Apfelkuchen

When the weather cools down, it seems we all crave rich, nostalgic desserts. We set aside the stone fruit and berries, then pop open a can of pumpkin, break out the jar of cinnamon and start peeling apples. Some of us may even dive into Grandma’s cookbook to find a few extra-cozy recipes. One of our Test Kitchen’s favorite autumnal recipes from Grandma is apfelkuchen.

Our apfelkuchen recipe is dense, rich and full of those homey, fall flavors we all crave. So head to your favorite orchard, pick some apples and get baking.

This old-world cake comes to us from Amy Kirchen of Ohio, who told us that her husband’s family has been making it for more than 150 years. We love a recipe that can stand the test of time, and we also love that this cake uses baking staples already found in the pantry.

Ingredients for Apfelkuchen

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• Egg yolks: You’ll need only five egg yolks to make our apfelkuchen recipe. But don’t toss those whites! Use them to make an omelet, meringue cookies or one of these egg white recipes.
• Apples: To prepare your apples, start by peeling and coring them with a good apple peeler, then halve them.
• Butter: Apfelkuchen is a very buttery cake, so it makes sense to splurge on one of the best butter brands. I recommend European butter for its higher fat content. Kerrygold and Plugra are my two favorites.
• Sugar: We use granulated sugar to sweeten the apfelkuchen.
• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour creates a tender crumb and a sturdy, tall cake.
• Cornstarch: While we need the all-purpose flour for its gluten, a bit of cornstarch cuts the heaviness for a softer cake.
• Cream of tartar: It may seem like an odd ingredient, but cream of tartar has a few different jobs within this apfelkuchen recipe. It adds a bit of tang to the cake and creates a chewier texture, while also preserving the apples.
• Baking powder: The apfelkuchen gets nice and fluffy thanks to a bit of baking powder.
• Milk: Feel free to use 2% milk, whole milk or buttermilk for this cake. Heavy cream works too.
• Confectioners’ sugar: Once the cake is baked and cooled to room temperature, dust the top with confectioners’ sugar for the perfect finishing touch.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the apples

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Before starting anything else, let the egg yolks stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

While the egg yolks are coming to room temperature, prep the apples. Take one apple half and, starting 1/2 inch from one end, cut the apple lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices, leaving the slices attached at the top so they fan out slightly. Repeat with the other three apple halves.

Step 2: Cream the butter, sugar and eggs

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Place the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream them until light and fluffy. This will take some time—five to seven minutes on medium-high speed.

After creaming, beat in the room-temperature egg yolks one at a time. Make sure you fully incorporate each yolk before adding the next.

Step 3: Add the dry ingredients

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Grab your sifter and sift together the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking powder and salt. Once you’re done sifting, sift again. Sifting may seem like a pain, but don’t skip it here. It’ll help give the cake the right chewy texture.

Slowly add the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Beat until just combined, then add the milk.

This German apple cake batter is thick! Don’t be alarmed if it doesn’t resemble a typical cake batter. You want the batter to be thick, rich and buttery.

Editor’s Tip: If you don’t have a flour sifter, a mesh sieve works just fine.

Step 4: Prep the pan and add the cake batter

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Grab your 9-inch springform pan and wrap the exterior with a sheet of foil. (Even leakproof pans aren’t foolproof!) Then spritz the interior of the pan with cooking spray. Even if the pan is nonstick, grease it to make removing the cake easier.

Spread the cake batter into the pan in as even a layer as possible. Because the batter is thick, it may take a little finessing, but you’ll get it.

Step 5: Add the apples

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Gently press the fanned apples, round side up, into the batter. Don’t press the apples too far into the batter—a quarter inch will do.

Editor’s Tip: If your apples split apart when you fan them, don’t worry. Just press them into the batter anyway. The cake batter will bake up around the apples and you won’t be able to tell.

Step 6: Bake the cake

Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs, 45 to 55 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: If you find that after 55 minutes the toothpick is still coming out covered in uncooked batter, don’t fret. Just keep the cake in the oven and retest every five minutes until it’s done. You can tent the pan with foil to prevent excess browning. Because moisture levels vary in apples, cook times can vary for this recipe. It’s OK if the cake takes a bit longer.

Step 7: Cool the cake

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Remove the apfelkuchen from the oven and let it cool at room temperature on a wire rack. After 10 minutes, run a knife around the inside edge of the cake pan and remove the foil. Let the cake cool at room temp for another hour before removing the springform collar.

For a finishing touch, dust on confectioners’ sugar to make everything look more delicious and polished. Then, slice with a sharp knife and serve!

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Recipe Variations

• Warm with baking spices: Apples and fall spices go together like salt and pepper, peanut butter and chocolate, or berries with cream. Open your spice cabinet and dig around for cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice, and add a bit to the flour mixture.
• Top with streusel: Before the apfelkuchen recipe goes into the oven, top the cake with unbaked streusel. Streusel adds an irresistible crunch and buttery sweetness to anything it’s baked on, and we especially love the way streusel enhances this apfelkuchen.
• Add the finishing touch: As soon as the apfelkuchen is pulled from the oven, brush apricot jam on top. It will make the top—especially the apples—gorgeously shiny and add a subtle bit of sweetness.

How to Store Apfelkuchen

If you have leftover apfelkuchen, pop it into an airtight container or stash it under a cake dome for up to three days. The cake is best kept at room temperature so it doesn’t dry out in the fridge.

Can you freeze apfelkuchen?

Yes, you can freeze apfelkuchen. Once it has cooled to room temperature, wrap it tightly in a few layers of storage wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to three months. Once you’re ready to enjoy it, allow the cake to thaw at room temperature for about an hour.

Apfelkuchen Tips

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How do you serve apfelkuchen?

Serve apfelkuchen warm, cold or at room temperature. It’s delicious at any temp. Because this cake isn’t overly sweet, you could serve a slice for breakfast the next day with coffee, or try it as an afternoon pick-me-up with extra confectioners’ sugar or a little apple butter.

Which apples are best for apfelkuchen?

Firm, crisp, tart apples are the best for apfelkuchen. Granny Smiths are a great option here (and one of the best apples for apple pie), as are Honeycrisp or Cortlands.

Do I have to use a springform pan to make apfelkuchen?

No, you don’t have to use a springform pan to make apfelkuchen. However, we recommend using one because its removable wall makes it easier to get to the cake. But, instead, you could use a 9-inch cake pan and line the inside with parchment, making sure there’s a 1-inch overhang so you can lift the cake out of the pan once the cake is cooled.