Sunken Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)

Sunken Apple Cake is a simple, lightly sweetened cake made with lots of fresh, peeled and quartered apples. The cake batter rises up in the tin around the apples, giving the appearance of apples sinking into the cake- hence the name. Apparently it’s one of the most popular apple cake recipes in Germany, and I can see why.

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I originally found the recipe in this beautiful cookbook called Classic German Baking by Luisa Weiss. I loved the simplicity of the ingredients and method and was excited to try it. Unfortunately there was no picture so I was not sure what the outcome would be. A quick Google search showed many variations, so I felt more confident trying it out. But this recipe is adapted from the recipe in this cookbook. I highly recommend this cookbook whether you’re new to German baking or not. I look forward to sharing more from it in the future.

This cake is so simple to make, yet still makes an impressive appearance at the table. It’s a lot of payoff for very little effort. The batter is a plain, vanilla flavor which allows the apples to be the main attraction. You can serve this cake warm from the oven or chilled. Either way is delicious. I prefer to serve it with a light, pouring custard on the side. However, you could also serve it with slightly sweetened whipped cream, lemon curd, or even your favorite jam or apple butter.

Carefully consider the kind of apples you’ll use. I prefer Honeycrisp apples because they’re sweet and slightly tart, and very crisp. They hold their shape well in baked goods without being as tart as Granny Smith. However, use your favorite crisp apples for best flavor. You’ll core, peel, and quarter the apples, and then slice them thinly without scoring all the way through. This ensures the apples hold their signature scored shape without falling apart.

Most of the recipes I’ve seen for Sunken Apple Cake call for a cake pan or springform pan. I decided to use a tart pan for a more beautiful presentation. The pan I use has a removable bottom. This makes it much easier to remove the tin for serving.

While the cake was still slightly warm, I brushed the apples with some melted orange marmalade for a shinier appearance. I think this simple technique improves the appearance of most fruit desserts. Of course, it’s lovely as it is, and the recipes I found don’t call for it, but the shine gives it a little something extra.

The interior of the cake is slightly moist with a soft crumb, The apples are just tender without being mushy. As soon as I finished taking the pictures of this cake, my husband immediately took it to work. I sent him off with a jar of warm custard to serve with it. I’m told it drew rave reviews. This is a dessert that will make an appearance in my kitchen again and again.

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Sunken Apple Cake

Sunken Apple Cake is a lightly sweetened cake made with lots of fresh, peeled and quartered apples. The cake batter rises up in the tin around the apples, giving the appearance of apples sinking into the cake- hence the name.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Servings 10

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 3 apples Choose apples that are firm and crisp
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 9 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp coarse sugar such as Turbinado or Demerara

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350F / 177C / gas mark 4. Prepare a baking pan by spraying with cooking spray. You may use a 9-inch cake pan, springform pan, or tart pan.
• Wash, peel, and core the apples. Quarter them and then place the quarters cut-side down on the cutting board. With a sharp knife, make thin slices, being sure not to go all the way through. You want the apple slices still attached.
• Zest the lemon and set the lemon zest aside. Roll the lemon on the counter to break up the pulp. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice of half of the lemon over the apple quarters to prevent them browning. Reserve the other lemon half.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy- about 3-5 minutes.Stop halfway through to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add in the vanilla extract and the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides between each addition.
• In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add to the mixer bowl and beat on low speed until just combined. Squeeze the lemon juice from the reserved lemon half into the batter and stir on low until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and give it one more stir.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and level the top. Lay the apple quarters into the batter evenly, cut side down, and gently press into the batter. Depending on how large the apples are, feel free to break off pieces and rearrange them into a lovely pattern.Sprinkle the top with the coarse sugar.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top of the cake is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. (Moist crumbs clinging to the toothpick are ok, but not wet batter.) Cool the pan on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before gently removing from the pan. You may need to run a knife around the edges before releasing.
• Serve the cake warm or at room temperature. May be served as is or with a dollop of whipped cream, jam, or custard.

Keyword apples, cake, German desserts, sunken apple cake, versunkenen apfelkuchen

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