Recipe(tried): Apple Sour Cream Kuchen (using cake mix)

Apple Sour Cream Kuchen
Source: Cake Mix Doctor, p. 274
Serves: 20

Softened butter for greasing the pan
1 package (18.25 oz.) plain yellow cake mix
1 cup sour cream
8 Tblsp. butter, melted
1 large egg
3 cups peeled, sliced cooking apples (1/4 inch thick slices from 4 large or 6 small apples---about 1 lb.)
1 Tblsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13-inch by 9-inch baking pan with softened butter. Set the pan aside.

Place the cake mix, sour cream, 4 tablespoons melted butter, and the egg in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture just comes together into a thick dough, one minute. Using your fingertips, press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan so that it reaches the sides of the pan. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the cake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the apple slices with the lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Place the sugar and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and stil until well combined.

Remove the cake from the oven, but leave the oven on. Arrange the apples in rows across the top of the warm cake. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the apples. Drizzle the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter over the sugar mixture.

Return the pan to the oven and bake the cake until it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 32 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.

Slice the warm cake into pieces, and using a metal spatula, remove them from the the pan to a serving platter. Serve while still a little warm.

**Store this cake, covered in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the refrigrator. Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Before serving, open the foil and reheat the kuchen in a preheated 300 degrees F. oven until warmed through.

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This kuchen reminds me of a yeast kuchen my mother made when I was a little girl, except this is a lot less work. The first time I made this my friend had given me these little green apples. They were tiny and sour, and it must have taken me about 5 minutes to peel and slice one apple! But, they sure made the cake taste good.