Rustic German Apple Cake – My Mom's Traditional Family Recipe

Rustic German apple cake with a buttery crust and tart apples — a simple, comforting classic just like grandma used to make.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: german

Servings:

Calories: 10967kcal

Equipment

1 springform (fits a 9-inch / 24 cm springform pan, serves 8)

Ingredients

Dough

300 g flour ≈ 2 ½ cups all-purpose
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 packet vanilla sugar or 2 teaspoon sugar + ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
125 ml milk ≈ ½ cup
150 g butter ≈ ⅔ cup 1 ⅓ sticks unsalted, chilled

Filling

900 g–1 kg apples ≈ 2 lb about 4 large
2 tablespoon sugar
Pinch ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon water
50 g raisins ≈ ⅓ cup optional
Dash rum or ¼ teaspoon rum extract optional

For brushing

1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 °F / 180 °C. Grease the springform pan.
For the dough stir flour, baking powder and vanilla sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly then add egg and milk. Knead quickly to a smooth but soft shortcrust.
Press about two-thirds of the dough over the base of the pan and 1 in up the side. Dock with a fork. Blind-bake 10 min until pale gold. Let cool a few minutes.
Peel core and slice apples. In a saucepan heat apples with sugar, cinnamon, water, raisins and rum just until the fruit starts to soften, 3–4 min. Cool briefly.
Spoon filling onto the pre-baked base. Roll or pat the remaining dough into a circle and lay it over the apples, sealing at the edge.
Brush top with egg wash. Bake 20–25 min until nicely golden.
Cool in the pan on a rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, with whip cream, plain or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
The crust stays tender the next day and the flavors deepen, making this a great make-ahead cake.

Notes

• Best apples: Tart firm varieties like Boskoop Granny Smith or Braeburn balance the sweet dough and hold their shape

• Shortcrust tips: Keep the butter cold and work the dough quickly; chill 15–30 min if it feels soft

• Make-ahead: Flavor deepens overnight so the cake tastes even better the next day

• Serving: Lightly sweetened whipped cream is traditional though crème fraîche or plain Greek yogurt also work

• Texture: The base stays soft and tender; for a firmer bottom crust pre-bake it about 10 min

Recipe Twist Ideas

Pear and ginger: Swap half the apples for pears and add fresh grated ginger to the filling
Custard layer: Spread a thin layer of vanilla custard (or pudding) under the apples before adding the top crust
Nutty crust or topping: Work a handful of ground hazelnuts or almond flour into the dough or scatter chopped nuts over the apples before baking
Lemon sugar apples: Toss the apple slices with lemon zest and a little extra sugar for brighter flavor
Whole-grain crust: Replace one-third of the flour with whole-wheat or spelt for a nuttier bite

Indian-inspired twists

6. Chai-spiced filling: Season the apples with ground cardamom cinnamon clove and a touch of black pepper for a gentle chai aroma

7. Cardamom pistachio crumble: Skip the top crust and cover the apples with a quick crumble of oats butter brown sugar cardamom and chopped pistachios

8. Jaggery glaze: Brush the baked cake with a warm syrup made from jaggery and a splash of milk for a caramel-like finish

9. Saffron almond cream: Serve each slice with a spoonful of lightly sweetened yogurt stirred with a pinch of saffron and sliced toasted almonds

Nutrition