Sunken apple cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen) from Classic German Baking: The Very Best Recipes for Traditional Favorites, from Pfeffernüsse to Streuselkuchen (page 43) by Luisa Weiss

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

mklasan on April 29, 2026

Added more sugar and cut up more apples to 1/2” pieces, guests loved it!
chawkins on October 16, 2023

Very good and simple cake and not too sweet. I did not make the whipped cream topping. Cake was good even without it. I just want to know what is the purpose of partially slicing the apple quarters.
Charlotte_vandenberg on September 24, 2022

Easy, fast and very nice. I will remember this cake when I want a comforting piece of apple cake.
krista_jo on September 26, 2021

As others say, a quick and easy cake and not too sweet (even with the 2 tbsp of raw sugar on top). The only change I made was to spray the inside of the springform before lining the bottom so that the sides would be greased.
eeeve on May 05, 2020

My family loved this cake, I liked that it’s very traditional German but not as dry as some German sponges seem to be! Not much else to say apart from that the cake tastes lovely and it didn’t last long. Some of the apples weren’t quite cooked through enough IMO. Would definitely be even nicer with whipped cream on the side.
Lepa on March 01, 2018

This is a simple, easy and delicious cake. It's not fancy but very satisfying with some whipped cream. We loved the fact that it's not too sweet.
milgwimper on December 29, 2017

Thank goodness this recipe is forgiving and easy. Accidentally left out the sugar topping and the glaze the second time around, but added fresh whole strawberries to the top and unsweetened whipped cream on the side. It was delicious, not very sweet, fresh tasting, with a cup of coffee, a wonderful treat. Reminds me of Germany. I would suggest, not adding fresh strawberries to the whole cake, just the slices being eaten, as strawberries rot fast. I would make this cake again, but I will not make it with granny smith apples, they were a little too tart and hard even after baking. We have made this cake multiple times, even with children helping, or an inexperienced baker, it has come out great. Serve it with unsweetened or lightly sweetened whipped cream and coffee or tea.
raybun on June 18, 2017

A really delicious cake, easy to make and beautiful to look at.
Astrid5555 on December 29, 2016

This is the apple cake of my childhood, exactly like my Grandma used to bake it. A "Wednesday cake" as the author calls it, because it is quick enough to be made on a weekday. Nevertheless a delicious one!