Apfelkuchen — German Apple Cake

Originally featured in the August 2025 Corn Moon Issue  of our monthly newsletter, the Liminal.

A rustic German butter sponge cake with roots in the 18th century, Apfelkuchen (apple cake) is simple, fragrant, and deeply comforting. With crisp apples, warm cinnamon, and a tender crumb, it’s the kind of old-world dessert that feels both humble and celebratory—perfect for an afternoon coffee or a cool autumn evening.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup softened unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 4–5 small crisp, tart apples, thinly sliced
• Lemon juice
• Cinnamon & Sugar (for sprinkling)

Shortening & Flour (to prepare pan)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F if using a dark pan). Grease a 9" pan with shortening and dust with flour.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
3. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, then fold into the batter just until combined.
4. Toss sliced apples with a squeeze of lemon juice, a sprinkle of sugar, and a dusting of cinnamon.
5. Spread batter evenly in the pan, then press apples gently into the dough without hitting the bottom.
6. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top.
7. Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack before serving.
   
   *pitted, unpeeled plums make a terrific substitution for apples.