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A cake with quartered apples sunken into the top on a glass serving platter.
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4.90 from 69 votes

German Apple Cake Recipe

German Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen) is a traditional German dessert that is so easy to make even if you aren’t totally kitchen confident! This easy coffee cake is the perfect fall dessert that tastes best with a dollop of whipped cream on top. CHECK OUT THE RECIPE VIDEO BELOW!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Baking, Dessert
Cuisine: German, Holiday
Servings: 12
Author: Julia Foerster

Ingredients

  • 4 small apples
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour (see instructions above)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • Powdered sugar
Cups - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform or use parchment paper.
  • Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Thinly slice each quarter lengthwise without cutting all the way through (like in the image above).
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add sugar and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Add eggs one at a time and beat for 30 seconds on high speed after each addition.
  • Add vanilla sugar (or extract) and lemon juice. Beat until combined.
  • Combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer running on low speed add half of the flour, then 1 tbsp milk, followed by the remaining flour, and then the remaining milk. Beat until just combined. Don't overmix!
  • Transfer batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Distribute the apples with the sliced side up on top (see image above).
  • Bake in the lower third of the oven for 45 minutes, until lightly browned and a skewer comes out clean.
  • Transfer to a cooling rack and remove the springform ring. Let cake cool on the bottom of the springform pan to room temperature.
  • Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cooled cake and serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 330IU | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 0.5mg