Serves 10
80 min
German Apple Cake
Recipe GLPR80c8a9b81cfca3
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.
