The fictional character I most identify with is Monica Geller from Friends. But for a few minor differences, she *is me. You know the episode where she is desperately trying to recreate Phoebe’s Grandmother’s Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies? “Nest-lay Tool-ouse” That has been me trying to recreate my husband’s Grandma Mary’s Apple Kuchen.
Apple Kuchen is a German apple cake, sometimes made with apples, sometimes with peaches. It has a cake base, fruit, and usually a custard. Some are made without custard, but Grandma Mary’s had it.
We’ve looked through all the cookbooks, etc., and we are starting to think that this might be one of those recipes Grandma Mary just did by memory. But either way, I think this is as close as I’m going to get, and it was delicious.
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 egg
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced thin
- Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoon flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, in the bowl of a food processor and give it a pulse.
- Add the cold butter pieces and pulse to incorporate it until it becomes fine crumbs.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk milk and egg well. Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture. Pulse a few more times until it becomes wet.
- Grease a 9-inch spring form pan and spread the batter on the bottom of the pan. (I also lined the bottom of mine with parchment for easy removal, optional)
- Arrange the apple slices on top starting around the outer edges in a circle, working around until you have a spiral. Sprinkle the top of the apples with cinnamon sugar. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the custard cream. In a small mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cups of cream with flour and whisk together to get rid of big lumps. Add the rest of the cream, sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt. whisk well to mix.
- Take the cake out of the oven and pour the cream mixture on top. Put the cake back in the oven and reduce the heat to 350˚F. Continue to bake for 35-40 minutes.
- When the cake top is puffed, and the edges are deep golden and starting to separate from the pan, the cake is done. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely.
- * * I used Granny Smith apples, but you can certainly use any apple, or peaches. Fresh would be best, if they are in season, but canned would work as well.
Rumbly in my Tumbly 
you didn’t put in recipe how much sugar and cinnamon to be put on apples. whats the correct amount of sugar and cinnamon?
My personal preference for cinnamon sugar is 1/4 cup granulated sugar to 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
You also didn’t specify if all of that mixture was to be used. Also maybe I missed it but how many will this serve?
Wow this was a request from my son in law and it was a hit.
Looks lovely. Going to bake for Saturday Oktoberfest party. How many days in advance can I bake it? Refrigerate until day of?
Hi! This is Keith comes together in about 10 minutes, and really truly is the best made the day of. You could make it the day before and yes, I would keep it in the refrigerator until serving in that case. Good luck!! hi! This cake comes together in about 10 minutes, and really truly is best made the day of. You could make it the day before and yes, I would keep it in the refrigerator until serving in that case. Good luck!
This was delicious and beautiful. Made it for dessert for Christmas dinner. Just the right amount of sweetness and flavor complexity. Used a combination of granny smith and pink lady apples. Will definitely make again!
Hi! This recipe looks amazing. I cannot wait to try it. Do you think I could make this with strawberries instead of apples too? Thanks!
Does this dessert get turned bottom side up whenremoved from springform pab
Hi Eleanor, nope! Baked upright looking like that. ☺️
Thanks for sharing this recipe! Can’t wait to try it out. I don’t have a 9 inch springform. Would you recommend going with an 8 or a 10 inch pan instead?
Thanks!
Hi Gabi, I would go with the 10. It will bake faster, so set your time for less time.
I made it Everyone who tried it LOVED IT!!!Thank You
I dont have a food proccessor. What else can i use. I have a blender and a kitchenaid mixer.
Hi, you could do it 1/4 at a time in your blender, or use a pastry blender or a fork to incorporate.
For the cinnamon/sugar you sprinkle on the apples—do you use ALL of it?Thanks
Made this twice! Everyone loved it, esp. my two picky teenage boys! Thank you for the recipe – I’ve been trying to replicate a great aunt’s apple kuchen recipe for years. She sadly died last year, and even though it’s not quite the same, I made this in her honor and now her legacy will live on!
My question to you is if you don’t have a food processor could you use a blender instead?
Yep! Just pulse it!
I lined the bottom of my springform pan with wax paper – but when I added the custard part, a lot of it leaked out the bottom of the p[an & dripped onto my oven floor. Am I doing something wrong? Or should I use wax paper for the whole inner of the pan?
Despite the custard section leaking out – it was delicious!!! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!!
Hi Kathy, that shouldn’t happen. Your springform town must be broken or wasn’t closed quite correctly.
I tried to click your confirm follow button on your email you sent me – but it does not open anything 😦
I made this for an Octoberfest party and it was very well received .
I have made this 3 times and it is delicious! However, I have found that it is not done with 2nd bake at 350 fir 40 min. It takes at least 60 min. Yes, I have tested the temp of my oven and it is correct.