German Sunken Apple Cake | Versunkener Apfelkuchen
The smell of butter and apples baking together still takes me straight back to my grandmother’s kitchen in Germany. She had apple trees in her garden that produced more fruit than any family could eat fresh, and this versunkener Apfelkuchen, or sunken apple cake, was one of her favorite ways to use them up. Apple halves get pressed into a simple batter, and as the cake rises around them in the oven, they settle in and sink down, until you’re left with soft, golden apples nestled into a tender, buttery crumb.
It’s a genuinely easy, forgiving cake, no fancy technique or proofing involved, so it’s a good one if you want to feel successful in the kitchen right away. Start to finish, you’re looking at about an hour. It might look a little unassuming coming out of the oven, but it’s the kind of cake you’ll find yourself reaching for again and again.
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What makes this German apple cake special
Ingredients for sunken apple cake
- Apples: Use firm, tart apples that hold their shape when baked. I always prefer heirloom or old-fashioned varieties but any crisp apple works.
- Lemon juice: Fresh or bottled, brushed onto the cut apples to keep them from browning.
- Butter: Unsalted, at room temperature, so it creams properly with the sugar. For the most decadent cake, I recommend using European-style butter such as Kerrygold.
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract or use vanilla sugar (homemade or store-bought).
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly into the creamed butter and sugar.
- Flour: I use regular AP flour.
- Baking powder: Gives the cake its lift around the apples.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Milk: Any dairy milk works to loosen the batter slightly.
Useful tools and equipment
- 9 to 10 inch springform pan, greased and floured
- Hand mixer (or stand mixer)
- Paring knife, for coring and scoring the apples
- Toothpick, for testing doneness
How to make Versunkener Apfelkuchen
This is a summary of the recipe steps. For the complete instructions, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Prepare a 9″-10″ springform pan.
- Peel, cut, and score apples.
- Cream butter and sugar.
- Add the eggs one at a time.
5. Add vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Mix with milk until just combined.
7. Add batter to the springform pan.
8. Press the apples into the batter and bake.
How to serve
Dust the finished cake with powdered sugar just before serving. While this apple cake is perfect as is, I love to add a good dollop of whipped cream to it. Some people love serving it with vanilla ice cream. Or you could drizzle some vanilla sauce over it.
Make ahead of time?
This cake is really quick to make, but if you wanted to do some prep work the day before, you can peel and core the apples, mix them with the lemon juice, and keep them covered in the refrigerator.
How long does this German apple cake last?
This Apfelkuchen will keep best at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also keep it covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days but it might lose some of its juiciness.
For longer storage, I recommend letting it cool down to room temperature after baking, cutting it into slices, and freezing it in a ziplock bag for up to 4 months. To thaw, simply leave it out at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use any other baking dish, such as a square 9″x9″ glass dish.
Scoring the apple halves about a quarter inch deep lets them soften and fan out slightly as they bake, which is part of what gives this cake its “sunken,” fruit-forward look. I don’t recommend cutting all the way through, which can make the halves harder to press in cleanly.
Not at all. German recipes tend to be less sweet than many American cakes. That said, you can always add a bit more sugar if you like.
👉 Let me know if you have any questions or comments!
German Sunken Apple Cake | Versunkener Apfelkuchen
Ingredients
- 4 medium apples tart or heirloom
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ½ c butter soft
- ½ c sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ c AP flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 TBSP milk
- confectioner's sugar optional
Instructions
- Peel and halve the apples. Remove the cores and on the rounded side, cut slits into them about ¼" deep. Transfer them to a bowl and mix with lemon juice. Set them aside.
- Grease and flour a 9"-10" springform pan. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (177˚C).
- In a medium bowl, cream the soft butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add one egg at a time, beating for about 30 seconds each.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
- Sift flour, baking powder, and salt directly onto the batter. Gently mix in the flour mixture. Drizzle the milk over the batter and mix only until all the ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix!
- Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan and distribute it evenly. Press the apple halves in with the cut side facing up. It's ok if they touch the bottom.
- Bake the cake for 45 mins or until golden-brown and an inserted tooth pick comes out clean.
- Optional: dust with confectioner's sugar once the cake has cooled down a bit.
Notes
- tart, firm apples work best in this recipe
- do not overmix the batter; otherwise, it will become chewy
- you can serve the apple cake as is, with a big dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a warm vanilla sauce
Nutrition
More apple recipes you might like
If apples are taking over your kitchen the way they did in my grandmother’s, this cake is just the beginning. For a lighter, fried take on German apple season, try my German apple fritters, or if you’d rather work with a loaf-style bake, my rustic apple maple cake leans into warm maple flavor instead of the classic butter crumb. Extra apples are just as useful put up for later: how to make apple pie filling walks you through canning your own for the pantry, and when you want something flakier and more hands-on, my easy homemade German apple strudel, is the from-scratch version worth the extra folding.
