German Apple Cake Versunkener Apfelkuchen Recipe

This German Apple cake or Versunkener Apfelkuchen is as easy as it is effective and beautiful. Sliced apples are sunken into the cake batter and produce a beautiful visual effect. The cakeis a simple butter sponge cake that is light and fluffy and this whole cake takes less than 20 minutes in prep time. This is a pushy recipe Dear Reader. I called her Elka.

I love the efficiency of Germans. Take the name of this apple cake. It's called Versunkener Apfelkuchen which means "more sunken apple cake" which describes it perfectly without any embellishment or unnecessary words. This is one of the simplest cakes and if you have a Thermomix, you can easily make one in it. The thing that takes the most time is the slicing of the apples but that's not hard.

Tips For Making German Apple Cake

1 - I used a mixture of Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples. I kept the skins on because I wanted to have a gorgeous green and red pattern (and it also saves time peeling the apples). You can of course peel the apples too if you prefer!

2 - To cut the apples to create a fan shape I recommend using a small paring knife for better control. You can cut all the way through just keep them in a little bundle of a quarter of apple. Drizzle lemon juice over the cut side of the apple.

3 - I bake the apple cake at a lower temperature of 140C/284F to ensure that the skins don't brown so we can have that lovely green and red look.

4 - This Apple Cake is wonderful served with vanilla ice cream or whipped Chantilly cream!

If your fruit bowl is overflowing with apples like mine currently is, try these Apple Cakes from different countries. There is this French Apple Cake (with similar style), a Sicilian Apple Cake or this Japanese Invisible Apple cake. I have to include one of my favourite apple cakes that is also the simplest and is great to have up your sleeve in case of emergency.

As I mentioned I appreciate the straightforwardness of Germans. I've met a few in my life and they're always on time and precise. I grew up with a (non German) father that told me as a child that he would pick me up from my friend's house at 4.17pm (not 4.15 or 4.18pm). And true to form I would see his car pulling up at exactly 4.17pm. This was way before a GPS was even invented so I only realise now what a feat and flex it was. It's easy nowadays to give someone an accurate read on your arrival time because google gives it to you but back then it was unheard of. Who knew my father had this skill?

I have a theory that some men end up getting daughters because they need them. They need to soften a bit and the way they can do this is by seeing themselves in a little female version. Now this is just a theory and I'm sure a lot of you have evidence to the contrary (okay and genetics too). This is purely based on every man that I know. My father was the same. He'd gristle at "women drivers" and only talk to the men (if anyone at all). He needed two daughters!

So tell me Dear Reader, what do you think of that theory? Also Dear Reader I am running out of apple cakes. Every year for Mr NQN's birthday he gets an apple cake. It started out as necessity as winter fruit always involves apples and oranges but now he looks forward to getting an apple cake. So I beseech you, in a reversal of roles, if you could tell me of an apple cake from a different country or type that you love!

German Apple Cake Versunkener Apfelkuchen

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

• 3 small apples (Granny Smith and Pink Lady) around 110g/3.9oz each

• Lemon juice to prevent apples browning

• 1.5 cups/225g/7.9ozs cake flour*

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs milk (full cream or skim)
• 30ml/1floz lemon juice
• 150g/5ozs caster or superfine sugar
• 130g/4.6ozs butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• Icing or powdered sugar and vanilla ice cream to serve

Cake flour can be bought at the supermarket. You can also make it at home. To make 1 cup/150g/5.2ozs of cake flour replace 2 tablespoons of plain all purpose flour with cornflour/fine cornstarch and whisk well. I usually mix up a big batch of this and keep it in a container ready for baking cakes as it produces a softer texture.

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 140C/284F fan forced and line a 23cm/9 inch springform cake tin on the base and sides with parchment. Core and quarter the apples. With a paring knife cut apple into thin slices but keep together in bundles. Drizzle with lemon juice on the cut side to prevent browning on the apple.

Step 2 - Sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside and then in another jug mix the milk and lemon juice and allow to curdle. With a mixer, beat the sugar, butter and vanilla together until pale (around 3-5 minutes). Then add eggs one at a time beating between well each addition. Add the flour mixture in two lots alternating with the milk. Scoop into the prepared tin. Take a quarter bundle of the apple and fan out and place right next to each other until the cake is covered with apple slices. Bake for 45-50 minutes turning halfway. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes. Then sieve powdered sugar on top and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Thermomix German Apple Cake Recipe

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 140C/280F fan forced and line a 23cm/9inch springform cake tin on the base and sides with parchment. Core and quarter the apples. With a paring knife cut apple into thin slices but keep together in bundles. Drizzle with lemon juice on the cut side to prevent browning on the apple.

Step 2 - Sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside and then in another jug mix the milk and lemon juice and allow to curdle. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in the TM bowl and set to 30 seconds, speed #4. Scrape down the sides halfway through. Remove the MC and set to 30 seconds speed #4 and drop in eggs one at a time (I find it easiest to crack the eggs first and then drop one from a bowl). Add the half of flour mixture and half of the milk and set to 2 seconds turbo. Scrape down the sides and add the remaining half of flour and milk and set to 2 seconds turbo, twice. Scoop into the prepared tin. Take a quarter bundle of the apple and fan out and place right next to each other until the cake is covered with apple. Bake for 45-50 minutes turning halfway. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes. Then sieve powdered sugar on top and serve with vanilla ice cream.