German Apple Cake
A buttery sponge packed with sliced apples and cinnamon, baked until the top is golden and sugary.
This is what to make when the apples start to arrive in autumn and the oven becomes welcome. Three apples go into the batter and the top, and the cake needs nothing more than a pot of tea.
Peel and slice the apples thinly, about 3 mm, so they soften fully and do not stay hard. Half go through the batter and the rest are fanned across the top, where they brown at the edges. Toss the apple in lemon juice. It keeps the slices from browning while you work.
Beat the butter and sugar until pale, add the eggs one at a time, then fold in the flour and baking powder. The batter is thick and almost doughy, which holds the apples up.
Bake in a lined 23 cm tin at 175°C for 50 minutes. If your oven runs hot, check at 40 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar halfway through. Choose a firm, slightly tart apple, since sweet and soft varieties collapse into mush when baked.
What People Ask
How long does German Apple Cake take to make?
About 1 hour 10 minutes in total — 20 minutes of preparation and 50 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 10.
What are the key tips for making German Apple Cake?
Slice the apples thinly. Toss them in lemon juice. If your oven runs hot, check at 40 minutes. Cool a little before turning out.
What should I serve with German Apple Cake?
Whipped cream; Hot tea; Vanilla sauce; Coffee.
How should German Apple Cake be stored?
Keeps in an airtight tin for 3 days.
Is German Apple Cake suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in German Apple Cake?
About 302 kcal per serving, with 4 g protein, 40 g carbohydrate and 14 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
The Method for German Apple Cake
Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.
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Heat the oven to 175°C / 345°F and line a 23 cm round tin. Toss the apple slices in the lemon juice.
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Beat the butter and 150 g sugar for 4 minutes until pale. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
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Fold in the flour and baking powder. Fold half the apple into the batter and spoon it into the tin.
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Fan the remaining apple on top. Bake for 25 minutes, sprinkle with the cinnamon and topping sugar, and bake for 25 minutes more.
Worth Getting Right
- Slice the apples thinly.
- Toss them in lemon juice.
- If your oven runs hot, check at 40 minutes.
- Cool a little before turning out.
What to Serve With It
Whipped cream · Hot tea · Vanilla sauce · Coffee
Storage
Keeps in an airtight tin for 3 days.
Nutrition per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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