One of the last recipes I have to bring to my blog from my Mom’s repertoire is this German Apple Custard Cake. While I have no memory of where this recipe originated from and I can’t find it in any of her old recipe books, I do remember it is one she made often, along with this Apple Sponge Cake recipe I have made myself many, many times.
Although I can’t pin point a specific memory surrounding my Mom and this cake, I did create a new memory for this cake when we shared it with our friends over a weekend recently… one of the only weekends so far this Spring that has showed any trace of warmth. We made the most of it, dragged out some of the lawn chairs onto our deck, braced ourselves against the slight chill with steaming cups of tea and had ourselves a little kaffeestunde while their little one snoozed inside and our daughter inhaled her cake.
Like the apple sponge cake, this German Apple Custard Cake is light, not too sweet and the perfect cake to share with friends over tea or coffee in the late afternoon (a traditional “kaffeestunde”) or around the family dinner table after sharing a special Sunday dinner.
Happy baking!
Sophie
If you liked this recipe you are going to love these ones!
Apple Sponge Cake
German Apricot Quark Cheese Spelt Cake
Upside Down Rhubarb Spelt Cake
German Apple Custard Cake with Spelt Shortcrust
Ingredients
Spelt Shortcrust
- 180 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
- 75 grams granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 250 grams organic all purpose, unbleached spelt flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 large egg at room temperature
Custard Filling
- 50 grams golden or dark raisins
- 1 tbsp golden rum optional
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- rind and juice or one large lemon
- 3-4 granny smith apples
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 5 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp organic all purpose, unbleached spelt flour
- 1 tbsp golden rum optional
- 200 ml whipping cream
Topping
- 50 grams sliced almonds
Instructions
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Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or large mixing bowl and hand mixer, whip the butter until creamy, then add the sugar and salt and beat until combined. Add the egg and beat until combined. Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl, then add it to the butter mixture and beat on low until combined. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it up and chill it in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes (best chilled overnight).
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In a small bowl, mix the raisins and 1 tbsp of rum from the topping ingredients and set aside. In another small bowl mix the cinnamon and 1 tbsp of sugar together. Set aside. In a large bowl add the lemon rind and juice. Peel and core the apples. Cut each apple into quarters, then cut each quarter into three slices. Mix the apple slices together with the lemon rind and juice, then set aside.
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Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a large bowl and hand mixer, beat the eggs and 5 tbsp of sugar together until foamy and pale in colour. Add the flour and rum and beat again until combined. Mix in the whipping cream on low speed and set aside.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease the bottom and sides of a 26cm spring form pan. Remove the dough form the fridge, unwrap it and place on a lightly floured surface. Cut away 1/4 of it and set that piece aside. Generously dust a work surface with flour and roll out the remaining dough until it is slightly larger than the bottom of the spring form pan but no thinner than 1/4 inch. Lay the bottom of the spring form pan on top of the dough, cut away the excess dough with a sharp knife and set the excess dough aside. Remove the spring form bottom, then lock the sides of the pan to the bottom. Dust the top of the disk of dough with flour, fold in half then lay it into the bottom of the spring form pan. Gently press the dough out to the edges with your fingers.
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Take the remaining 1/4 dough and excess dough and roll it out into a long tube. Place the tube along the bottom inside edge of the pan. Press the dough down to connect with the bottom layer and up the edges approximately 1 inch high. Use your fingers of a dull knife to even out the top edge of the dough.
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Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of the apples and mix until evenly coated. Lay the apples tightly together with the core side down in a circular pattern on top of the dough. Sprinkle the raisins evenly on top of the apples. Pour the cream mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top.
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Bake for 50 minutes or until edges are golden brown and the custard is set. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 hour before removing from the pan. Chill completely before serving.
