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    Home » Cake

    Apple crumb cake

    Published: Oct 8, 2022 · Modified: Oct 17, 2022 by Anna

    Jump to Recipe

    This delicious apple crumb cake recipe will be the easiest dessert in your arsenal for the fall season. Made with sweet and sour apples, vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar, this apple cake tastes great and you can make it in under one hour!

    A piece of apple crumb cake with brown sugar and cinnamon streusel topping on a small round plate with a silver dessert fork, fresh apples are lying around.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients and substitutes
    • Cooking tips
    • Step by step directions
    • Serving variations
    • FAQ
    • More fall recipes
    • Recipe card

    Ingredients and substitutes

    For the crumb topping

    Flour – Use all-purpose flour.

    Sugar – I use dark brown and white sugar for my easy apple crumb cake, but you can use white sugar only if you want.

    Butter – The unsalted butter should be very cold so you can work it into the flour without melting it.

    Salt – Since the salt won’t dissolve completely, you will get a few crystals here and there. This elevates this cake with crumble topping to another level of deliciousness. 

    For the cake

    Apples - I think that this cake turns out the best with Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady apples. Or you can use one apple from those I mentioned and one Granny Smith apple to add more acidity. 

    Flour - Use all-purpose flour or cake flour if you like.

    Baking powder - There's not so much acidity in the cake batter, so baking powder will be enough to lift the cake.

    Eggs - Eggs should be at room temperature to whip well. If you forgot to take your eggs out of the fridge well in advance, you can warm them up by placing them into a bowl with warm water for 3 minutes.

    Sugar - Same as with the crumb topping: I use dark brown sugar and white granulated sugar to give my cake caramel flavor. If you like, you can replace brown sugar with the same amount of white sugar.

    Flavorings - I use ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt to flavor my apple crumble cake. Additionally, you can add a pinch of ground nutmeg.

    Fats - Melted butter adds tons of flavor to the cake while vegetable oil (use canola or sunflower oil) makes and keeps it moist.

    A piece of apple crumb cake with brown sugar and cinnamon streusel topping on a small round plate, one bite taken.

    Cooking tips

    Make the apple crumb cake topping in advance. You can easily make the mixture the day before and keep it in the fridge in a bowl covered with plastic wrap overnight, or even freeze it. It will save you some time the day you plan to bake your cake.

    Bake the cake right away. This cinnamon apple crumb cake is made by whipping the air into the eggs (foam method). When you stop whipping and fold the dry ingredients in, the air bubbles begging to bust, deflating the cake batter. So, the faster you start baking your cake, the fluffier the texture will be. 

    Don't open the oven too early. Opening the oven too early during the baking will deflate your cake. Usually, it takes a minimum of 30 minutes for a cake to rise to its capacity. With this cake, however, I wouldn't worry about checking on it earlier than 40 minutes into the baking. It has a lot of fruit in it, so it takes more time to rise. 

    Step by step directions

    For the streusel

    1. In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

    2. Then, add the cold butter and cut it into the flour using a pastry cutter, or fork, or work all the ingredients using your hand until crumbly in texture. Refrigerate until needed.

    Collage image showing how to make streusel topping for an apple crumb cake, how to cut apples for it.

    For the cake

    1. Preheat the oven to 355F (180C) and prepare an 8" (20cm) springform pan by lining the bottom of it with parchment paper and greasing the sides with butter or oil.

    2. In a bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

    3. Into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, salt, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla. Whip on medium-high for 8-10 minutes or until thickened, tripled in size, and pale color.

    4. Meanwhile, melt the butter and mix it with oil. 

    Collage image showing how to make apple crumb cake batter and how to assemble the cake before baking.

    5. When the egg mixture is whipped, lower the mixer's speed to medium and slowly pour in the butter mixture. Then, scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and whip for 10 seconds to combine. 

    6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and fold in with the spatula until no dry ingredients are left.

    7. Add the cubed apples and fold them in. Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan.

    8. Arrange apple slices on top of the batter in an even layer. Then, take the streusel topping and generously cover the slices.

    9. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

    10. Remove from the oven and let it cool down in the form for 20 minutes. Then, run the blunt knife against the wall of the pan to release the cake. Let cool down to room temperature or until just a little bit warm before serving.

    Freshly baked apple crumb cake with crunch streusel topping served on a large beige plate, fresh apples on the background.

    Serving variations

    This cake is perfect! You don't need to add anything to it. It's sweet, moist, and crunchy: it has everything that you could imagine a perfect dessert should have.

    However, I'm a big fan of the “vanilla ice cream meets apple dessert” combo, so you should try serving this crumble apple cake with a scoop of freshly made Condensed milk ice cream, or any store-bought vanilla ice cream you like.

    Alternatively, pour some cream Anglaise on top of your cake (it's also known as vanilla sauce) and serve. 

    FAQ

    How to store apple crumb cake?

    You can store this cake on a plate covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for 3-4 days. 

    Can you freeze apple crumb cake?

    You can freeze this cake for up to 2 months. Make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in a piece of foil to protect your cake from freezer burn. Thaw in the fridge overnight and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

    A fork with a piece of apple crumb cake on it, the rest of the cake is on the background.

    More fall recipes

    Homemade apple pie

    Pumpkin roll

    Pumpkin muffins

    Cinnamon rolls

    Apple cinnamon muffins

    Recipe card

    A piece of apple crumb cake with brown sugar and cinnamon streusel topping on a small round plate with a silver dessert fork, fresh apples are lying around.

    Apple crumb cake

    This delicious apple crumb cake recipe will be the easiest dessert in your arsenal for the fall season. Made with sweet and sour apples, vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar, this apple cake tastes great and you can make it in under one hour!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 10 servings
    Calories: 308kcal
    Author: Anna

    Equipment

    • 8" (20cm) springform pan

    Ingredients

    For the cake

    • 160 g all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 large eggs
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 40 g brown sugar
    • 40 g white granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 20 ml vegetable oil such as canola oil
    • 60 g unsalted butter melted
    • 2 large apples peeled and cored. Half cubed, half thinly sliced.

    For the streusel

    • 120 g all-purpose flour
    • 35 g brown sugar
    • 35 g white granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 70 g unsalted butter cold and cubed

    Instructions

    For the streusel

    • In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
    • Then, add the cold butter and cut it into the flour using a pastry cutter, or fork, or work all the ingredients using your hand until crumbly in texture. Refrigerate until needed.

    For the cake

    • Preheat the oven to 355F (180C) and prepare an 8" (20cm) springform pan by lining the bottom of it with parchment paper and greasing the sides with butter or oil.
    • In a bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
    • Into the bowl of a stand mixer (or you can use a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer), add the eggs, salt, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla. Whip on medium-high for 8-10 minutes or until thickened, tripled in size, and pale color.
    • Meanwhile, melt the butter and mix it with oil.
    • When the egg mixture is done whipping, lower the speed of the mixer to medium and slowly pour in the butter mixture. Then, scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and whip for 10 seconds to combine.
    • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and fold in with the spatula just until no dry ingredients are left.
    • Add the cubed apples and fold them in. Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan.
    • Arrange apple slices on top of the batter in an even layer. Then, take the streusel topping and generously cover the slices.
    • Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
    • Remove from the oven and let it cool down in the form for 20 minutes. Then, run the blunt knife against the wall of the pan to release the cake. Let cool down to room temperature or until just a little bit warm before serving.

    Notes

    Store on a plate covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for 3-4 days.
    You can freeze this cake for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Apple crumb cake
    Serving Size
     
    1 serving
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    308
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    14
    g
    22
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    7
    g
    44
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    0.4
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    65
    mg
    22
    %
    Sodium
     
    236
    mg
    10
    %
    Potassium
     
    106
    mg
    3
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    43
    g
    14
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    20
    g
    22
    %
    Protein
     
    4
    g
    8
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    404
    IU
    8
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    2
    mg
    2
    %
    Calcium
     
    48
    mg
    5
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    Hey there! My name is Anna, and I am here to share with you my sweet and savory baking recipes and show you how to make beautiful cakes.

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