This German Apple Almond Cake is rich, moist, loaded with apples and flavored with almond paste and extract. It's fairly simple to make, and quite a stunner.
In German, this cake is known as Apfel Marzipan Kuchen, which simply means Apple Almond Paste Cake. I based my recipe mainly off of Dave Lebovitz's cake recipe with inspiration from several other recipes I read. If you love the flavor of almond extract and are looking for a way to bake with apples, this is the recipe for you.
Ingredient Notes
Almond Paste- This ingredient is unfortunately missing from the ingredient photo (along with the butter), but it's fairly easy to find in the baking section of larger grocery stores or online. It often comes in a tubular shape. It adds that quintessential almond flavor, which is further enhanced by the almond extract.
Cornstarch- This gives the cake a nice, soft texture. It's also known as corn flour, depending on where you live.
Apples- Choose apples with a firm texture and a nice sweet-tart balance. I used honeycrisp in this rendition.
Recipe Steps
First, grease and line a 9-inch springform pan (1). Then beat together the almond paste and sugar until homogenous (2). Meanwhile, whisk together the dry ingredients (3). Add melted butter, eggs, zest and extract to almond paste mixture (4).
Next, prep your apples. Chop 2 apples and slice the remaining two apples (5). Toss in lemon juice to prevent browning. Stir chopped apples into the batter (6). Top with remaining apples (7). Bake at 350F for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack (8), and brush the top with apricot jam.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Wait until after starting the batter to chop the apples to help prevent browning. I also toss them in lemon juice while I'm chopping. If you're not comfortable with waiting to cut the apples (and are not very fast at it), make sure not to skip the lemon juice.
- If you're a big fan of the almond flavor add an additional ¼ to ½ teaspoon more of the almond extract, to taste.
- Try using cornstarch as directed instead of only all-purpose flour. The cornstarch actually creates a softer, more tender cake.
Any apple with a nice sweet-tart balance, and a firm texture works well for apple cake. I like honey crisp, granny smith and pink lady.
You can store this cake in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days, in the fridge for 3-5 days or wrapped in plastic wrap in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Apfel Kuchen translates to apple cake in German.
Related Recipes
- Spiced Apple Sour Cream Muffins with Crumb Topping
- Old Fashioned Apple Cider Donuts
- Apple Crostata with Crumb Topping
- Fig and Almond Cake
- Torta Bertolina (Italian Grape Cake)
- Polenta Plum Upside Down Cake
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German Apple Cake
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 1 cake, 10 servings 1x
Description
This German Apple Cake is rich, moist, loaded with apples and flavored with almond paste and extract.
Ingredients
- 4 medium apples (~1 ¾ lb), peeled, cored (such as honeycrisp, granny smith or pink lady)
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (½ tsp fine salt)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 7oz almond paste
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup apricot jam
Instructions
- Heat oven and prep pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round springform pan. Line bottom with parchment and butter again.
- Mix dry ingredients:Â In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- Beat almond paste and sugar: Grate almond paste on the large side of a box grater and transfer to the bowl of a standing mixer. Add sugar and beat, using the paddle attachment, until beginning to look paste-like.
- Add wet ingredients:Â Drizzle in melted butter while slowly mixing. Increase speed to fully combine. Incorporate eggs one at a time, beating over medium speed. Beat in zest and extracts until combined.
- Prep apples: Peel apples. Slice 2 apples into â…“ inch thick slices. Cut the remaining 2 apples into ½ inch cubes. Keep separate. Toss with lemon as you cut them.Â
- Finish batter: Incorporate dry ingredients into wet ingredients in 2-3 additions. Do not over mix. Gently fold chopped apples into cake batter.
- Bake: Transfer batter to the prepared springform pan. Starting on the outside and working towards the center, shingle the sliced apples on top of the cake in a concentric circle. Place on the center rack of oven and bake approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Brush with jam:Â While the cake is still hot, warm the apricot jam for about 20 seconds in the microwave, or until more fluid. Brush warm jam over top of cake, leaving behind any chunks of fruit.
- Cool and serve: After about 10 minutes, run a small offset spatula or knife along the sides of the cake and remove the ring of the springform pan. Remove bottom of springform pan. Cool completely over a wire rack. Serve with vanilla whipped cream or ice cream, if desired. Enjoy.
Notes
You can find almond paste in the baking section of most larger grocery stores or online.
If you want to cut the apples in advance, make sure to coat them in lemon juice to prevent browning.
You can store this cake for 1-2 days in an airtight container at room temperature, for 3-5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. I usually wrap individual slices with plastic wrap and place in freezer bag. I have not been able to find a more environmentally friendly way that works this well. I do re-use the bags, at least.Â
This recipe was adapted from David Lebovitz.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 of cake)
- Calories: 463
- Sugar: 34g
- Sodium: 155mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 117mg
David Nasaw says
WOW. Looks beautiful. The perfect recipe for fall in Columbia County when the apples are plentiful
Sabrina Russo says
Definitely! Thank you 🙂
Nancy Russo says
Another great recipe, looks delicious, will be making this.
Sabrina Russo says
Thank you!
Dinitia Smith says
Wow! This looks amazing.
Sabrina Russo says
Thank you, Dinitia 🙂