I don't really like apples. But when Mom sent me more than I could do with, I thought, why not make an apple cake? This is a really simple German recipe that requires the following ingredients:
750 grams of medium or small sized apples
250 grams of flour
125 grams of sugar
150 grams of butter at room temperature
4 eggs
2 tablespoons of baking powder
1 tablespoon of lemon zest
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of icing sugar
1/4 cup of milk (optional)
1 pinch of salt (optional)
Marmalade: apricot, berries, or any flavour you prefer
Preheat your oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, grease the sides and the bottom of your cake mold. Peal, core, and quarter your apples. It is important to choose apples that are not sweet. I used the Reine des Reinettes or King of Pippins type.
Use your electric mixer to beat the butter with the eggs. Make sure the butter is not warm to avoid the egg whites from solidifying during the process. Add the lemon zest and the vanilla extract slowly while beating at medium speed. It is crucial to keep beating and not to stop until your mix is creamy.
Meanwhile, in a side bowl, mix the flour and baking powder with a silicone spatula. Optional: add a pinch of salt and 1/4 milk for the final batter to remain soft. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones that are still being beaten. Stop your mixer once the batter has no more granules and all ingredients are well incorporated with each other.
Spread your batter in your prepared pan. Cut the apple quarts in thin slices, from the outer part toward the center without cutting all the way through. Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. During the baking, dilute some jam with water over a medium heat in a pan. When you take out the cake, and it is still warm, brush the top and especially the apples with the jam. Sprinkle with icing sugar using a sieve. Et voilà!
Cake can be served as is or with whipped cream and/or vanilla ice cream on the side. Bon appétit 😋
