Karottenkuchen

My father in law is a great baker. He is always making tortes and cakes that are unique and delicious. I keep hoping that Stefan will gain his skills through osmosis or over time, however it's not looking likely. Fortunately, my father in law is willing to share his recipes and entertain my desire to bake.

I often joke that Germans add apples to virtually every dish. Since living here I have seen apples in salads, potato salad, cakes, yogurts, sauces, and ice creams. When in doubt or if a baked good is remotely moist, the answer is often apples. My mother in law said she never thought about it until I mentioned it and now agrees.

This weekend my father in law made a delicious carrot cake with... you guessed it - apples. His cake reminded me a lot of the lebkuchen from Nürnberg, because it also doesn't have flour and instead uses ground almonds. It's easily the best carrot cake I've ever had.

I'm going to attempt this German recipe with more predictable results. Hopefully I am able to replicate it and put it into my permanent recipe collection, although I will make mine cupcakes with a dollop of cream cheese frosting.