Friday, January 15, 2010

Apple Cake

apple cake

I didn’t want to go to the grocery store today, but as I was flipping through recipes every one called for an ingredient I didn’t have. Then, I came upon this one. I had apples and a lemon, it was meant to be.

apple cake

I love simple cakes like this one. Not too sweet, just a little bit dense, and covered in fresh fruit. They are comforting and delicious. Perfect with coffee after dinner.

[15/365] you get to eat the props

German Apple Cake
from Rustic Fruit Desserts

1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 apples, peeled, cored, and each cut into 6 pieces
2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 9 inch round baking pan.
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
Cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition, then stir in vanilla.

Add the flour mixture all at once and mix on a low speed just until incorporated. Pour (more like spoon, it will be very thick) into the prepared pan.

Score the peeled side of the apples with the tines of a fork and arrange the apples atop the batter around the perimeter with 1 slice in the middle (I cut each large slice into 3-4 small slices)

Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Sometimes the batter around the apples looks slightly underdone, but don’t worry; it’s just the moisture from the apples.

41 comments:

  1. I saw this today on the Project 365 FlickR Food Bloggers group. Looks fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Even though I am on Weight Watchers I can't stop coming to your blog and looking at all these amazing things you bake. This apple cake looks incredible!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This looks just like the apple cake my grandmother used to make! My mom and I would sit at the table and pick out all the apple bits - it drove my grandmother nuts! But it was so delicious. And your photos are beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Okay, I'm not holding back anymore. Why aren't you a professional photographer for any of the food magazines (or ANY magazine, for that matter) out there! Your pictures are to die for... absolutely without a doubt some of the best I've ever seen. I come here for the pictures and leave here hungry as heck - and I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh my... this looks divine and perfect with a cup of coffee!! My good friend who lives in Maui sent me some Kona Coffee for Christmas and this cake would be perfect with a cup!!! Have a very lovely weekend!! xo

    ReplyDelete
  6. My mom was making an apple cake tonight and it smelled SO AMAZING! Looks delish Hannah.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh, this is exactly my type of cake. Looks delicious. I love apple desserts.

    ReplyDelete
  8. How wonderfully simple and beautiful. I bet the sea salt adds a nice touch.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I adore the simplicity of this cake, yet the rustic elegance it speaks. certainly my kind of cake! Beautiful photos as always Hannah!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is funny, as I was looking at the pictures I was saying to myself, "That looks like the kind of apple cake they make here." And then, down to the recipe: *German* Apple Cake! I'm going to make your version because I won't have to convert the metric measurements like I do here ;)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I agree with you about these kind of cakes. I love the juice that the apples add as well!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love simple cakes too. Apples are always such a perfect ingredient to slice into a tasty rustic cake like this one.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I need to make a dessert tomorrow. I think I just found it. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This looks delish! I'll have to try it soon.

    ReplyDelete
  15. mmm...tasty. the only thing lacking is a whopping scoop of vanilla ice cream. would that taint the simplicity? :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Perfect!

    I have friends coming over this afternoon for coffee, I was going to make bread pudding but realised I don't have any brandy. This is just what I needed, making it right now!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I saw this in the project 365 blogger group and remember thinking how it looks exactly like my family's muerbteig (means "tender dough") which is just a basic cake with fruit baked into the top. I usually do apricots or prune plums. I was so excited when I saw the recipe since its very similar and i guess meant to be since it is called a german apple cake. It's one of my all time favorite desserts, so simple and not too sweet. I love it with tart prune plums on top. beautiful pictures as always!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I remember baking a german apple cake once, it was the best way to use up an overload of the fruit. :) Your's looks alot less messy than mine though!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm a sucker for apple cakes - this is wonderful! Looks very tender.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I too love cakes like that. Not fussy and easy to make. Looks just delightful.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh this is amazing! I'm so happy you have put an awesome German apple cake recipe up! My family is German and this was a sunday staple growing up...this is super good with sorta half whipped cream and a touch of vanilla on top !!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wonderful looking cake, and the others are right. Your pictures are beyond amazing :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love it when you serendipitously find a recipe and am able to make it right away. If you have to go out and buy extra ingredients, sometimes the spark can just die a little.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love your pictures, they're always so beautiful... And I agree with you about simple cakes : so comforting !

    ReplyDelete
  25. I can't tell you how many times I have looked through cookbooks searching for something with ingredients I had on hand so I didn't have to go to the store. I am usually out of milk, so this is perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  26. What kind of apples did you use? Can you use any kind?

    ReplyDelete
  27. really really LOVE your blog.....although I always leave so hungry.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Beautiful! This looks like the kind of cake I'd want to eat for breakfast...every day.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Yum. Can you send samples? Found you on /clashandcontradiction.blogspot.com

    Can't wait to try this and the chocolate chip cookie recipe and will be checking out your other blog.

    LisaDay

    ReplyDelete
  30. brenda: i used gala, but you could use whatever baking apple you'd like! :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. I'm not too crazy about warm fruit (it's hit or miss for me) but my kids LOVE it. Thanks for sharing!
    ~ingrid

    ReplyDelete
  32. I am a frequent reader of your blog and have always been impressed by how lovely and appetizing your photos look. I hope to try this recipe sometime in the near future, and wanted to thank you for sharing your work!

    ReplyDelete
  33. I love this cookbook. I love this recipe! It was a family favorite as soon as we took our first bite.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I made this cake tonight - YUM. thanks for posting the recipe! I made a couple of small changes - I crumbled up a little almond paste (a taste I was craving) under the apples and used whole wheat flour instead of white. I'll definitely make it again, maybe with even more apples next time...

    ReplyDelete
  35. I made a different recipe. Am I sorry.

    I'll try yours tomorrow. I'm determined to find the buttery tasting apple cake my elderly German friends served, mit schlag. Not from an aerosol can either, but whipped with a wire wisk, no added sugar. They serve just one heaping tablespoonfull with each slice. It's perfect. Buttery cake, juicy apple slices, and the cool unsweetened whipped cream. Simplicity.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Just spent an hour pouring over your archives and I'm totally in love. You're amazing, Hannah! :)

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hannah, this recipe is the same as one I received from a friend who grew up in Germany. I made her recipe several times and it is delicious - just like yours. I also made one with pears in place of apples, and 1/4 tsp each of almond and vanilla extracts instead of lemon. It too was very tasty. Thanks for the beautiful pictures.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.