In Germany, apple pie comes under what German dessert term?

In Germany, apple pie is commonly called Apfelkuchen. The German word combines Apfel (“apple”) with Kuchen (“cake”), a broad term that can include desserts English speakers would classify as pies or tarts.

Apfelkuchen is not one rigid recipe. German versions may use shortcrust, sponge, or yeast dough, and the apples can be sliced, grated, or arranged in quarters. Popular forms include covered apple cake, apple streusel cake, and Versunkener Apfelkuchen, in which apple pieces are pressed into the batter before baking.

A common mix-up is Apfelstrudel. Despite its German name, apple strudel is especially associated with Austrian cuisine and uses layered pastry wrapped around the filling. Lebkuchen is spiced gingerbread, while Baumkuchen is a layered cake baked around a rotating spit.

The broader English category “apple pie” also has a long history outside Germany: documented English recipes date to the 14th century. German Apfelkuchen belongs to the wider family of apple desserts, but its name most directly means “apple cake.”