Easy German Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen)

Method7 steps · about 1 hr 5 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Preheat the oven to 340°F / 170°C.

2. 2

   Step 2: Line the base of a 17 by 11 inch / 43 by 28 cm baking pan with parchment and lightly butter the sides using extra pan butter. Alternatively, butter the base and sides and dust with extra flour.

   Uses Extra butter as needed to grease the cake-pan sides · Extra flour for optional butter-and-flour pan preparation

3. 3

   Step 3: Beat the 250 g batter butter and 250 g batter sugar until creamy, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the 4 eggs, zest of the lemon and ½ tsp salt, reserving the same lemon’s juice for the apples. Sift the 400 g batter flour with 4 tsp baking powder and mix into the batter. Mix in the ¼ cup milk until smooth, then spread evenly in the prepared pan.

   Uses 250 grams butter · 250 grams sugar · 4 eggs · 1 lemon: zest for batter and juice for apples · ½ teaspoon salt · 400 grams all-purpose flour · 4 teaspoons baking powder · ¼ cup milk

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Wash and quarter the 5 apples, remove their cores and cut into about ½ inch / 1 cm slices; peel only if preferred. Toss with the reserved lemon juice. Arrange the slices in rows, pressing them into the prepared batter.

   Uses cake batter spread in pan · reserved juice of the zested lemon · 5 apples

   
5. 5

   Step 5: For the separate streusel, beat together the 60 g streusel flour, 30 g sliced almonds, 40 g cold diced streusel butter, 30 g streusel sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Briefly work with your hands until crumbly; keep cool until using.

   Uses 60 grams all-purpose flour · 40 grams butter (cold and cut into pieces) · 30 grams sugar · 30 g sliced almonds for streusel · 1 teaspoon cinnamon

6. 6

   Step 6: Distribute the prepared streusel over the apple-topped cake, or mainly between the apple rows to keep the arrangement visible.

   Uses apple-topped unbaked cake · almond-cinnamon streusel

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Bake on the middle rack for about 32 minutes, then check doneness and continue as needed. If using an instant-read thermometer, the source centre-temperature guide is about 210°F / 99°C. Cool for 5 minutes before cutting into 16 portions. Serve with optional ready vanilla whipped cream.

   Bake cake · 32 minUses assembled apple-and-streusel cake · Ready vanilla whipped cream for serving, optional