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Oma's German Apple Cake Recipe

Here's my traditional German apple cake recipe, aka Versunkener Apfelkuchen, that's sure to please. It looks so pretty and is so very easy to make.

It's one I learned early on in my marriage and I really depended upon it to make a good impression on the in-laws! A fresh dusting of icing sugar just before company comes, and ta-da, looks so fancy.

Servings:

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 - 5 apples
  
• ½ cup (114 g) room temperature unsalted butter
  
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
  
• 1¾ cup (228 g) all-purpose flour
  
• 1½ tsp (6 g) baking powder
  
• ½ tsp (3 g) salt
  
• ½ cup (120 ml) milk
  
• powdered sugar
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
   
2. Grease bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.
   
3. Peel, quarter and core apples. Thinly slice each quarter several times without cutting all the way through. Do this just before you place them on cake. The apples "open" when they are baked.
4. In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugar, eggs and lemon juice until creamy.
   
5. Blend flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into sugar mixture alternately with the milk.
   
6. Spread batter in the pan. Arrange apple quarters as shown.
   
7. Bake 50 - 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
   
8. Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove the cake from pan.
9. Dust with icing sugar just before serving. Put a tablespoon of powdered sugar into a small sieve. Gently strike the sieve with a spoon to dust it evenly over cake.

Notes/Hints:

• Extra apples? Make this buffet treat!
• Add ½ to 1 tsp almond extract instead of or as well as the lemon juice.
• Brush hot sieved apricot jam over the apples right after the cake comes out of the oven.
• Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
• Tastes best warm right out of the oven or the following day once the apples have infused their flavor through the cake.
  

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03.30.2021 revision update