Zürcher Apfelkuchen (Zurich Apple Cake)
A moist and tender apple cake with a hint of lemon and cinnamon, often topped with a light glaze or streusel. It's a popular dessert or coffee accompaniment in the Zurich region.
🧂 Ingredients
- 150 g Unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g Caster sugar
- 1 tsp Lemon zest
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3 large Large eggs, separated
- 150 g All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 3 medium Eating apples (e.g., Pink Lady, Gala)(peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 2-3 tbsp Powdered sugar (for glaze, optional)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line a 23cm (9-inch) round cake tin with parchment paper.
💡 Tip: Ensure butter is at room temperature for creaming. - 2
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and egg yolks.
⏱️ 3-5 minutes - 3
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
💡 Tip: Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. - 4
In another clean bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
💡 Tip: Ensure the bowl and whisk are clean and dry. - 5
Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter in three additions, until just incorporated.
💡 Tip: Be careful not to deflate the egg whites. - 6
Pour half of the batter into the prepared cake tin and spread evenly. Arrange the sliced apples over the batter. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Pour the remaining batter over the apples.
- 7
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
⏱️ 40-45 minutes - 8
Optional: Whisk together powdered sugar and a teaspoon of water or lemon juice to create a glaze. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
💡 Tip: Adjust consistency by adding more powdered sugar or liquid.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Using a mix of apple varieties can add complexity to the flavor.
- ✓For a streusel topping, mix equal parts flour, sugar, and cold butter until crumbly, then sprinkle over the apples before adding the top layer of batter.
- ✓Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
🔄 Variations
- Add a handful of raisins or chopped nuts to the batter.
- Use a different spice like nutmeg or cardamom.
- Make individual cupcakes by adjusting baking time.