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a piece of German apple sheet cake on a brown plate

Easy German Apple Sheet Cake

This easy German apple sheet cake recipe uses simple ingredients and only takes 30 minutes in the oven! It's topped with almonds like a butterkuchen ! A traditional Apfelkuchen recipe everyone loves.

Course brunch, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine German
Keyword German apple cake, german apple sheet cake
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 slices
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups 400 ml heavy cream
  • ¾ cup 150 g sugar
  • 1 packet vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Grated zest of 1 organic lemon
  • 5 eggs
  • 3 cups 375 g all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2.2 lbs 1 kg apples (about 6 medium-sized)
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • ¾ cup 100 g sugar (for the topping)
  • 4 tbsp milk
  • 1 cup 100 g almond flakes
  • 1 big pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp butter 100g
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon optional

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Apples: Peel and core the apples, then slice them into thin slices. No need to peel them. Toss the apples with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice to prevent them from browning.

  2. Mix the Batter: In a large bowl, whisk the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla sugar, and grated lemon zest until slightly thickened. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift the flour and baking powder, then gently fold them into the mixture until you have a smooth batter.

  3. Spread the Batter: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the batter evenly across it. Arrange the apple slices on top, pressing them lightly into the batter.
  4. First Bake: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the cake on the second rack from the bottom and bake for 15 minutes.

  5. Make the Topping: While the cake is baking, prepare the almond topping. In a saucepan, heat the sugar, butter and milk until the sugar dissolves. Add a big pinch of salt. Stir in the almond flakes and cinnamon (optional) and let them coat evenly in the mixture.

  6. Add the Topping and Finish Baking: After the first 15 minutes of baking, remove the cake from the oven. Spoon the almond mixture over the top, spreading it gently with a tablespoon. It will spread more while baking .Return the cake to the oven, this time on the second rack from the top, and bake for another 15 minutes until the almond topping is golden brown and crisp. I cover the pan with some parchment paper during the last 6-7 minutes so keep it from browning too much.

  7. Final Touch: Once the cake has cooled slightly, dust it with powdered sugar before serving. This cake tastes incredible when it's still a bit warm, especially with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

Recipe Notes

Tip : For an extra moist cake batter you can substitute 1/2 cup of the flour with ground almonds.