German cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Sunken Apple Cake

Batter in a springform pan into which scored apple halves slowly sink while baking.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 4 tart apples
• 200 g softened butter
• 180 g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 250 g flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 organic lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Peel the apples, halve, core, and score the rounded sides several times closely together about 5 mm deep; drizzle with the juice of half the lemon.
2. Grease a 26 cm springform pan and dust with flour, preheat the oven to 180°C top/bottom heat.
3. Beat the butter with sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and the finely grated lemon zest until pale and creamy for 5 min., then stir in the eggs one at a time for 30 sec. each.
4. Mix the flour and baking powder, sift over the mixture, and stir in only until a smooth, hard-to-tear batter forms.
5. Fill the batter into the pan, smooth it out, and press the apple halves in lightly with the scored side facing up, they sink in on their own while baking.
6. Bake for 45–50 min. until a wooden skewer comes out clean from the center, let the cake rest in the pan for 15 min., release, and serve dusted with powdered sugar.