Vanilla flavoured easy Apple Shortcake recipe with a stewed dessert apple filling. An easy dessert to make for a quick pudding, or when you need to use up a glut of apples.
I always have plenty of apples in the fridge and now that I have planted two apple trees in the garden, I'm hoping for more in the coming years. Normally I would stew them and serve them with custard, but I wanted something a little more of a dessert. I tested a few recipe variations, eventually taking the topping for this Rhubarb and Apple Cobbler and turning it into an Apple Shortcake dessert. Not forgetting the custard. No pudding is complete without custard.
How to make this Recipe
A full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Or click the 'Jump to Recipe' button at the top.
Preheat the oven to 180deg Fan assisted. Grease and line the base of an 8” square cake tin with baking parchment.
Stew the Apples first
Preheat the oven to 180deg Fan assisted. Grease and line the base of an 8” square cake tin with baking parchment.
Have ready a large pan or baking tray. Core the apples, and cut them into chunks or slices of various sizes. There is no need to peel them. Apple skins are very good for feeding gut bacteria.
Squeeze over with lemon juice while you chop the rest of the apples to help prevent them from going brown. Add the vanilla extract and water TIP: no need for sugar if using naturally sweet dessert apples. If using Baking Apples add 75g soft brown or caster sugar.
Simmer gently either in the oven in a baking tray or a large pan on the stovetop, until the apples begin to soften. This could take about 5 – 10 mins. Leave to one side to cool.
Make the Shortcake Topping
While the fruit is gently stewing, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract together. Add the flour and mix until well combined. Using your hands, bring it all together to make a smooth dough.
Divide the shortcake dough into 2 equal portions. Spread one piece at the bottom of the prepared baking tin. Drain off any excess juices before spreading the stewed Apples over the first layer of shortcake dough, sprinkle with cinnamon if using.
Roll out the second piece of dough to fit the size of your tin, ideally between two sheets of baking parchment, and cover the apple layer.
Sprinkle with a little more sugar if you wish and bake for approx. 20 – 25 mins or until baked, with a light golden colour and slightly risen texture.
Serve with whatever you wish, my favourite is hot vanilla custard. It can also be eaten cold.
Other Apple recipes that you may like to try.
Easy Apple Tart - with a simple pastry base.
Recipe
Apple Shortcake
Equipment
- 1 x 8" square cake tin
- Baking Parchment
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling
- 4 large Dessert apples weight approx. 700g – 750g in total
- juice of ½ a Lemon optional for preventing the apples going brown
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons of water
For the Shortcake Topping
- 175 g Soft Brown Sugar
- 150 g butter softened
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 250 g self raising flour if using plain flour add 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon optional
- Caster sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180deg Fan assisted. Grease and line the base of an 8” square cake tin with baking parchment.
- Have ready a large pan or baking tray. Core the apples, and cut them into chunks or slices of various sizes. There is no need to peel them. Apple skins are very good for feeding gut bacteria.
- Squeeze over with lemon juice while you chop the rest of the apples to help prevent them from going brown. Add the vanilla extract and water TIP: no need for sugar if using naturally sweet dessert apples. If using Baking Apples add 75g soft brown or caster sugar.
- Simmer gently either in the oven in a baking tray or a large pan on the stovetop, until the apples begin to soften. This could take about 5 – 10 mins. Leave to one side to cool.
Make the Shortcake Topping
- While the fruit is gently stewing, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract together. Add the flour and mix until well combined. Using your hands, bring it all together to make a smooth dough.
- Divide the shortcake dough into 2 equal portions. Spread one piece at the bottom of the prepared baking tin. Drain off any excess juices before spreading the stewed Apples over the first layer of shortcake dough, sprinkle with cinnamon if using.
- Roll out the second piece of dough to fit the size of your tin, ideally between two sheets of baking parchment, and cover the apple layer.
- Sprinkle with a little more sugar if you wish and bake for approx. 20 – 25 mins or until baked, with a light golden colour and slightly risen texture.
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Nutrition
Note: Recipes are tested using Metric only. The provided nutrition information is an estimate for the entire recipe, the calorie accuracy nutritional facts, unit and portion conversion are calculated by a third party app. and are not guaranteed.
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