Sunny’s Easy Apfelkuchen Recipe

This Sunny’s Easy Apfelkuchen is a moist and crumbly cake, which is made with tart Granny Smith apples and a simple white cake mix. It’s the perfect fall dessert, ready in about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Sunny’s Easy Apfelkuchen Ingredients

Apples:

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/8-inch wedges

Batter:

• One 15.25-ounce box white cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups apple cider
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3 large eggs, whisked
• Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan

Streusel:

• 2 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar, plus more for dusting
• 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, frozen for 20 minutes

Sunny’s Bourbon Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon bourbon
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

How To Make Sunny’s Easy Apfelkuchen

1. Prepare the apples and batter: Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice and 2 cups of water, then add the apple wedges to prevent browning. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, apple cider, sour cream, and eggs until just combined.
2. Make the streusel: In another large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon sugar. Using a box grater, shred the frozen butter directly into the bowl. Use a pastry cutter or a fork to mix until the mixture is crumbly.
3. Assemble the first layer: Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour half of the cake batter into the pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel mixture. Arrange half of the apple slices in a circular, fanned-out pattern on top.
4. Assemble the second layer and bake: Repeat the layers with the remaining batter, streusel, and apples. Dust the top with a little more cinnamon sugar. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Cool and serve: Let the cake cool on a rack for 30 minutes before releasing the sides of the springform pan. While it cools, make the bourbon whipped cream by whisking the heavy cream, bourbon, and sugar together until soft peaks form. Serve slices of the warm cake with a dollop of the whipped cream.

Recipe Tips

• How to get the best streusel? The secret is using frozen butter and grating it. This creates small, cold pieces of butter that melt slowly in the oven, resulting in a perfectly crumbly and crisp topping.
• Can I make this without a springform pan? Yes. You can use a 9-inch deep-dish cake pan. Be sure to grease and line it well, and let the cake cool for a bit longer in the pan before attempting to turn it out.
• What if I don’t have apple cider? You can substitute the apple cider in the batter with an equal amount of apple juice or even whole milk.
• Can I make this ahead of time? This cake is best served warm on the day it’s made. However, you can store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

What To Serve With Apfelkuchen

This is a rich and satisfying cake that is perfectly complemented by a creamy topping.

• The homemade Bourbon Whipped Cream from the recipe
• A scoop of vanilla bean or cinnamon ice cream
• A simple drizzle of heavy cream or a dusting of powdered sugar

How To Store Apfelkuchen

• Refrigerate: Once cooled, store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve slices cold or gently reheated.

Apfelkuchen Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 650 kcal
• Fat: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 85g
• Protein: 7g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

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