Apple Kuchen With Honey and Ginger

By David Tanis

Apple Kuchen With Honey and Ginger
Karsten Moran for The New York Times
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
5(858)
Comments
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More coffeecake than dessert, this moist apple cake is pure comfort, with candied ginger, a touch of honey in the batter and a honey glaze. New crop autumn apples are wonderful to use in season, but you can make the cake year round. It will keep for several days, tightly wrapped, at room temperature.

Featured in: Apple Kuchen for a Sweet Jewish New Year

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

    For the Cake

    • ½cup/127 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), plus butter for greasing pan
    • 1½cups/200 grams all-purpose flour, plus flour for dusting pan
    • ½cup/100 grams sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling apples
    • ¼cup/85 grams raw honey
    • 3eggs
    • 1tablespoon grated ginger
    • 2ounces/56 grams candied ginger, diced
    • ½teaspoon grated lemon zest
    • ½teaspoon salt
    • 2teaspoons baking powder
    • 3medium apples, peeled and quartered

    For the Glaze

    • ¼cup/50 grams sugar
    • ¼cup/85 grams honey
    • 3tablespoons lemon juice
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

316 calories; 12 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 30 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 216 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan, preferably a springform pan.

  2. Step 2

    With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar, then add honey and whip for 1 minute, until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, until well incorporated, then whip for 2 minutes. Stir in grated ginger, candied ginger and lemon zest.

  3. Step 3

    Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder and add to bowl, mixing briefly to make a stiff batter. Pour batter into prepared pan.

  4. Step 4

    With a paring knife, cut slits in each of the apple quarters on the rounded, outer part of the wedge, slicing partway through at ⅛-inch intervals. Arrange apple quarters slit-side-up over the batter. Sprinkle surface with 1 tablespoon sugar.

  5. Step 5

    Place cake pan on a baking sheet and put on middle rack of oven. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until an inserted skewer emerges dry. If cake is browning too rapidly, tent with foil until done. Cool on a rack, then carefully unmold.

  6. Step 6

    Make the glaze: Put sugar, honey and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved and mixture bubbles, about 2 minutes. Paint surface of cake and apples with warm glaze. Cake will keep for several days, tightly wrapped, at room temperature.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
858 user ratings
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Comments

Therese Dolan

Is the candied ginger a critical component or can it be omitted?

Caryl R

The recipe suggests a 9" pan, preferably springform. Yet the photo (gorgeous!) looks as if it was baked in a traditional glass pie dish. Can either work?

Earlene

The apples in the farmers markets now are early varieties and make good applesauce but don't hold up for recipes like this coffee cake. Better go to the supermarket and buy Granny Smiths; just be sure you sprinkle that sugar all over them because they're so tart. By October the harder apples are at the farmers markets. Jonagold, Ida Red, Honey Crisp make good pie, baked apples, and kuchen.

Ackbark

This is a showstopper and going into my rotation, truly one of the best things I’ve eaten. Easy, visually stunning, and most importantly, incredibly delicious like you would get at a quality bakery. I used jonagold apples which turned out terrific. I can see it working with other sweet varieties such Braeburn or golden delicious as well as tart. What makes this special is the lemon/honey/ginger combination which is simply delightful, so I wouldn’t skimp on the ginger if I could help it. Mine baked up nicely in 45 minutes in a convection oven. Make sure to brush the glaze on at least a couple hours before serving so it has time to seep into the cake. Also, make sure the butter is softened/room temp before creaming on high speed for at least five minutes. I also use Trader Joe’s frozen ginger (4 tsp of their 1-tsp individually portioned ginger) and a splash of lemon juice instead of lemon zest because I’m lazy. It bakes up nicely in a pie plate and is a perfect gift/dish to bring to parties as it’s understated but elegant and wonderful. It also keeps well for days.

Julie C

I made this with spelt flour instead of wheat (about 70/30 white and whole grain) and dark brown sugar instead of white and it was gorgeous—caramel-flavoured and complex.

Janice White

Such a good combination of flavours. The batter is stiff and is not elegant going into the pan but in the oven levels out and puffs up so prettily.

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