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German Apple Cake

A comforting dessert with a soft cake base, sweet apples, and a creamy quark layer, perfect for any occasion.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: German
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake Base
  • 3 large eggs 3 large eggs
  • 180 g 180 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
  • 100 ml 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon) plain yogurt or milk
  • 80 ml 80 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil
  • 280 g 280 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons 2 teaspoons baking powder
Apple Layer
  • 3 medium 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced Opt for a mix of sweet and tart varieties like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp.
  • ½ lemon Juice of ½ lemon Used to prevent browning of apples.
Creamy Layer
  • 200 g 200 g (¾ cup) quark Can substitute with Greek yogurt or ricotta if unavailable.
  • 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for quark mixture)
  • 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract) Can substitute vanilla sugar with regular sugar mixed with a drop of vanilla extract.
Topping
  • 50 g A handful (about 50 g / ½ cup) walnuts, roughly chopped For added crunch and flavor.
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 20×30 cm (8×12 inch) rectangular baking pan with vegetable oil and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy release.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale and fluffy, for about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add the yogurt or milk and vegetable oil, whisking until fully combined.
  4. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Gently fold until just incorporated; be careful not to overmix.
  5. In a separate bowl, toss the apple slices with lemon juice to prevent browning while you prepare the rest of the mix.
  6. In a small bowl, mix the quark with granulated sugar and vanilla sugar until smooth and well combined.
Assembly
  1. Pour two-thirds of the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly across the bottom.
  2. Arrange the lemon-tossed apple slices in an even layer over the batter.
  3. Spread the quark mixture evenly over the apples, covering them well.
  4. Dollop the remaining batter over the quark layer and spread gently to cover the top.
  5. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over the top for added crunch and flavor.
Baking
  1. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  2. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  3. Dust generously with powdered sugar before slicing into squares and serving.

Notes

This cake tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld. Serve it warm or at room temperature, and consider adding a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.