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.

42 comments:

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

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  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!

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  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.

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  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!

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  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

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

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

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

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

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  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 ;)

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

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

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

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

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

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  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!

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  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!

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  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!

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

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

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  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 !!

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

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  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.

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

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  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!

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

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

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

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  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

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

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  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

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  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!

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

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  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...

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  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.

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

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  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.

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