Moist German Sheet Pan Apple Cake

Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Servings: 24
Yield: 24 servings

Description

This delicious and moist German sheet pan apple cake has 3 layers - a pastry layer, an applesauce layer, and an almond streusel layer.

Ingredients

3/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
5 eggs
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 pounds apples - peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
3 teaspoons cinnamon sugar
2 1/2 cups applesauce
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup almond meal
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2 Combine 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon zest with the last egg.
3 Combine 2 3/4 cups flour and baking powder. Sift over butter mixture and quickly beat into batter with the electric mixer running on low speed.
4 Combine apple slices, lemon juice, and cinnamon sugar in a bowl and fold into batter. Spread batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Spoon applesauce onto batter and spread out evenly.
5 Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 cup cubed butter, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, almond meal, and 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar in a bowl and mix into streusel. Sprinkle streusel over applesauce.
6 Bake in the preheated oven until streusel is lightly browned and cake is set, about 40 minutes.