German Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen)

Before you start

This German apple cake, often called versunkener Apfelkuchen, means sunken apple cake. Apple halves are scored deeply on top and set into a thick, buttery batter. As the cake bakes, the batter rises around the fruit, so each apple half looks half-sunk and fans open slightly. A thin apricot glaze at the end makes the apples shine.

Compared with a French apple cake, the batter here is the star, rich and buttery with a fine, tender crumb, while the apples are decorative and juicy. Use small, firm apples so the halves bake through in time, and make the scoring cuts deep but not all the way through, so the halves stay in one piece while they open.

Ingredients

• Batter125 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) unsalted butter — softened
• 125 g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs — room temperature
• 200 g (1⅔ cups) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 60 ml (¼ cup) whole milk — room temperature
• Apples4 small (about 600 g) firm apples — such as Braeburn, Gala or Jonagold
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Glaze3 tbsp apricot jam
• 1 tbsp water

Method

1. Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Butter the springform and line the bottom with parchment.
2. Peel, halve and core the apples. Lay each half cut side down and make thin, parallel cuts lengthwise about 3 mm (⅛ in) apart, going about two-thirds of the way down so the half stays together. Brush with lemon juice.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and eggs one at a time.
4. Add the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk, and mix on low just until smooth. The batter will be thick.
5. Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Press the apple halves, scored side up, gently into the batter, 7 around the edge and 1 in the center.
6. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the cake is golden, the apples are tender when pierced with a knife and a toothpick in the cake between apples comes out clean.
7. While the cake bakes, warm the apricot jam with the water until fluid; strain if it is chunky. Brush the glaze over the hot cake, especially the apples.
8. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the ring and cool for 30 minutes more before slicing.

Tips for success

• Small apples work best. Large halves take longer to soften than the batter takes to bake.
• A wooden spoon handle on each side of the apple half stops the knife from cutting through when you score it.
• Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream, as is common in German cafés.

Substitutions

Apricot jam

Use apple jelly or a thin layer of honey for the glaze. A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar before baking is a non-glazed alternative.

Whole milk

Use buttermilk or plain yogurt thinned with water for a slightly tangier, softer cake.

Apples

Firm pears or halved plums work; plums need less time and release more juice, so check after 40 minutes.

Variations

Almond streusel apple cake

Scatter 100 g streusel with 30 g sliced almonds between the apples before baking and skip the glaze.

Troubleshooting

Apples still hard after baking

They were too large or a very firm variety. Use small apples and make the scoring cuts closer together.

Batter around the apples is gummy

Apple juice soaked in or the cake was underbaked. Test between the apples and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

Apples sank completely

The batter was too loose. Measure the milk and flour carefully so the batter is thick enough to support the fruit.

Storage

Cover and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, then refrigerate for up to 3 more days. Bring slices to room temperature or warm briefly before serving.

Safety notes

Do not taste the raw batter; it contains raw egg and flour. Contains wheat, egg and milk.