It’s fall – time for apple things! This recipe calls for 4 Granny Smith apples – I sliced mine with a mandoline, before chopping in the other directions, which gave me a giant pile of apple, so big it didn’t seem like the apples would be able to mix in with the batter. I put it all in, though, and it turned out great, so don’t worry if you feel like you maybe have too much apple – it’ll work out! The buttermilk in the frosting gives a bit of tang, that actually just makes me think of cream cheese frosting – a good combo with the apple and cinnamon!

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 4 Granny Smith apples sliced and diced

Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9×13″ pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until pale and creamy, using the paddle attachment if you’re using a stand mixer.

Add the cinnamon, salt, and baking soda and mix briefly until just combined, then reduce the speed to low and add in the flour, mixing again until just combined.

Stir in the apples.

It’s SO MUCH apple!

Transfer to the pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the cake passes the toothpick test. Cool completely in the pan.

When the cake has cooled, Combine the salt and butter of the frosting and beat until smooth, then add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until mixed, adding the buttermilk a tablespoon at a time with the last two cups of powdered sugar to help it incorporate. Spread on the cake, slice, and enjoy.

My house was so cold that the butter wasn’t super spread-y, so it didn’t go on 100% smoothly, but you get the idea.

German Apple Cake with Buttermilk Frosting

Fractionally updated directions from Cookies and Cups.

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 4 Granny Smith apples sliced and diced

Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9×13″ pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until pale and creamy, using the paddle attachment if you’re using a stand mixer. Add the cinnamon, salt, and baking soda and mix briefly until just combined, then reduce the speed to low and add in the flour, mixing again until just combined. Stir in the apples, then transfer to the pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the cake passes the toothpick test. Cool completely in the pan.

When the cake has cooled, Combine the salt and butter of the frosting and beat until smooth, then add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until mixed, adding the buttermilk a tablespoon at a time with the last two cups of powdered sugar to help it incorporate. Spread on the cake, slice, and enjoy.