Whole chunks of sweet-tart apples are baked into a moist and buttery vanilla batter, creating a showstopingly gorgeous German apple cake that’s impressive to look at and deceptively easy to make!
The hasselback cut apples soften as they bake and turn almost jammy like as the batter rises up around. These apples elevate this simple low-maintenance cake from easy every day to absolutely dinner party worthy!
Why this German Apple Cake Recipe Works
- Simple batter! The light and buttery batter easily comes together in the bowl of a stand mixer in 10 minutes.
- Fragrant cake! As a result of pulsing the lemon zest so it releases its oils.
- Enjoy any time of the day! This cake is equally at home with your morning coffee as it is with your afternoon tea or post dinner treat.
- Seasonal year round! Apples are a fruit we’re lucky to enjoy fresh year round.
- Magic intersection of low maintenance and looks highly impressive! Making it the perfect cake for entertaining but easy enough to be made on a weeknight!
Why yes those are pretty pink apples on my cake!
But any type of apple will work! And have ya every seen apples that look like this?!?!
What is German Apple Cake?
German Apple Cake is also know called Sunken Apple Cake or Versunkener Apfelkuchen. Traditionally it’s made with a light buttery batter and topped with sliced apple quarters, nestled and sunken inside. The cake rises and bakes around the sliced apples.
How to Make this German Apple Cake
Peel, core, quarter and slice apples hasselback style. Cream your butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add eggs and incorporate followed by the rest of the batter ingredients. Transfer batter to a pan, top with apples, sliced side up, and bake. Brush a cinnamon-sugar glaze on top and enjoy!
We’re using fresh apples so not poaching or pre-cooking required. They’re almost no-fuss, aside from all the teeny-tiny slits we have to make… but don’t stress about cutting them perfectly. They’ll fan out while baking and surely look awesome!
Cooks Tips
- For optimal texture and fluffy results, be sure to use room temperature butter when creaming.
- Remember to make small slices in the apples but not actually cut all the way through them.
- Don’t stress about cutting the apples perfectly or fret if you accidentally cut all the way through them! They’ll fan out while they bake and surely look awesome + ou can always reassemble the apples on the cake!
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, the bowl of a food processor with the paddle attachment can work.
- Leftovers will keep, covered, at room temperature up to 4 days.
Stoked on cakes with fresh fruit on top? I got ya! Check out my Fig Skillet Cake, Strawberry Snack Cake, Almond-Rhubarb Cake, Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake, Plum, Walnut & Lavender Cake and Plum Upside-Down Cake. Just cause I have a special place in my heart for cakes with whole, fresh, seasonal fruit toppings!!!
Have ya tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it and see it too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with #chefdanielagerson. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious food and all sorts of awesome adventures!
Let's make waves in the kitchen!
German Apple Cake
Ingredients
For the German Apple Cake
- 5 apples peeled, quartered and cored, cut hasselback style
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 lemon zest & juice
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp milk
Cinnamon-Sugar Glaze (optional)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoon granulated
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and coat the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan or baking dish with butter.
- To prepare the apples: Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Use a sharp knife to thinly slice each quarter (hasselback style) without cutting all the way through so that the apple stays intact.
- 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 longer. Add eggs one at a time and beat for 30 seconds on high speed after each addition.
- Add vanilla extract, salt, and lemon zest and juice. Beating until just combined.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour, baking powder, and salt followed by the milk. Beat until just combined. Don't overmix!
- Spread cake batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Arrange apples quarters with sliced side up.
- While the cake bakes, make the cinnamon-sugar glaze by melting the butter. Off the heat mix in the sugar and cinnamon. Brush mixture all over cake and apples for the last 10ish minute of baking time.
- Bake cake for about 45 minutes total, until lightly browned and a skewer comes out clean.
- Transfer to a cooling rack let cake cool a bit before serving.
Notes
- For optimal texture and fluffy results, be sure to use room temperature butter when creaming.
- Remember to make small slices in the apples but not actually cut all the way through them.
- Don’t stress about cutting the apples perfectly or fret if you accidentally cut all the way through them! They’ll fan out while they bake and surely look awesome + ou can always reassemble the apples on the cake!
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, the bowl of a food processor with the paddle attachment can work.
- Leftovers will keep, covered, at room temperature up to 4 days.
STUNNING photography! Beautiful apple tart, too. 🙂
Really appreciate it Valentina!!! Thank ya so much for the super sweet feedback!!!