How to make German apple cake for holidays and year-round

German apple cake, or Versunkener Apfelkuchen (sunken apple cake), is an all-day cake that can be enjoyed with coffee, as a dessert or even for breakfast. It's topped with sliced apples that are slightly submerged in the batter before baking. As the cake bakes, it will rise around the apples, creating a sunken effect.

This is a very simple cake, and the apples are the star of the show. Choose tart, firm baking apples, such as Granny Smith or Braeburn, which will hold their shape during baking and add a refreshing tartness to the sweet cake base.

Another important ingredient in this cake is almond paste. It's a unique tweak that surprisingly doesn't overwhelm the cake, but rather perfumes it with a hint of almond, lending moistness and dimension to its flavor.

Note that almond paste is not marzipan. Almond paste has more almonds and less sugar than marzipan. It's used in baked goods, while marzipan is a confection and often used for decoration. You can find almond paste in the baking aisle of well-stocked supermarkets.

German Apple Cake

Yield: Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
(This cake is adapted from a Milk Street recipe.)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten-free flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 4 ounces almond paste (not marzipan), crumbled
  
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  
• 2 to 3 medium Granny Smith or Braeburn apples, peeled and cored
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• Powdered sugar for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides of a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

3. Place the almond paste in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed to break the almond paste into small pieces. Add the butter and mix until smooth (the mixture will be stiff) and continue to mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the 2/3 cup sugar and mix to combine.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing to thoroughly incorporate before the next addition. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.

5. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.

6. Thinly slice the apples. Arrange the apple slices in the batter, slightly fanning the slices and gently pressing to slightly submerge.

7. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and the cinnamon in a bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the cake.

8. Bake in the oven until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes clean with a few crumbs sticking, about 45 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then release the sides. Cool the cake to slightly warm or room temperature. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

The cake may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author and recipe developer, and authors the blog TasteFood, More recipes can be found at chicago.suntimes.com/taste.