Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen sehr fein)

This is yet another traditional German Apple cake. It can easily be prepared ahead of time. Elstar apples are most often used for this cake, but they are a little difficult to find in the US. However, any crisp apple on the sweeter side (e.g. Gala, Golden Delicious) works great at well.

Ingredients:

Springform (26 cm or 11 inches in diameter)

Some grease

Topping:

750 g apples (about four medium-sized)

25 g (1/2 tablespoon) butter

40 g raisins

Glaze:

2 tablespoons apricot jam

1 tablespoon water

Cake Batter:

125 g (1 stick) butter or margarine

125 g (113 g) sugar

1 package vanilla sugar or some vanilla aroma

1 pinch of salt

3 eggs

200 g flour

2 leveled teaspoons baking powder

1-2 tablespoons milk

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease bottom of springform.

2. Peel apples, cut into quarters and remove core. Cut outside of apples lengthwise several times without fully cutting through!

3. Using an electric hand mixer beat butter or margarine until soft. Add sugar, vanilla sugar or vanilla aroma, and salt while stirring until well mixed.

4. Add one egg at a time, and mix each egg into batter for about 1/2 minute. In a separate bowl mix 

flour and baking powder, then add flour mixture in two portions to cake batter, alternating with milk. Pour cake batter into springform and level. Put apples in circles on top of batter. Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in microwave or stovetop pot, brush butter on top of apples. Sprinkle raisins over cake.

5. Bake cake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

6. Squeeze apricot jam through a fine mesh, mix with water, and while stirring bring to a boil. Brush apricot-water mix over cake immediately after baking.

7. Remove springform edge, and let cake cool on springform bottom on a cooling rack.

Comments:

1. This cake can be prepared 1-2 days ahead of time, and even better, this cake can also be frozen, so you can always have a cake ready in minutes when guests unexpectedly make a visit.

2. You don't have to add raisins, this cake also works really well without.

3. Some people like to sprinkle some cinnamon over the apples before baking.

4. I used Gala apples, but other apples work well, too. I would use a crisp and sweet apple, though, nothing tart like Granny Smith. If you use sour apples it'll alter the taste of this cake, certainly possible, but not necessarily along the German tradition of this cake.