Apple Crumb Cake

A real classic: a delicious apple crumb cake with tender juicy apples and a brown sugar, oatmeal crumb topping. This apple cake is packed with apples — in the cake batter itself and thinly sliced apples under the streusel topping. It’s perfectly sweet without being super sweet — with half the amount of sugar as my recipe for Oma’s Apple Crumble. It’s a cake for anyone who likes a streusel cake with juicy apples.

What are the best apples to use in this apple cake?

I personally like to use sweet-tart apples. In this case Braeburn. Elstar is also a favourite. But a sweet apple variety, such as Boskop or the classic Cox-Orange are fantastic choices for baking. Or even a mix of sweet and sweet-tart apples.

More tips for making this apple crumb cake:

• The batter may seem a little thick and stiff when stirring in the apples but this is to be expected. The moisture from the chopped apples fluffs up the cake when baked.
• For the oatmeal topping I use fine-cut rolled oats for their finer texture. But you could also use regular old-fashioned oats which have a little more bite to them.
• I use spelt flour for this recipe, so it’s important not to over mix the batter as it has a sensitive gluten structure. Regular all-purpose flour can also be used in its place.
• Like I mentioned, this streusel cake is not super sweet. If you want a sweeter cake, feel free to add 1-2 tablespoons more sugar to the batter. I use organic beet sugar as the beets come from organic farmers in Germany. For the topping, I use unrefined muscovado for it’s rich caramel-like flavor.
• For this apple cake I use a Ø 24 cm springform pan, but you could use a 20 cm springform for a higher cake or 26 cm for a thinner cake. The only thing you need to adapt is the baking time, as this will vary. So keep a close eye on test regularly with a toothpick for doneness.
  

Looking for other apple cake recipes?

Try one of these delicious recipes:

• German Apple Torte
• Easy Apple Pear Phyllo Tart
• Oma’s Apple Crumble (APFELKRÜMEL)

5 from 1 vote

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Apple Crumb Cake

A simple to make apple crumble cake that is packed with juicy apples. Not too sweet.

Course Dessert

Category Baking

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 10

Calories 336 kcal

Autor Elle

Ingredients

For the apple cake:

• 1/2 cup butter melted (113 g)
• 1 1/2 cups white spelt flour (Type 630) (230 g)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (Ceylon)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup beet sugar or raw cane sugar (100 g)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla powder
• 4 large apples (or 5 medium/6 small apples)

For the oatmeal crumble topping:

• 1/2 cup fine-cut oats (50 g)
• 3 tablespoons soft brown sugar (I recommend raw cane sugar Muscovado)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (Ceylon)
• 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature (55 g)

For serving:

• Icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease a springform pan (Ø 23cm) and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Melt the 1/2 cup of butter and set aside to cool.
3. Prepare the crumble: Prepare the topping by stirring together the oatmeal, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the butter and use your fingertips to incorporate, until it form crumbles. Set aside.
4. Prepare the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
5. Peel and core the apples. Cube three of the apples and cut the last apple into thin slices. Set aside.

6. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sugar, until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.

7. With mixer on low, add the cooled, melted butter and the vanilla powder. Beat to combine.

8. With mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture and mix until JUST combined. Do not over mix!

9. Remove bowl from mixer. Fold in the diced apple until they are coated with the batter. You can expect the batter to be quite sticky.
10. Spoon batter-apple mix into an even layer in the prepared springform pan. Arrange the apple slices on top, then sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top of them.
11. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
12. Allow cake to cool in pan on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and remove the outer ring of the springform pan. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with icing sugar. Enjoy!

Notes

• I don’t this necessary, but if you are preparing this cake at a relaxed pace, or want to peel the apples at the very start, you can prevent the apples from browning by placing them in a bowl of water and a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Read above for more tips on how to prepare this apple crumble cake

For a relaxing atmosphere in the kitchen I recommend my personal Elle Republic: Chilled Out Kitchen Tunes Playlist auf Spotify.

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