This cake is arguably one of the easiest, elegant-looking cakes there. Vanilla cake batter and apples combine to create a beautiful confection. The ingredients are simple and the finished cake is a visual and culinary treat.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, German
Diet Vegetarian
Keyword Apple Cake, German Apple Cake
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 40 minutesminutes
Servings 10Slices
Calories 281kcal
Author Syama
Equipment
9-in circular pan
Ingredients
4Applesmedium sized
1 ½CAll-Purpose Flour
¾CSugar
1TspB PowderSee Note
¼TspSalt
½TspVanilla Extract
½CButterUnsalted
3Eggs
¼CMilk
1LemonZest and juice
To serve
2TbspPowdered Sugar
Whipped Cream
Vanilla Ice Cream
Instructions
If the butter and eggs are cold bring them to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350℉ with the rack placed in the middle. Generously butter or oil the 9-inch springform pan.
Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder. Zest the lemon set aside.
Pour 4 -5 cups of water into a bowl along with the squeezed lemon. Skin the apples and slice them into quarters. Core the apples. Make even slits along the outer side of the apples without cutting through. Place the apple pieces in the cold water.
Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the lemon zest and beat till incorporated evenly. Scrape the sides of the bowl often. Add the eggs one by one beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract along with the last egg.
Fold in the flour mix in 3 batches adding ½ the milk in between. The batter should be thick, but not thick enough to be dough. If the batter looks like it is of pourable consistency skip the second addition of milk.
Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and level the tops with a spatula. Remove the apple pieces from the water and gently wipe/shake off excess moisture. Arrange them on top of the batter in a decorative fashion leaving a little gap in between the slices for the batter to rise through while baking.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top of the cake has browned. A skewer inserted into the cake will come out clean at this point. Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Remove the sides of the springform pan. Leave the base on if desired.
Just before serving place the powdered sugar in a strainer (sieve) and shake over the cake. Serve as is or a with whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
Often I don’t use baking powder. When the eggs are beaten well the desired aeration can be achieved without a leavening agent. Baking soda is there as a backup, so if you know your batters well and feel free to skip it.