical girl, either.
Thus, in true Katerina fashion, this, actually, is my kinda cake!
Don’t get me wrong. I do love me some beautiful, frosted, layered cakes, but I can really appreciate something a tad bit different. Like last year’s French Silk Tart. LOVE that stuff!
This Apple Strudel Cake also spells out comfort. Apples, cranberries, and cinnamon nestled in between layers of crispy, flaky, sweet phyllo sheets … ah, be still my heart. It’s so good that when one slice decided to slip off and fall on the floor, I picked it up and swallowed it whole! Like, in one bite. And no 10-second rule. Other than that, it’s pretty much AMAZING. In fact, it’s CAPS-LOCK-WORTHY-AMAZING!
Now, I’m off to enjoy the rest of my birthDAY!
ENJOY!
P.S. You know what sucks about not being 21? Memory loss. I forgot to hit the “schedule” button on this post – you should have received this 12 hours ago. Oh well! It’s still my birthday! 😀
Apple Strudel Cake
Ingredients
- butter for cake pan
- 1 sleeve phyllo sheets (about 20 phyllo sheets), divided
- 8 tablespoons butter , melted
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 1/2 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
- 3 large granny smith apples , peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- lemon zest of 1 whole lemon
- 1/2 lemon , juiced
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 3 tablespoons butter , cut into pieces
- 3 tablespoons raw sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Butter an 8-inch springform pan on the bottom and up the sides; set aside.
- Combine apple juice and craisins in a small bowl; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, ground cinnamon, brown sugar, chopped pecans, and butter.
- Stir in apple juice and craisins.
- Mix until well combined.
- Set aside.
- Unfold phyllo sheets.
- Place a phyllo sheet in the bottom of the prepared cake pan.
- Brush with melted butter, folding in the sides of the phyllo sheet so to fit the pan. Do not fold the sides before brushing the sheet with butter because, if dry, it will break.
- Top with nine more sheets, brushing each sheet with melted butter before adding the next.
- As you work, keep the unused stack of phyllo sheets covered so they don't dry up.
- Spread the apple mixture over the phyllo sheets.
- Top with remaining 10 phyllo sheets, tucking in each sheet around the apple mixture.
- Brush each sheet with melted butter, including the top sheet.
- Sprinkle top phyllo sheet with raw sugar.
- Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Let cool before removing ring from cake pan.
- Cut and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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WANT MORE CAKE RECIPES? SEE BELOW!
This looks delicious! I love any apple dessert. Happy belated birthday! I just turned 24 and I already feel like I’m forgetting things and I can’t drink much of anything without feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck.
Happy birthday, gorgeous! As for this cake, I am in love – the cran-apple filling is divine!
Happy Birthday!! Hope you enjoy your day 🙂
Kate,
Happy Birthday! I can’t tell you how many decades it’s been since I’ve had a shot of tequila–so I admire your youthful exuberance 😉 !
Love this recipe! And Happy Birthday!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAUTIFUL!!!! Don’t you love being a food blogger so that you can make yourself whatever giant, over the top cake you feel like? All in a day’s work 🙂 Seriously, this is goregous. I want to face plant into those flakey layers!
Happy belated Birthday, Katerina! I think 30-something is the new 20-something, yes? 😀
Love this gorge apple strudel cake!!
Happy Birthday beautiful!! I life life this cake. So special and unique…just like you!! And boy don’t i wish I could be 21 again? But now they just are so loud everytime I’m around them lol! I hope you had a great day with lots of sangria 🙂
This cake is like the cake of my dreams. Wow it looks so flaky and gorgeous! You are killing me Katerina!!
HAPPY BIRHTDAY TO YOU!!!!
Happy birthday!! Have am extra slice of cake for me, and I’ll do a shot for you;)
Belated Birthday greetings Katerina!
Your fun take on strudel is certainly wonderful and looks so inviting. Very creative indeed.
Happy Birthday! This reminds me of apple turnovers but better!
You’re good, I can’t even handle one tequila shot anymore let alone two! You still got it 🙂
Happy Birthday, gorgeous! I’m so glad you celebrated with tequila. Isn’t it crazy how our tolerance decreases? Embarrassingly, I used to be able to drink a bottle of wine by myself throughout an evening. Now? Two glasses and I’m TOAST and hating myself the next day. I guess this is part of wising up?
Anyway, have a fantastic day!
Happy Birthday!!!! This is one heck of a cake to celebrate with! It is down right gorgeous. I would eat a slice off the floor too 🙂
Happy Birthday!!!!!! Loving this cake! I love apple strudel and making it into a cake – geeeeeeniusssss!!!!
Happy birthday!
Can I get a slice of that cake, please? 😀 looks so yummy!
Happy 36th! I totally understand about the feeling younger than you are. The non-traditional birthday cake looks amazing.
Congratulations birthday girl.
Lovely take on combining an apple strudel with a baklava.
Thank you so, SO MUCH! 🙂 xoxo