This is a delicious German recipe.
I have been using this recipe since I found it in a Betty Crocker ad in Woman's Day when I was 9 (which would have been 32 years ago). However, that recipe was slightly different, calling for double the amount of butter/margarine (1 stick, or 1/2 up) and 1 cup of coconut. Using that much butter helps to get it out of the pan (I never grease the pan, per the recipe). Also, it had you prebake the crust for 10 minutes, and slicing the apples more thinly (which helps with making sure the apples cook all the way). Fat free sour cream works just fine, and patting it LIGHTLY (the crust) into the pan is critical, as noted in other reviews. It is important to watch that it does not overcook, as that also makes it hard to get out of the pan, while undercooking means it won't hold together. It is really not hard, and it is fast and impressive. I have not met anyone who didn't lvoe this dessert!
Read MoreI agree with the others, it's too sweet and I used half the sugar. I added another 1/4 C of butter because the cake mix was still powdery not crumbly at all. The topping hardly covered the pan. Will not make again.
Read MoreI have been using this recipe since I found it in a Betty Crocker ad in Woman's Day when I was 9 (which would have been 32 years ago). However, that recipe was slightly different, calling for double the amount of butter/margarine (1 stick, or 1/2 up) and 1 cup of coconut. Using that much butter helps to get it out of the pan (I never grease the pan, per the recipe). Also, it had you prebake the crust for 10 minutes, and slicing the apples more thinly (which helps with making sure the apples cook all the way). Fat free sour cream works just fine, and patting it LIGHTLY (the crust) into the pan is critical, as noted in other reviews. It is important to watch that it does not overcook, as that also makes it hard to get out of the pan, while undercooking means it won't hold together. It is really not hard, and it is fast and impressive. I have not met anyone who didn't lvoe this dessert!
Fast & yummy! I used white cake mix b/c I didn't have any yellow on hand. I also had to add a touch of orange jce to get the cake mixture "crumbly". I used toasted coconut b/c I already had some made up and it worked great! The apples turned out a bit firm but if I would have baked it any longer the crust would have have gotten too brown. But it was delicious. I am taking it to work tomorrow but I DO NOT want the leftover in my house. It's addicting! :)
I completely omitted the sugar in this recipe. I added a little more cinnamon and some fresh ground nutmeg. Instead of Granny Smiths I used about 6 Red Delicious Apples and it turned out wonderful!! Instead of using coconut because of the high sugar content, I added finely chopped walnuts to give it the same texture. Even without the sugar and coconut, my family still found the dessert almost too sweet. It was very easy and versatile!!!
One of my favorite desserts of all time. Always a crowd pleaser! I used 1/2 cup butter, and pie sliced apples (not apple pie filling). Very easy and quick. It's a keeper!!!!!!!!!!!1
Nice recipe but I made some mistakes. First, it seemed undercooked so I baked it longer. This was a big mistake b/c the crust got very hard. It was still delicious though. Used peaches since it was August b/c apples are autumn to me. Also, I doubled the amount of sauce and coconut, as other reviewers suggested. Next time, I will make it exactly as directed and it should come out right. It does look like a cheese Danish after it is cooked. Makes a nice presentation.
My mom has a recipe similar to this one, but we use peaches. Our recipe calls for baking the crust for 10 minutes BEFORE you add the fruit to it. To those that say the sour cream topping isn't enough... it isn't supposed to cover the whole thing. Its not frosting! With our recipe calling for canned or fresh peaches, if you get canned peaches in heavy syrup, it won't need sugar.
I made this for an Oktoberfest party and everyone loved it. It stuck to the pan though and I had a hard time getting it out. You really need to use a spatula. I agree with another who said that it was better the next day. Next time I make it I think I will cut down the amount of sugar (slightly) and make more of the sour cream topping. But it was very good just as it is.
I made it twice in one week, for two different parties if that tells you anything. I greased and floured the 9x13 pan, and then I used a full stick of butter in the crust, patted lightly, and had no problem with it sticking to the pan. I sliced my apples thin-ish (quartered the apple, then cut each quarter into 5). They were still thick enough slices, but thin enough to bake. And 3 apples was more than enough to cover the cake. I prebaked my crust for 10 minutes, then added the apples and sauce for about 30 minutes. Its a delisious twist on your standard apple bake. I think next I'm going to try switching chocolate cake mix for the yellow one, subbing raspberries for apples, and some cocoa powder or vanilla for the cinnamon. This recipe has opened up all kind of dessert possibilities for me.
Wonderful cake that is easy to make! Sliced the apples thin with a peeler/corer/slicer which made the cake perfect. Will definitely use this recipe over and over. Thank you.
I loved this and so did my friends. The first time I made it, I used walnuts instead of coconut in the crust, as suggested by someone else. I also cut back on sugar and it was still really sweet. The second time I made it, I still used walnuts, and I added a bit of nutmeg and vanilla to the egg and sour cream mix. It went over great. I also made the pear, with pecans instead of coconut (still used the yellow cake mix). There were no leftovers and rave reviews from everyone (half the group grew up in Germany, so it was high praise, indeed)
Good, but too sweet. I substituted the apples for fresh pears. I wish I had read the reviews before I baked the cake, it was hard to remove from the pan (I'm sure from pressing too hard in pan) and I would definitely cut back on the sugar!
I agree with the others, it's too sweet and I used half the sugar. I added another 1/4 C of butter because the cake mix was still powdery not crumbly at all. The topping hardly covered the pan. Will not make again.
I used 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup coconut in the crust. Would have given this 5 stars but I could still slightly detect that "cake mix" flavor...but it's worth a try!
This is a fantastic recipe! I was looking for dessert recipes for homegrown peaches from my tree, of which I have quantities sliced up in my freezer. I have tried quite a few, and this one was the best so far. This recipe works just as well for (thawed) peaches. Because peaches are sweeter than baking apples, I reduced the amount of sugar. I still think it's a bit sweet; I'll reduce the sugar more next time. I also made it with fat-free sour cream; which worked just fine. When I was putting it together, I thought it couldn't possibly work...the cake mix/margarine mixture for the crust looked too dry. But the baking juices soaked down, and that held it together. If you're not fond of coconut, it can be skipped. I thought it added a nice texture. People say it was hard to scoop out; I had no problem. It is more of a cobbler-looking dish, not something you can cut in neat squares.I was using a Corning french white ceramic dish. You are less likely to have a burned/hard bottom using Pyrex, ceramic, or insulated Airbake pans, rather than plain metal. Thanks to Cathy for this delicious recipe!
Excellent! I used Michigan Gala apples right off the tree and it really came out perfect. I was a little nervous because I baked it about 10 minutes longer and the bottom was a little browner than I thought it should be, but the apples were done just right. The first serving was a little on the crunchy side, especially around the edges, but I placed the leftovers in a zip-loc bag overnight and it softened it up. I took it into work the next day and the first to eat it were two German associates and they told me I could bring it in every day! I will definitely make this again--probably for Thanksgiving.
My girl scout troop used this recipe for a local taste fair and it was a great hit. Many people asked for the recipe.
I've been making this for years from an old Girl Scout trip. It's won rave reviews every time!
Good recipe! Would be good as breakfast cake as well.
Good recipe! I followed other reviews and used 1/2 c butter and 1 c coconut. Easy to make and very tasty.
I made this from my (German) grandmother's recipe, which is almost identical. She used 1/2 cup margarine and no coconut (although I think that'd be a good addition). Also, the apples were thinly sliced, and it only cooks for 25 mins instead of 35. So easy and super delicious! It is very sweet though, a small square is enough for me. Make it for a party or large group of people!
This was kind of like an apple/cheese danish cake. Not very appealing to the eye, but very tasty! Remember to store leftovers in the fridge, since it's made with sour cream!
Very disappointing. I used peaches & think the whole recipe was a waste of ingredients. My husband couldn't even finish it & he'll usually eat things up so I don't have to throw it away.
I made this recipe for an international banquet at our church. Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great. My mom especially loved it:) Thanks so much for sharing this easy and delicious recipe!!
This is good! I didn't use the coconut and exchanged brown sugar for white as I think it gives desserts a better flavor. Easy to make too, which is always a good thing.
this is a terrific recipe...(in louisiana), i baked it an additional 10 minutes, don't know if this was altitude (or lack there of) related. definitely recommend - great tasting & a huge success with the family!
Not good, despite all the rave reviews. Felt I was eating apples on top of cake mix. Topping should be doubled and cake mix should have something added to it so it doesn't taste like, well, cake mix!
I made this recipe today with PLUMS. I too added a bit of fresh squeezed fresh cutey mandarin orange to the sour cream and cut sour cream in half and used a 1/2 block of cream cheese so I could eliminate 2/3 of the sugar. SUPER - this was closer to the Kuechen my mother in law used to make. She made with whatever fruit was around ... apricot, peach, rhubarb....get kids involved with this easy recipe.
I picked fresh apples from my tree and used a apple slicer and corer (works real fast). I think I pressed too hard, and put too much of the cake mix on the walls of the cake pan. I should have left more on the bottom because the "crust" was too hard to eat. Beautiful and simple though!
This is an easy dessert that turned out well - it was flavourful and the apples were tender. I used a little less sugar, a little more cinnamon, and about 1 1/2 cups of sour cream for the topping. I also omitted the flaked coconut since we don't like it. As others have noted, it's important not to press the crust down too firmly or it will get too hard during baking. This dessert is excellent when served with vanilla ice cream!
At first this was a dissapointing recipe. It came out crumbly, undercooked and needed moisture. However this is one of the most forgiving recipes and after adding milk and another 1/4 C of shreded butter on top of the whole thing and putting it in the oven again for another 15 minutes, it was soooo delicious. I would definitely cut the sugar to half (usually the cake mixes are pretty sweet). I topped with homemade vanilla icecream and my guests were asking for seconds. Works well for pears too and white cake mix.
VERY GOOD RECIPE.. i overbaked ine a bit but I will try again. I am planning on serving it for a Oktoberfest party.
This was my favorite dessert growing up but I never got the recipe. This seemed close to what I remember so I made it exactly as written. The flavors were wonderful but it didn't bake well. After 55 minutes the apples were still too firm for a fork, and by that time the crust was too hard. I tried again, slicing the apples thin as for a pie. I also increased the butter to 1/2 cup because the crust was too powdery. And again, after 45 minutes the apples were still too firm. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. It makes me think I need to half cook the apples in the microwave first.
my 10 yr. old son make this for his class for a food from North Dakota. It was a great success. They all loved it and my family loved it as well. Thanks so much for posting the recipe. Your friend. Hpellowski ?
I'm so glad to have found this recipe!! I've search high and low for an apple cake recipe with coconut!! Thank you very much.
I made this for Oktoberfest at church and everyone raved about it. I made it again for Thanksgiving dessert. Note: 15.25 ounce cake mixes are all you will find. I also think 1/2 cup of sugar is too much. Next time I make it I will cut it down some. Too sweet. I may also try adding a little more moisture to the cake mix. It is hard to cut it in the pan. Otherwise very good!
I made as directed except for butter not margarine and I would probably add a little more butter and coconut next time. Overall, it was very good and very easy. The coconut in the cake was really good and it was not too sweet.
I used the recommendations and added 1 c butter and walnuts to the cake mix. This made a great base. I then used Jonathan apples with the sugar and cinnamon. The result was delicious. However, the cooking time was about an hour which was way off the recipe.
We recently held an Oktoberfest gathering with some close friends. I made this recipe. It was a big hit.
I was very disappointed in this recipe. The apples did not get soft enough in the 35 minutes, so I had to keep baking another 5 minutes and check - it took 15 additional minutes before the apples were tender. Of course, with the added cooking time, the crust turned black on the bottom. The taste was good, but not excellent. I think real butter rather than margarine would taste better. I also think I would thinly slice the apples rather than wedge them. I will try this again only because there were previously 8 positive reviews and with these alterations, perhaps it will be better next time. It looks beautiful when it comes out of the oven and was very easy to prepare, especially it you have an apple peeler and a wedger. One more note: I think you could leave out the cocnut from the crust - I could barely taste it.
I really liked this recipe. I served it for a very diversified group of people and they all raved how good it was! One guest had two servings and asked me to served it again the next time is to my house for dessert. It needs to be served within two days because the crust gets soggy after that amount of time. I had no problem with the apples being hard. Overall, I would serve it again in a heart-beat.
I originally saw this recipe in a magazine in the 70's when I was first married. I remember making it a few times and loving it, but then forgot about it until just recently when it just popped into my head. I was glad to find it here after all these years., because while I remembered the ingredients, I didn't quite remember the quantities. It has changed a little from the original recipe I remember but it's basically the same. The one thing I remember about the original was they specified a can of " pie sliced apples", not apple pie filling or fresh apples. Very 70's. I did make it with fresh apples that I pre cooked for a few minutes in a skillet with 2 tbls of butter and 2 tbls of brown sugar, until they still had a slight crunch but we're not completely raw and slightly caramelized. This helped to have the apples at the right consistency and not over bake the Kuchen. I cut the 1/2 cup sugar down to 3 tbls to compensate. I don't believe the original had that much sugar anyway. I kept the rest of the recipe the same and it turned out delicious and a huge hit for my Sunday brunch. Everyone just loved it...6 people and there wasn't a crumb left!
This is just amazing and quick! I used Honey crisp apples and more of them. Delicious!
Made this for 2 different holiday events and everyone loved it and kept asking for the recipe. Great dessert
Just don't press the "crust" down too hard or it is difficult to get out of the pan.
This was a very good recipe! A big hit! I made extra sour cream mixture as it didn't cover all the apples. Also, as I was transferring the leftovers to a container for the fridge, I noticed that some of the crust didn't cook all the way. I'm unsure why as I really tried to make sure it was evenly spread in the pan. Still very good and I will make again.
I recently made this recipe for a group of my roommates and friends at college. I was a little surprised at the consistency of the crust but it went over really well with everyone. Someone even asked for the recipe. One word of warning...it's very sweet! We're all 19-24 but kids would love it.
I made this exactly as stated and thought it was good. I really liked the coconut in the crust. I also thought the sour cream topper was a nice touch. It was also easy to prepare. I am only giving it 4 stars though because hubby didn't care for it. It seems the parts I liked he didn't like-go figure. Because of this I will probably not make it again for my family, but it would be a nice dessert to take to a church potluck.
I used a spice cake mix instead of the yellow and I also used a 1/2c of butter instead of 1/4c I didn't put the crust in the oven before I added the apple filling either and it turned out great I will definitely make this again!
Made this today 'Thanksgiving 2012' I was very disappointed with the 'cake mix' crust, it was dry and hard. I did scoop up the apple mixture into serving bowls and added whip cream, it was okay but it wasn't what I was hoping for. The cake mix needs something added for moisture, I doubled the sauce recipe hoping that would add moisture but it only made the topping yummy but no help to the cake. I have ideas on how to make it better but I would rather make a recipe I can count on and leave this one behind.
Loved it. My family really liked this. Though it is hard to tell exactly if it is done like the other reviews said.
Absolutely delicious!!
It was sooo good,I will definitely make this recipe again.I din't have coconut milk so I replace it with milk and I reduce a little bit amount of sugar but overall it was yummy delicious thank you for posting this recipes??
I did not care for this recipe. The crust (cake part) ended up being so thin and crusty, you couldn't cut it. It was not an appealing desert to the eyes. Sorry but I will not make this again.
Made this recipe for my father in-law's birthday. He lived in Germany for two years and was so excited to have a German dessert! It was absolutely delicious! I did make one small change by using French Vanilla cake mix instead of yellow cake mix. I think it adds a little bit extra depth!
My mother used to make a delicious apple kuchen, and while this is a little different variation, with the coconut, it's really good and a lot easier than my mom's recipe. Served it for a recent ladies gathering with vanilla bean icecream, and it was a hit!
