So how to cook German Apple Kuchen? Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the milk, vanilla, shortening, and egg to a bowl and whisk together. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl and gradually combine with the milk mixture until it comes together into a dough.
Spread apples over the dough on the baking sheet. Stir 1 cup sugar, melted butter, 1/4 cup flour, and cinnamon together in a bowl until topping is combined. Sprinkle topping over apples. Bake in the preheated oven until apples are tender and topping is golden, about 40 minutes.
Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; set aside 1 tablespoon. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon-sugar over apples. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and remaining sugar; beat in the milk and butter until blended. Drop by tablespoonfuls over apples; sprinkle with reserved cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
If you are using a baking mix I mix the sugar in with the milk to help it dissolve. We like our Kuchen not so sweet so we use 1/4 cup sugar , but if you do use 1/2 cup. Make a well in the center and add the eggs. Whisk the eggs then add the milk and blend in.