Dough:
180 g (about 6.3 oz) of soft vegetable-butter blend (like “Tulchinka”) or butter
2 tbsp of oil
1 cup (200 g or about 7 oz) of sugar
7 egg yolks
3 egg whites
1.5 cups of flour
2 tsp of baking powder
1 tbsp of cocoa powder
1 tbsp of cornstarch
2 tbsp of semolina
Coconut layer:
4 egg whites
A pinch of citric acid
200 g (about 7 oz) of shredded coconut
0.5 cup of sugar
Apple layer:
1 kg (about 2.2 lbs) of apples
Frosting:
3 tbsp of butter
3 tbsp of cream or sour cream
3 tbsp of sugar
3 tbsp of cocoa powder
In a blender, whip the vegetable-butter mixture or butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, continuing to blend. Once the mixture is smooth and homogeneous, incorporate the oil, flour (sifted with baking powder), semolina, and mix well. Finally, fold in the whipped egg whites with a spoon until the batter is uniform. Divide the batter into two equal parts. Add cocoa to one part and cornstarch to the other. Mix each part thoroughly again.
Peel the apples and grate them using a coarse grater, squeezing out the excess juice but not all of it. Whip the egg whites with citric acid and sugar until stiff peaks form, then fold in the shredded coconut.
Line a baking dish (27×18 cm or about 10.5×7 inches) with parchment paper. Spread the dark batter on the bottom, followed by the coconut layer, then carefully distribute the apples on top, and finally, gently spread the light batter over the apples, trying not to mix them.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (about 350 degrees Fahrenheit), place the apple cake inside, and reduce the temperature to 170-160 degrees Celsius (about 340-320 degrees Fahrenheit). Bake for 50-60 minutes using the top and bottom heat setting. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool. Then, pour the frosting made in a double boiler over the top.