German Apple Cream Cake

4.75 from 4 votes

Make a luscious, creamy, typical German apple cream cake with meringue, almonds, and whipped cream. This popular German apple cake is perfect for guests.

Prep Time1

Cook Time40

Total Time1 40

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: German

Servings: slices

Calories: 465kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

springform 26 cm/ 10 inches diameter
Electric mixer

Ingredients

Batter (Note 1):

3 eggs large, separated
100 g unsalted butter 3.5 oz/ ½ cup, room temperature
100 g granulated sugar 3.5 oz/ ½ cup
125 g all-purpose flour 4.5 oz/ 1 cup
1 teaspoon baking powder

Meringue:

3 egg whites from the eggs above
150 g granulated sugar 5.5 oz/ ¾ cup
100 g slivered almonds 3.5 oz/ 1 cup

Filling:

300 ml water 1 ¼ cups
150 g granulated sugar 5.5 oz/ ¾ cups
1 teaspoon vanilla extract more to taste
40 g cornstarch 1.5 oz/ ⅓ cup
2 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4-5 apples depending on size
400 ml heavy cream 1 ¾ cups
2 packets whipping cream stabilizer optional; Note 2
a sprinkle of cinnamon optional

Instructions

Batter:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F. Butter and flour the springform.
Separate the eggs. Set the egg whites aside for the meringue.
3 eggs
Beat together the soft butter and the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one by one, whisking well in between until each egg yolk is fully incorporated.
100 g unsalted butter/ ½ cup + 100 g granulated sugar/ ½ cup + yolks
Add dry ingredients: In another bowl, weigh the flour and the baking powder. Sift them over the butter mixture and carefully fold them in. Pour the batter into the prepared springform.
125 g all-purpose flour/ 1 cup + 1 teaspoon baking powder

Meringue:

Wash the mixer's beaters very well with soap and hot water to remove any rest of the batter you whisked before.
Make the meringue: Beat the egg whites until quite stiff. Gradually add the sugar and continue whisking until the meringue is stiff again and glossy. Spread the mixture over the batter in the springform and sprinkle with the slivered almonds.
3 egg whites + 150 g granulated sugar/ ¾ cup + 100 g slivered almonds/ 1 cup
Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the batter is cooked through and the almonds are golden.
Cool the cake: Leave it in the springform for about 15 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling:

Combine: Make the filling in the meantime. In a small saucepan, bring half of the water to a boil. Whisk the rest of the water with the cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla extract until there are no more clumps.
40 g cornstarch/ ⅓ cup + 150 g granulated sugar/ ¾ cup + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Boil: When the water boils, take it off the heat, whisk in the cornstarch mixture, place on the hob again, and bring it to a boil again while whisking continuously. Add the two eggs while whisking continuously and bring to a boil again.
2 eggs
Cool: Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
Add apples: Peel and grate the apples and mix them with the lemon juice. Add them to the cold cornstarch mixture and fold in. Taste and add more vanilla extract if you find it necessary. Pour the mixture over the cold cake.
4-5 apples + 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping:

Whip the heavy cream until stiff (gradually using the stabilizer, if using - Note 2). Spread it over the cake.
400 ml heavy cream/ 1 ¾ cups + 2 packets whipping cream stabilizer
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until the filling is set. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon just before serving.
a sprinkle of cinnamon

Notes

Measurements: Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it ensures the best results (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
The cream stabilizer is not always necessary; you will have to decide if the whipped cream is stable enough. The cream stabilizer can be replaced with a mixture of confectioner's sugar and cornstarch in a 1:1 ratio. In this case, you will mix 4 teaspoons icing sugar with 4 teaspoons cornstarch and use it exactly as described in the recipe.

Nutrition