Is anyone holiday-ed out already? I kind of am, but this happens to me every year. I poop out pretty early on in December, but then get a second wind much closer to christmas. It’s hard not to get overwhelmed, you know? There are just so many things to think about….it’s just so busy everywhere, you anxiously await packages and pray they don’t get lost in transit, you try so hard to ‘give back’ with your time, donations, etc but then wonder if you’ve done enough to help or give back, you double, triple check your list to make sure you haven’t forgotten anyone and inevitably you always forget 1 or 2 people and you feel extra guilty about it, and the list goes on and on.
Well. I can’t help anyone with their busy holiday schedules because I can barely help myself this time of year, lol….BUT I can help out with a little stress-free holiday baking. Seriously. On top of all the gift giving, hosting, card sending there is to do there’s also always so much cooking and baking happening this time of year and that in itself can be super stressful. Today though, we have a very simple, but gorgeous cake that works both as a breakfast cake with coffee and tea, but also works as a dessert…especially if served slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or huge dollop of lightly whipped cream. YUM. The toughest part of this cake might be slicing the apples, but seriously you can go as thin or thick as you want with the slices. I like doing thin slices because I love the look of the apples after they’ve baked. I don’t didn’t peel the apples, like most sunken cake recipes call for because I like both the added color and texture the skin gives to the overall cake! :)
This cake can also be made up to 2 days ahead of time, covered and refrigerated. It’s super yummy warm, cold or at room temperature, so serve it to your liking! Enjoy! xx, Jenny
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Sunken German Apple Cake
INGREDIENTS
- 3 ½ small apples
- 1 ⅔ cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- powdered sugar for dusting
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Slice each apple in half lengthwise and scoop out the core and seeds from both apple halves using a melon baller or measuring spoon. Lay each apple, cut side down, and thinly slice each apple half, leaving the halves intact. Set aside.
- Pour flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and whisk together.
- In another mixing bowl combine butter and sugar and beat together with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Scrape down sides of the bowl and add eggs, lemon juice and vanilla and continue to mix together.
- Scrape down sides of the bowl again and add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir together until just combined and no lumps remain. Fold in milk until just combined.
- Lightly grease a 9 inch cake pan (or spring form pan) and pour the cake batter into the pan, evening out the surface with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Carefully place each apple half, cut side down, around the edge of the cake, about ½ inch apart, creating a ring. Place the final apple half in the center of the cake.
- Place cake pan onto a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center area of the cake.
- Remove from the oven and allow cake to cool, about 30 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and transfer to a platter or cake stand.
- Lightly dust with powdered sugar, slice and serve.
NOTES
- *Makes 1 (9 inch) cake
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This is such a great and simple recipe! Love it!
For Linda on 1/13/18: See the answer on 1/15/18. Yes.
See the answer on 1/15/18. Yes.
Made this today. It was pretty and yummy
What type of apples do you like to use?
I really like using pink lady apples…they’re firm, sweet and a little bit tart!
its look very yummy i told to the mom to make it for me and it is very easy and you explain the recipe very well
I meant from the pan that it was bake beautiful dessert
Fluted edge is for the pan
Has anyone made this cake a day ahead? How well does it keep? Thanks!
Can you share what pan you used? It’s fluted…
Hi Gina! I used a 9 inch tart pan (with a removable base!). I wrote spring form bc that’s generally what people have, but a tart pan, fluted or not, would work great too! :)
Which other fruits can we make this with, as I’m not a fan of baked apples?
You can use pears as well!
I thought about peaches! I just said to my co-worker that I would rather have peaches in it. But I’m making it with apples for the first time. Looks amazing. Although, I just remembered I don’t have a springform pan…
This apple cake was great! I’m already saving this recipe here so I can make it again later this week. Thanks!
You reference 3 tbs of whole milk in the ingredient list but I don’t see it referenced in the instructions. Can you provide assistance? Thank you.
Recipe has been updated, thanks!
What about the milk? Just add it with the other liquids?
Recipe has been updated!
just put this in the oven and realized that the instructions never invoke the milk. i’m sure i’tll come out great anyways but figured you could adjust the recipe for others
Ah, thanks for letting me know! Cake should be fine, just might just be slightly more dense
Looks so great… and yes, I am ready for some stress-free holiday baking! One question for you: this looks fluted on the edge, like it was baked in a tart pan (versus a traditional springform or cake pan); wouldthe cake depth/height this fit in a 9 inch tart pan?
Would be nice to hear an answer to this question.