Easy German Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen)

This EASY German apple cake is tart and sweet, muffin-like on the bottom and crunchy on top, thanks to the almond-cinnamon streusel topping. Apfelkuchen (that's apple cake in German) was my Oma Sieghilde's specialty and I know you'll love this simple and fool-proof recipe I've been making for years!

Tips for Making German Apple Cake

I've been on a quest for the perfect, authentic German Apple Cake recipe for quite some time now. It took me several years to perfect this recipe, and THIS IS IT! My biggest tip? Pick up fresh apples from the orchard or your local farmers' market! I grabbed these apples at Overland Park Farmers Market and the cake could not be more delicious! They're much more flavorful and make for the best cake!

Of course, there are many ways you could make an Apfelkuchen or German apple cake. But more often than not it's baked on a baking sheet as a sheet cake using a fluffy muffin-like crust, topped with tons of fresh apple slices and a crumbly streusel topping! And there you have an easy, made-from-scratch apple cake.

Another tip? Serve it with cloud-like spoonfuls of barely sweetened, fresh vanilla whipped cream. This cake is super quick and ready in just one hour (including the baking time), which comes in handy when that craving for an apple dessert hits!

What Apples to Use For Apple Cake?

I have used many different apples for this German apple cake recipe. I like Granny Smiths for tartness, but sometimes feel like a little sweeter treat and go for Johnathan or Gala. German cakes in general aren't as sweet as American cakes, so if you know you would like more sweetness without adding more sugar, you could easily use a sweeter apple in this recipe.

Other apple varieties that are great for baking are Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Pink Lady. I picked up local apples from our farmers market in Overland Park, Kansas. I love that you can even go to the Sunflower Orchards directly to pick your own apples, and all you need to pay for are the apples.

Another tip is to not peel the apples for this recipe. I think it's totally unnecessary and besides, I love the look that the skin of the apples gives this cake! Besides, unpeeled apples contain 50 percent more phytonutrients and are packed with healthy antioxidants that help prevent cancer.

Ingredients

Achieve the best cake results by using quality ingredients. Here they are:

• Butter. I use salted butter in all of my baking recipes, despite what some people say. Adding a little salt helps bring out the flavors. You'll need butter for the cake and the streusel topping.
• Sugar. You'll need sugar for both the cake and the streusel.
• Eggs. 4 whole eggs go into the cake batter.
• Salt. Like I said, I like a little salt in my cake. You can leave this out if using salted butter, but I still add just a little more.
• Lemon. I use the zest to go into the cake batter and the juice to marinate the apples with and to keep them from turning brown.

• Flour. All-purpose flour works just fine in this cake. You'll also use it for the streusel topping.
• Baking Powder. Otherwise the cake won't rise.
• Milk. I use 2 percent cow's milk, but milk alternatives will work fine as well.
• Apples. See note on which apples work best for apple cake. I used Johnathan and Gala apples this time that I got from the Sunflower Orchards stand at Overland Park Farmers Market, but please use your favorite apple. Any will work.
• Almonds. I use sliced almonds in my streusel topping. A little toasted nut flavor without adding really any more effort.
• Cinnamon. This is my must-have ingredient for the streusel topping. So warming and good and your house will smell like a candle store in the fall.

Tools

The following are some amazing tools to have on hand when making this German apple cake recipe.

• Stainless Steel Bowls. I love these because they have a silicone bottom, which keeps them from sliding all over the counter (it's safer, too). Plus they're heavy weight and German-designed.
• Paring and Peeling Knife. I love this paring knife with a curved blade for removing the core and slicing the apples. I choose not to peel my apples.
• Citrus Press. Makes it a lot easier to squeeze the juice out of that lemon, which you'll toss your cut apples with to keep them from turning brown.
• Cake Storer. Store it at room temp for a couple of days or in your fridge for up to 6 days.
• Zester. You'll need it for that lemon zest, which goes into the cake batter.
• Cordless Electric Mixer. I love not feeling restricted by a cord when mixing up my recipes.

Video

Watch this 42 second video, showing you just how easy it is to make this German apple cake. And kids love it too!

Does It Need To Be Refrigerated?

You do not need to refrigerate this German apple cake and it will keep fine covered up with plastic wrap at room temperature (or in a cake storage container like this one). However, if you don't plan to eat within 2 to 3 days after baking it, you could refrigerate it for up to 6 days. If you refrigerate Apfelkuchen, I recommend reheating in a microwave for a few seconds to bring back the fluffy texture (and who doesn't love to recreate that fresh-out-the-oven warm apple cake?).

Can Apple Kuchen Be Frozen?

German apple Kuchen also freezes well, so in case you don't want to share your leftover cake with anyone (I hear ya!!), simply slice the cake after baking, store it in your freezer in freezer-safe containers or freezer-safe bags. That way you're always prepared to have a little something sweet to go along with your afternoon coffee. Simply pull a few slices out when you haven't had time to bake and allow to thaw at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, then warm in the microwave for a few seconds to bring back the fluffy cake texture. So lecker!

More German Apple Recipes

If you're picking apples right now like we are, then these German apple recipes will be handy! Bratäpfel are German baked apples with marzipan and so warming and delicious. Feel like apple pie? Then try this German version of an apple pie! Last but not least, this glazed applesauce cake is moist, wonderful and SUPER easy to make. Have fun baking!