Hungarian Apple Meringue Cake – Traditional Almás-Meringues Sütemény

Hungarian Apple Meringue Cake is a beautiful traditional-style Hungarian dessert made with a buttery pastry base, warmly spiced apple filling, a light meringue topping, and a crunchy golden crumble. The contrast between the tender crust, juicy apples, creamy meringue, and crisp topping makes every bite irresistible.

This rustic cake is perfect for family gatherings, holidays, afternoon coffee, or a traditional Hungarian dessert table.

Ingredients

For the Pastry Base

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1–2 tablespoons sour cream, if needed

For the Apple Filling

• 5–6 medium apples, peeled and grated
• ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter

For the Meringue

• 4 egg whites
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or a few drops of vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Crumble Topping

• ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
• 3 tablespoons cold butter
• ⅓ cup (35 g) chopped walnuts, optional