German Apple Cake

Name: German Apple Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: Cooking spray, for pan; 2 large apples; ½ whole lemon Juice of 1/2 lemon; 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened; 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 3 large eggs; 3 tablespoons sour cream; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups cake flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; Powdered sugar, for serving

Recipe GLPR80c8a9b81cfca3

German

Dessert

80 min

237 cal

Servings: 10

Oven

A traditional German-style apple cake featuring a tender, buttery sponge cake base topped with delicate fan-like slices of fresh apple. The cake is lightly sweetened and baked until golden, then finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. Simple, elegant, and perfect for afternoon tea or dessert.

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Ingredients

Cooking spray, for pan

2 large apples

½ whole lemon Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons sour cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Powdered sugar, for serving

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, ensuring the bottom and sides are evenly covered.
Peel the apples and cut them into quarters. Squeeze the lemon juice evenly over the apple quarters to prevent them from browning. Carefully remove the core from each quarter, then place each quarter core-side down on a cutting board. Position one chopstick on either side of an apple quarter to act as a guide, then using a sharp knife, slice thin, even pieces through the apple, being careful not to cut completely through the base. This creates a beautiful fan effect. Repeat with the remaining apple quarters until all are sliced.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition to ensure they are fully incorporated. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract until just combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a spatula, being careful to fold until the batter is just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top with a spatula to create an even surface. Arrange the sliced apple quarters on top of the batter in your desired pattern, with the sliced side facing up to display the fan effect. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, approximately 55-60 minutes. The top should be golden brown.
Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Carefully remove the springform ring from the sides of the cake. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before dusting generously with powdered sugar just before serving.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.5

This cake runs closer to 95 minutes total, accounting for genuine prep time and the full bake plus cooling; the stated 80 minutes omits peeling and slicing apples. Every ingredient is standard stock at any Charlotte grocer—no special stops required. At roughly $1.40 per serving, it's reasonable for a homemade cake, with butter and eggs doing most of the cost lifting. The recipe feeds 10 people and travels well; leftovers taste fine the next day and keep for two days covered, making it solid for weeknight baking when you want something to get you through several meals.