Oma’s German Apple Cake

• jumlah masa: 1 hour 15 minutes

Bahan-bahan

Soft, buttery, simple — and somehow it tastes like childhood. 🍏

It’s the kind of cake that doesn’t try to impress — yet everyone remembers it.

Oma’s German Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen)

The classic butter sponge with apples, cinnamon and almonds.

Ingredients (for a 26 cm / 10 inch springform)

For the batter:

200 g (7 oz / 1 cup minus 1 tbsp) soft butter

180 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) sugar

1 packet vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs (size M / large)

250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour / Type 405

1 tsp baking powder

1 pinch salt

2 tbsp milk or cream

For the topping:

5–6 apples (tart, e.g. Boskop, Elstar or Braeburn)

juice of ½ lemon

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Optional: 1–2 tbsp brown sugar or sliced almonds for sprinkling

Arahan

Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 350 °F (top & bottom heat).

Grease or line a springform pan with parchment.

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy (3 min).

Add eggs one at a time and beat well.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt.

Stir into the batter alternately with milk or cream until smooth but thick.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan.

Peel, quarter and core the apples.

Slice each quarter thinly on the top (fan shape) and drizzle with lemon juice.

Arrange the apples closely on the batter and press in lightly.

Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and almonds (if using).

Bake for 40–45 min until golden and fragrant.

If it browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil after 30 min.)

Cool slightly. Dust with powdered sugar and serve plain or with whipped cream.

Oma’s Tips:

Best slightly warm — even better the next day when it turns softer and richer.

For festive occasions, brush the base lightly with apricot jam before adding the apples.

In southern Germany, a splash of rum in the batter adds a lovely aroma.