Apfelkuchen OR Apple Cake

Apfelkuchen OR Apple Cake

This is a German recipe from my mom's side of the family.  Usually most apple desserts combine cinnamon and apples but there is no cinnamon in this cake - vanilla is the star of this recipe.

The cake:                                                                                        Printable Recipe

1 cup butter (softened)
2 eggs (slightly beat the eggs and vanilla extract together)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1.  In a large bowl stir the flour, sugar and baking powder, then - with a pastry cutter (or a fork) - mix the butter into the dry flour/sugar mixture.  The traditional thing to do is called "verribbeln or veruebeln" (I'm not sure of the German spelling - this actually might be a "Schwebish" word).  This technique is where you rub the chunks of butter together and mix the flour in with your hands - anyway - it's very messy - a pastry cutter works just fine.

 

2.  Pour this butter/flour mixture onto a pastry board (or clean counter) and make a hole in the middle and add the egg mixture (eggs and vanilla already slightly beaten together).  Mix in and knead with your hands.  NOTE:  Again doing this by hand is very messy - mixing all of the dough ingredients together in a food processor will work if you prefer.  If you use the processor you must slowly "pulse" the machine.  The dough should be silky smooth - you might need to add a little extra flour to achieve this silky smoothness.

3.  Now you could either roll out the dough and place in your large Pyrex dish (spray or butter this dish before placing in the dough) OR you could press in the dough  (I prefer rolling out the dough).  Dust the crust/dough with flour - see picture below:

 

The Apple Filling:

5 or 6 apples (washed, peeled, cored and sliced)
Juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4.  Prepare the apples as described above and stir all of the cut-up apples, lemon juice and vanilla together.  Now nicely place these apple slices on top of the rolled out dough (see the picture at the top of this post).

The Topping:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 small package of vanilla sugar

5.  Stir the dry ingredients together (flour, sugar and vanilla sugar).  "Cut" the butter into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter until crumbly looking (see the picture above) 

6.  Spread the crumb topping onto the apples and then bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes (or until desired golden brown color is achieved).

I included a picture of cut slices to show you the golden brown color of the cake/crust.

Allow the cake to cool and then ENJOY!

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