Recipe: Sunken Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)
Makes1 (9-inch) cake
Cook35 minutes to 40 minutes
There are countless apple cakes in Germany, but this one, in which a rather plain batter rises up and bakes around sliced apples, has to be one of the most popular. Cakes like these are often called Mittwochskuchen (Wednesday cakes) because they can easily be made during the week when time is short.
The Apple Cake Everyone Loves
Various regions of Germany try to lay claim to this cake by changing its name to reflect their geography, but it’s pretty clear that it’s a countrywide favorite. And no wonder — it’s great for people who are new to baking and it’s relatively wholesome, with a high apple-to-cake ratio.
Slicing the apple quarters almost all the way through guarantees that they’ll cook through in the same amount of time that the relatively thin batter takes. A light sprinkling of raw sugar on top gives each piece a pleasing crunch. It is practically mandatory in Germany to serve this type of cake with a dollop of schlagsahne, or lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Sunken Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)
Cook time 35 minutes to 40 minutes
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3
medium apples
- 1/2
medium lemon
- 1/2 cup
plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 9 tablespoons
plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon
vanilla extract
- 3
large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups
all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons
baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon
fine salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons
demerara (raw) sugar
For the schlagsahne (whipped cream):
- 2 cups
cold heavy cream
- 4 teaspoons
granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
vanilla extract
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper; set aside.
Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Thinly slice each quarter lengthwise without cutting all the way through to the core side, leaving the quarter hinged together like a fan. Finely grate the zest of the lemon into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (alternatively, use an electric hand mixer and large bowl). Squeeze the juice from the lemon half into a small bowl; set aside.
Add the sugar and butter to the lemon zest and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the vanilla and 1 of the eggs. Beat until combined before adding the second egg. Beat until combined and then add the third egg. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and beat until combined.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour mixture until just combined, and beat in the reserved lemon juice. Scrape down the sides with a spatula and give the batter one last mix by hand.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Gently press the apple quarters into the batter, core-side down, leaving only a bit of space between each quarter. If you have any apple left over, separate the slices and insert them into any open space available. Sprinkle the top evenly with the demerara sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the pan and continue baking until the cake is golden-brown and a tester inserted into the cake (not apple) comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake and removing the springform ring. Let cool to room temperature.
When ready to serve, make the whipped cream: place all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. (Alternatively, use a large bowl and electric hand mixer.) Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Serve the cake at room temperature with a spoonful of the whipped cream.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The whipped cream can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour.
Storage: The cake will keep at room temperature, wrapped lightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.
Reprinted with permission from Classic German Baking by copyright 2016 by Luisa Weiss. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprinting of Penguin Random House LLC.
