Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Oma Ingrid's German Apple Cake


With Halloween behind us, the next holiday, Thanksgiving, is already looming over our heads again. This is another holiday I did not grow up with, but have come to love as well. Seriously, what's not to like about a holiday that is pretty much centered around good food, family and friends? There are so many delicious eats that are hard to resist. From the wonderful cooked turkey, to great sides and last but certainly not least, amazing seasonal pies and cakes.

I usually make a few very traditional dishes for our feast, but my German touches are never far. Our Thanksgiving dessert table also holds an assortment of "American" pies and at least a German cake or two. Today's featured apple cake is one that my mom (Oma Ingrid to my kids) has been baking for as long as I can remember and was also one of the first cakes I baked for my husband. Apple desserts are some of my favorites and this one is irresistible by having a fantastic nut topping. Served with some whipped cream it is a true family favorite.


The cake has three components. A crust, reminiscent of ones that are used in sweet tarts. A grated apple filling that really let's the apples shine without overpowering them with spices, and a nut crust made from butter, sugar, finely ground nuts and heavy cream. The crust is made quickly with the use of a food processor, but can also be made in a stand mixer. After pressing the crust into a greased springform pan it is set into the refrigerator while the apple filling and topping are prepared. Use your favorite apples in this, Cameo, Gala, or Honey-crisp are great choices that lend the perfect balance of sweet and tart, without getting too mushy after baking. The apples are grated before mixing them with a bit of lemon juice, sugar and flour, then placed inside the crust. Finely ground almonds or hazelnuts (my favorite) are mixed together with melted butter, sugar and heavy cream and then spread over the apple filling making sure to cover the entire cake before baking.

The cake takes a little bit time to put together, but is well worth the effort. It might not be the prettiest or most colorful cake you've ever seen, but let me tell you it makes up for it in flavor and has a wonderful rustic charm that fits so well into the season. This is a cake that is requested over and over in our home and is never missing on our Thanksgiving table. I do hope if you give this recipe a try, you'll enjoy adding some German touches to your table as well!



Oma Ingrid's German Apple Cake

Ingredients:
For the crust:
250 grams all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
100 grams sugar
125 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg

For the apple filling:
6 medium apples
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the nut topping:
125 grams finely ground hazelnuts or almonds
75 grams melted butter
100 grams sugar
3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.

For the crust: Add flour, baking powder and sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse again until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Add the egg and once again pulse until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured surface and quickly knead until dough comes together. Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of the prepped springform pan. Set pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling and topping.

For the filling: Peel, core and grate apples. Add them to a large bowl and toss with flour, sugar and lemon juice. Set aside while you prepare the nut topping.

For the topping: In a medium bowl combine the ground nuts, melted butter, sugar and heavy cream. Stir to combine until the mixture is like a paste.

Putting it all together: Remove springform pan with crust from the fridge. Pour apple mixture into the formed crust and spread evenly. Spread nut topping over top of the apples, making sure to cover apples completely. Bake in preheated oven for about 50 - 55 minutes. Check after 45 minutes and if the topping and crust get to dark, cover with a piece of aluminum to prevent over browning.

Remove cake from oven and cool for about 20 minutes before removing sides of the pan (make sure to run a sharp knife around the edges before attempting). Let cool completely before serving.

Adapted from: My mom



51 comments:

  1. I have to try this - love apple cake. Thank you!

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  2. I think I might make this cake for Thanksgiving this year. How finely grated are the apples? I see what appears to be a somewhat large apple chunk for what I consider a grate (in the last picture). I really enjoy the texture of cooked apples, do you think I could have success using a small dice instead?

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  3. What a neat recipe. I love the nut topping.

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  4. I love how this recipe sounds. I am bookmarking it to try soon.

    On a different note, do you know if there is a community for AZ food bloggers? I see them for other states and thought it would be a nice thing for us cactus cooks.

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  5. You are talking my language with this recipe!

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  6. Fall seasons makes me hungry. I love the smell of baking apple in the house. or any kind of baking smell in the house. The weather is getting chilly and it is time to bake! Oma's apple cake looks wonderful. I wonder if I can add some cinnamon to this recipe since I love the combination of apple and cinnamon! Thank you for sharing your recipe.

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  7. My GOD, does that ever look delicious.

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  8. Susi, das hoert sich ja nach einem sehr leckeren Kuchen an. Mir gefaellt besonders der Nussguss obendrauf. Koestlich.

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  9. Can I come over to your house for Thanksgiving please? Oh Susi you always make the tastiest food ever. I wish I was your neighbor! That apple cake looks so good and so unique! I love it :)

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  10. So gorgeous, I epsecially like anything that holds it's shape - wonderful layers too

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  11. My Oma made great pies/desserts too! Can't wait to try this German Apple cake.

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  12. Things don't always have to be colorful to be pretty and I think this cake is just beautful! The history you have with it adds even more. I will be trying this--we love apple everything at this time of year.

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  13. Great recipe Susi! Can't believe you didn't grow up with Thanksgiving either. I love the nut topping on there. Adding this to my every growing list of must makes.
    -Gina-

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  14. i love this susi:) you made me crave for this right now..thank you for sharing this.

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  15. Wow, this looks good. Thanks for sharing a family recipe.

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  16. Oh, Susi - as usual this looks fantastic! I'd love to have a piece of that apple cake right now :-) Kate@kateiscooking

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  17. It looks like a mix between a pie and a cake - I'm all for that!!

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  18. That cake looks and sounds incredibly yummy!

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  19. Wow, that topping sounds phenomenal! I will definitely try this one, I think it would be great when having people over for dinner.

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  20. My German Grandmother used to make some sort of apple cake that I remember I loved! I was only little, so I don't remember much about it, but this sounds similar. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, for the same reasons that you like it. Love this one! I'll have to make it for my dad and see if he remembers what Grandma's was!

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  21. Oh yum! I've never seen an apple cake like this. Easy to see why it's a favorite.

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  22. OMG Susi, this cake looks so delicious and not to mention beautiful. Great photos too! You're kids must love you (=

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  23. This looks delicious! Not like any pie I've seen before.

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  24. I don't care what it looks like as long as it takes good. I love reading all about the desserts and food you grew up eating.

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  25. This looks absolutely delicious Susi! After eating and loving the Bee Sting Cake this will definitely be one that I make. I second the comment above me - I really enjoy hearing about your traditional food.

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  26. Susi-Thank you for accepting the Lovely Blog Award-you are awesome, and well deserving of it.
    I love your mom's German Apple cake recipe, and printed it out. I will for sure make this for Thanksgiving, and will always treasure the recipe...so very special!
    Susie-just copy and paste the award to your blog, and you know the rest!

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  27. It looks so yummy! it's a good use of apples too!

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  28. Looks wonderful. My mom makes a Polish apple cake that is very similar to this - it's one of my favourites.

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  29. Such a wonderful apple cake- just perfection! I have a recipe for German apple cake that is totally different and I haven't made it for years. I think apple cake is one of my favorites, I'm going to save your recipe, thanks for sharing:)

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  30. I'm ready to break out my spring foam pan! I love hearing about new apple recipes...and this is something I haven't seen. I'm sure that the three components in this cake meld together into a wonderful slice of apple goodness. Thank you for sharing this German dessert!

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  31. This cake looks wonderful! Apples are already such a great part of fall, but in cake form? Amazing! This would be such a warm, comforting treat for a cold day.

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  32. Love this apple cake with its gooey filling!

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  33. I love love love apple cake! Definitely trying this one!

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  34. hello!
    I have just passed you an award! Please check my blog post ( http://eatgreek.net/2010/11/my-first-award/ ) for rules.
    Thanks, eatgreek.net
    :D

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  35. Wow! I think this cake looks beautifully rustic. It almost looks like a cross between a cake and a pie and I have to say that I love the layers. I'm bookmarking this one for sure!

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  36. Wow, that is one hearty, delicious looking dessert! I think I'd just skip a meal altogether to eat a slice of this... mmmm! Thanks for sharing, Susi. Also, I have a pomegranate cosmopolitan up today that I think you'd really like!

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  37. Family recipes are always the best! I'd love to add this to our Thanksgiving dessert table, if I can wait that long. :) It looks fabulous- I love the nut topping!

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  38. Mmmm! This is really unique and I love the idea of grating the apples!

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  39. Love it - looks delicious - I will totally try this. I love baking with apples in the fall!

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  40. Susi-I love apple cakes and this looks perfect! I never had this recipe before. I really enjoy seeing authentic German creations by you. I can't wait to try this :)

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  41. Hey Susi....I have a confession to make. Recently my friend, who is German, baked me an apple cake. It was only OK. Lacked serious flavor. Even the next day it wasn't flavorful. HOWEVER this cake looks so damn good! I WILL make this for her and perhaps your Oma's wisdom will be carried on! Can not wait.

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  42. Sommer, I think apple cakes without a lot of spices like cinnamon or nutmeg (which is so typical) need their flavor from a good apple. If your apple is flavorful so will be the cake :o)

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  43. Just made it today - brilliant! Everyone raved.

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  44. This looks absolutely sensational, Susi! You're speakin' my language, yet again! :) Apples in cake . . . what could be better? I love the looks of this.

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  45. Nick, I'm so glad you enjoyed this cake :o)

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  46. This sounds so wonderful! I have never seen an apple pie like this before :)!

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  47. I made this yesterday and it's almost gone. What a great recipe! It's more like a pie than a cake, it's so good. I added a little nutmeg and cinnamon. I'll be making it again.

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