As American as Swedish Apple Pie

Hot from the oven, with a slightly caramelized top.

Last Saturday I embarked upon a baking frenzy, spending the entire day in the land of butter, flour and sugar, and at the end, I had one devil's food cake, 24 apple muffins, 16 cubic inches of gooey date pudding and this treasure -- Swedish Apple Pie. (Of course the downside to a day like this is that the dry cleaning wasn't picked up and the week's groceries weren't purchased, but those are the sacrifices one must make.)

I peeled the apples for this recipe but I'll bet you don't have to.

In many ways, this recipe was the sleeper among the bunch.  Easy as, well, pie.  Unusual in texture and, if you like your desserts very sweet, absolutely delicious.  It's perfect for the fall, especially if you end up with pounds and pounds of apples from a visit to a country orchard.

The unbaked pie.

The name, Swedish Apple Pie, is a bit of a misnomer; the only thing pie-like about this sweet treat is that it's baked in a pie pan.  It's more like a very moist cake with a slightly caramelized topping.  The only problem with this is that, like the date pudding, it's a bit homely on the plate.  It doesn't hold together in a wedge shape when removed from the pan but if you overlook its appearance, close your eyes and take a bite you can get a little bit closer to heaven.  Or maybe Sweden.

The slices weren't gorgeous, but they sure were tasty.

The recipe, from a box I purchased on eBay, is attributed to Gladys and the card was in pristine condition, having been protected in a plastic sleeve.  (I'll bet Glady's living room sofa was encased in a plastic slipcover too.)