German Apple Cake
A moist, cinnamon-spiced cake loaded with chopped apples — an old-fashioned potluck favorite baked in a single 9x13 pan.
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups peeled, chopped apples
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and oil together until smooth and well combined.
- Add the sugar, vanilla, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, and mix well — the batter will be quite thick, more like a heavy dough than a pourable cake batter.
- Fold in the chopped apples by hand, distributing them evenly through the thick batter.
- Pour the batter into a greased 9x13-inch pan, spreading it into an even layer.
- Bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
Chef's Note: This cake's batter is intentionally thick and heavy before the apples go in — closer to a stiff dough than a typical pourable cake batter — which is exactly what lets it hold that much fruit without turning dense or gummy once baked. The apples release moisture as the cake bakes, which is what keeps the finished texture so moist days later.
This is genuinely a great make-ahead dessert for a potluck or picnic — it holds up well at room temperature and, if anything, tastes even better the next day once the flavors settle. Any firm baking apple works well here; there's no need to seek out anything fancy.
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