Juicy Apple Cake – Saftiger Apfelkuchen LOADED with Apple

Yes, you do need another Apple Cake Recipe, and this rustic and Juicy Apple Cake is perfect for apple lovers and moms who want to encourage their people to eat more fruit. Chunks of juicy apples keep the cake extra moist, and the crunchy cinnamon sugar topping adds sweetness. The cake looks a bit rustic, but the flavor will win you over, and the simplicity means you can make it an everyday treat.

Honestly, for bakers, this cake seems like an impossible bake until you see it work. Six large apples are peeled, cored, and sliced into chunks. Then, the chunks are mixed with what just doesn’t feel like enough batter. Before baking, it looks as if it will just be a mess. And then, it works. Honestly, I love that. All too often, it’s the other way around, isn’t it?

Shortly before the end of baking, spread melted butter and cinnamon sugar over the cake to create a crunchy, sweet cinnamon sugar topping. The more you add, the darker it gets. I love that crunchy sweetness, but you can restrain yourself a bit if you like; the cake will still be delicious.

Juicy Apple Cake made with 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar

My Oma always told me not to eat the cake while it was still warm… but it’s really hard to wait when you smell the cinnamon and apple. Serve a slice with a big Schlagg of Whipped Cream, and enjoy.

Juicy Apple Cake- Saftiger Apfelkuchen

The Juicy Apple Cake lives up to its name with big chunks of apple. The rustic cake is topped with a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. Serve with whipped cream.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Course Coffee Break, Dessert

Cuisine German

Servings 12

Equipment

• 1 Springform Pan 9 in or 22 cm
• 1 Apple Corer/ Slicer

Ingredients

  

• 3 ⅓ lbs Apples- (I used 6 large) 1.5 Kilo
• 12 Tablespoons Butter (softened to room temperature) 160 gr.
• ½ cup Sugar 130 gr.
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
• 3 Eggs (room temperature)
• 1 ½ Cup Flour 250 gr.
• 2 ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder

Topping

• 3 Tablespoons Butter 40 gr
• ¼-⅓ Cup Sugar 50-70 gr.
• ⅓-1 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Grease the springform pan. Set aside.
• Peel, core, and slice the apples into chunks. I started with 6 apples weighing close to 1 1/2 kilos (around 3 1/3 pounds) before peeling. The bigger the chunks the more firm the pieces will be after baking.

  Place the chunks in a bowl, and set aside briefly.
• In a Mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter for 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest, beat another 30 seconds.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beat until they starts to combine with the butter. Scrape the bottom of the bowl,
• Combine the baking powder and flour, then, with the mixer going on low, slowly add the flour to the butter/egg mix.
• Now add the apples to the batter. You can do this by hand, but I just poured them into the mixing bowl with the beater on low. Just for a short mix until the batter spreads onto the apple chunks.
• With a spatula, finish mixing the apples into the batter, then scrape it all into the prepared pan.

  Smooth the top with your spatula.
• Bake for 50 minutes at 350°F Around the 45 minute mark melt the butter and mix the cinnamon into the sugar. (The more cinnamon sugar you add the thicker and darker the crust on top.)
• At 50 minutes, remove the cake briefly from the oven (shut the oven door to keep the heat in). Brush/pour the melted butter across the top of the cake.

  Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar across the butter.

  Bake for another 5 minutes.

  If it's getting too dark, cover with aluminum foil.
• Remove from the oven to cool. After 5 minutes loosen the springform pan.
• Serve with Whipped Cream

Notes

I used 6 large apples for this recipe. Use your favorite baking apple. My current favorite is Cosmic Crisp. (I also tried this recipe with Honeycrisp apples... the apples did get softer). I used my hand held apple slicer to slice and core the apples, then I cut the wedges into smaller pieces.

Don't skip the lemon zest...it adds a zip of flavor! 

You are supposed to wait for the cake to cool completely, but I love it warm. 

Keyword Apple Cake

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Baking the Juicy Apple Cake- Saftiger Apfelkuchen

This cake is all about the apples. Peel, then slice and core the apples. I use one of these slicers. Then I cut the slices into chunks. 
If you slice these wedges into chunks, the apple will stay firmer… if you cut the wedges lengthwise, then make smaller chunks, the apple will be softer. It’s a personal preference, and also depends on how much work you feel like doing.

Set the chunks aside.
I started with 1.5 kilos, and after peeling and slicing, it’s a bit less….

After adding the apples to the batter, scrape it into the prepared pan. Smooth it as well as you can.

At the 50 minute mark, remove the cake from the oven and spread melted butter over it. 

Then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
More cinnamon sugar leaves you with a darker cake, and makes the cake a bit darker. You can use less cinnamon to lighten the cake even more.

Serve and enjoy!