Apple Walnut Torte

Name: Apple Walnut Torte
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 sticks unsalted butter; 1½ cups sugar; 2 pounds tart apples; ¾ teaspoon salt; 1½ cups all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ¾ teaspoon ground allspice; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg; 1½ cups walnuts; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract; 3 tablespoons apple jelly; 1 piece cake pan; 1 serving Calvados vanilla cream

A decadent upside-down cake featuring caramelized apples and ground walnuts, spiced with warm fall flavors like allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This elegant torte is finished with a glossy apple jelly glaze.

8 servings

3 hr 10 min

Published October 4, 2025

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Ingredients

•2 sticks unsalted butter
•1½ cups sugar
•2 pounds tart apples
•¾ teaspoon salt
•1½ cups all-purpose flour
•1½ teaspoons baking powder
•½ teaspoon baking soda
•¾ teaspoon ground allspice
•½ teaspoon cinnamon
•¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
•1½ cups walnuts
•2 large eggs
•1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
•3 tablespoons apple jelly
•1 piece cake pan
•1 serving Calvados vanilla cream

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
5 min
2.
Butter pan and fit a round of parchment paper in bottom. Butter parchment, then flour pan.
5 min
3.
Spread 1/2 stick butter thickly on bottom of a 12-inch heavy skillet and sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar evenly over butter. Arrange apples, cut sides down, over sugar and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, turning apples occasionally, until sugar is caramelized and apples are tender and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
20 min
4.
Arrange apples, cut sides down, in concentric circles in bottom of cake pan, then pour over any caramel from skillet.
5 min
5.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3 min
6.
Pulse walnuts with remaining cup sugar in a food processor until finely ground.
2 min
7.
Beat remaining 1 1/2 sticks butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add walnut sugar and beat until just combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in extracts. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined (batter will be thick).
10 min
8.
Dollop batter over apples and spread evenly. Bake until torte just begins to pull away from side of pan and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool torte in pan on a rack 30 minutes. Put rack over torte, then invert torte onto rack.
50 min
9.
Melt apple jelly in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring. Brush apples generously with jelly, then cool torte completely, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
90 min

Ingredients

•2 sticks unsalted butter

•1½ cups sugar

•2 pounds tart apples

•¾ teaspoon salt

•1½ cups all-purpose flour

•1½ teaspoons baking powder

•½ teaspoon baking soda

•¾ teaspoon ground allspice

•½ teaspoon cinnamon

•¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

•1½ cups walnuts

•2 large eggs

•1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

•¼ teaspoon pure almond extract

•3 tablespoons apple jelly

•1 piece cake pan

•1 serving Calvados vanilla cream

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

5 min

Butter pan and fit a round of parchment paper in bottom. Butter parchment, then flour pan.

5 min

Spread 1/2 stick butter thickly on bottom of a 12-inch heavy skillet and sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar evenly over butter. Arrange apples, cut sides down, over sugar and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, turning apples occasionally, until sugar is caramelized and apples are tender and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

20 min

Arrange apples, cut sides down, in concentric circles in bottom of cake pan, then pour over any caramel from skillet.

5 min

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3 min

Pulse walnuts with remaining cup sugar in a food processor until finely ground.

2 min

Beat remaining 1 1/2 sticks butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add walnut sugar and beat until just combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in extracts. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined (batter will be thick).

10 min

Dollop batter over apples and spread evenly. Bake until torte just begins to pull away from side of pan and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool torte in pan on a rack 30 minutes. Put rack over torte, then invert torte onto rack.

50 min

Melt apple jelly in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring. Brush apples generously with jelly, then cool torte completely, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

90 min