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Oma's Traditional German Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)
by: Gerhild Fulson / Oma Gerhild shares German recipes rooted in family tradition.
Updated on December 3, 2025
This German apple cake (apfelkuchen) is a quick, easy, and elegant dessert. My go-to for unexpected guests and creating family memories.
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Traditional German Apple Cake that's so quick and easy to make.This traditional German apple cake (versunkener apfelkuchen) is easy, impressive, and full of sweet memories. I made it with Mutti as when I was still a youngster, and later, to win over my in-laws!
Oma’s Recipe Rundown
Ease of Making: Simple enough for beginners; a reliable favorite.
Taste: Light, moist vanilla cake with tender, sweet apples.
Time: Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Best Served With: Whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a cup of coffee or tea.
This easy vanilla cake gets topped with thinly sliced apples that fan out beautifully as it bakes. It may go into the oven looking plain, but it comes out looking like a showstopper! A dusting of powdered sugar makes it extra pretty—and best of all, it always turns out.
Top Tips for Best Results
- Apple Selection: Use sweet, tart apples like McIntosh, Cortland, or Granny Smith..
- Fanning Technique: Slice apples thinly without cutting all the way through to create a beautiful fanned effect as they bake.
- Serve Warm or Make Ahead: Tastes best warm right out of the oven or the next day once the apples have infused their flavor throughout the cake.
- Gluten-Free Hack: Substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Making the Apfelkuchen step-by-step shows how easy it really is.This cake is wunderbar warm with whipped cream or ice cream and totally perfect for a 3:00 Kaffee und Kuchen, aka Kaffeeklatsch. It’s even better the next day, staying moist and full of apple flavor for days. I make it for holidays, picnics, potlucks ... anytime I want an easy dessert that looks festive and never fails.
Oma's German apple cake is such a family favorite! Such a yummy treat, full of that traditional apple flavor. Try making this simple cake just like Oma!From Oma's heart to your table
Complete your set today - order now!
Lydia Remembers
I’ve had this apple cake more times than I can count while working with Oma. Sometimes I’d walk in and spot it on the counter, and my mouth would instantly start watering. But I’d tell myself, “Hold on, Lydia… wait for 3 o’clock coffee time!”
The best part? A big dollop of Oma’s whipped cream melting over a warm slice. Or vanilla ice cream. Lecker! The apples give it a soft crunch, and it’s such a fun recipe to get creative with: fancy apple patterns, a dusting of sugar, maybe a little cinnamon. Oma calls it her “emergency cake” but I say it’s her masterpiece ... simple, beautiful, and made with love.
Looking for more Apple Recipes?
- Oma's Apfelstrudel - German Apple Strudel Recipe
- Melania's Easy Apple Strudel
- Oma's Apfelpastete - Apple Galette Recipe
- Apfeldessert - Penny's Apple Dump Cake
- Oma's Best Apple Crisp Recipe
- Heidi's Apple Pudding Cake
Oma Says
This German apple cake is my go-to “emergency cake”, You know, when the phone rings and surprise company’s on the way!
It’s quick, easy, and made with ingredients I always have. In German, it’s called versunkener apfelkuchen (literally "sunken apple cake"), sounds fancier in German, doesn't it?
Oma's German Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)
This German apple cake (apfelkuchen) is a quick, easy, and elegant dessert. My go-to for unexpected guests and creating family memories.
Prep Time:
25 minutes
Cook Time:
50 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 15 minutes
Servings:
Makes 12 slices
Ingredients:
- 3 to 5 apples, depending on size
- ½ cup (114 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) lemon juice
- ½ - 1 teaspoon (3 - 5 milliliters) vanilla or almond extract
- 1¾ cup (228 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon (6 grams) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) milk
- 1 tablespoon (8 grams) powdered sugar
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 10-inch springform pan and set aside.
- Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla until creamy.
- In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the sugar mixture a little at a time, alternating with the milk.
- Spread the batter in the pan.
- Thinly slice each apple quarter from the outer part toward the center without cutting all the way through. The apple slices will separate from each other while they bake. Arrange the apple quarters as shown in the photo.
- Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center (not in an apple) comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Remove the cake from the pan.
- Put the powdered sugar into a small sieve and gently tap to dust the sugar evenly over the cake.
Notes/Hints:
- Extra apples? Make this buffet treat!
- Brush peeled apples with some lemon juice to keep them from turning brown before you're ready to use them.
- Add ½ to 1 teaspoon almond extract instead of or as well as the lemon juice.
- For a glossy finish, brush warm apricot jam over the apples right after baking
- Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, or both.
- Tastes amazing fresh out of the oven or the next day after the flavors meld
- Works great in a 9x12-inch foil pan for easy serving or gifting
* * * * *
Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com
Updated on December 3, 2025
Comments? Questions?
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Pop right over to my private Facebook group, the Kaffeeklatschers. You'll find thousands of German foodies, all eager to help and to talk about all things German, especially these yummy foods.
Meet with us around Oma's virtual table, pull up a chair, grab a coffee and a piece of Apfelstrudel, and enjoy the visit.
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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.
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