Apple Streusel Cake
This Apple Streusel Cake, is a delicious Fall Dessert filled with a Cinnamon and Apple filling and a buttery Crumb Topping. The perfect Breakfast, Snack or Dessert Cake.
Here we are heading into Fall, my favourite time of the year. So I thought why not share one of the best Apple Cakes that we love.
This is the perfect Homemade Cake. Made from scratch, from the batter to the apple pie filling. Nothing too complicated, but tastes amazing. Delicious too with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
As far as cakes go I used to love all that buttery frosting, but since living in Italy I have to admit less is more. Although I definitely cannot say no to a buttery crumb topping.
And yes this cake has it all!
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour – all purpose flour
- Cinnamon – ground
- Sugar – granulated sugar
- Butter – salted butter cold
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Egg
- Greek yogurt – or sour cream
- Water
Apple Pie Filling
- Apples – chopped
- Cinnamon
- Brown sugar
- Corn starch
- Water
How to make a Homemade Apple Pie Filling
- In a medium pot add the chopped apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, corn starch and water, stir to combine.
- Cook on low heat until thickened, stirring often.
- Once the mixture has thickened, remove from heat and let cool.
How to make an Apple Streusel Cake
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour and sugar.
- Then add the frozen grated butter and combine with a fork until the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Set aside a 1/2 cup of this mixture.
- To the remaining mixture in the bowl add the baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
- Then add the egg, yogurt and water stir just until moistened.
- Spread 2/3 of the batter on the bottom of the prepared cake pan.
- Spoon the cooled apple pie filling over the batter.
- Drop spoonfuls of the remaining batter on top.
- and sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture.
- Bake for approximately 50-55 minutes.
- Let cool before serving.
What are the best apples for baking?
I personally like to bake with Fuji or Gala, although I have recently discovered Pink Lady which is a good choice also. Other choices include Braeburn, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Empire, Honey Crisp, McIntosh and Rome Beauty.
How to Store an Apple Streusel Cake
The cake should be stored in an airtight container in a cool dry area for up to two or three days. It can also be stored in the fridge for up to five days.
If your house is quite warm, then it is always advised to store in the fridge.
The cake should be removed from the fridge an hour before serving to let it come to room temperature.
How to make a crumbly mixture
The easiest way to make a crumb mixture, is to freeze your butter for about 30 minutes before using.
Grate the frozen butter directly into your dry mixture and just combine with a fork. There you have a coarse crumb mixture.
How to Freeze an Apple Cake
Let the cake cool completely before tightly wrapping it in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag or container. It will last up to three months in the freezer.
Thaw the cake overnight in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature before serving.
One of the best scents has to be apples and cinnamon baking in the oven. And this cake has both. It really isn’t a difficult cake to make, although the lousy part is peeling the apples, but it will all be worth it in the end.
The batter is almost like a muffin batter which means you just stir until moistened, in other words I do 13 or 14 stirs and then I stop. If I don’t, I will never stop and that makes for a tough cake.
So if you decide to give a nice big hello to Fall with some fresh apples, I hope you give this Apple Streusel Cake a try. Enjoy!
Apple Streusel Cake
Ingredients
CAKE BATTER
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (290 grams)
- 3/4 cup sugar (150 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup butter (frozen and grated) (150 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg beaten
- 3/4 cup greek yogurt (190 grams)
- 1/3 cup water (80 grams)
- APPLE PIE FILLING
- 2 1/4 cups chopped apples (approximately 3 apples peeled and chopped)
- 3/4 – 1 teaspoon cinnamon 4-6 grams
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar (75 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1/2 cup water (115 grams)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° (180° celsius), lightly grease and flour a 9 inch (22-23 cm) cake pan. Best to make pie filling first and while it is cooling prepare cake batter.
- APPLE PIE FILLING
- In a medium pot add the chopped apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, corn starch and water, stir to combine, cook on low/medium until thickened, approximately 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Once thickened, remove from heat and let cool.
- CAKE BATTER
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour and sugar, add the frozen grated butter and with a fork mix until you have a crumbly mixture, remove 1/2 a cup and set aside.
- To the remaining mixture add the baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Then add the egg, yogurt and water, stir just until moistened (stir approximately 13 or 14 times).
- Spread 2/3 of the batter on the bottom of the prepared cake pan, spoon the apple pie filling over the batter. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining batter on top of the filling, sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake for approximately 50-55 minutes. Let cool. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Updated from September 18, 2015.
I didn’t think the apple mixture was very thick. It is in oven now, but I used a slotted spoon to dish apples on cake batter. Therefore did not use all the cinnamon water mixture into the cake, afraid cake would be too watery. My cornstarch is new one, just bought.
Any suggestions.
Thanks . Use your recipes very frequently
Hi Marian, you were supposed to use all the mixture, it thickens so that is a syrup not water. Hope that helps. Take care!
How do you get it out of the pan
Hi Kerry, you can use a springform pan or line a regular pan with parchment paper. Hope that helps. Take care!
Very good!
Thanks Stanley, have a great weekend.
Perfect result from baking exactly as written. Would you consider this a “muffin cake”? It has that muffin texture which makes it a perfect breakfast treat. Its dense with the apples moistening it and the topping is a little crunchy.
Hi Stanley, you probably could call it a muffin cake since the batter is made the same way. Yes it is perfect in the morning. Have a great weekend.
Can you use sour cream instead of yogurt ??
Hi Annette, yes you can, let me know how it goes.
I’d love to bring this to the office and many of my co workers are now gluten free. Would gluten free flour work in this recipe? Thanks.
Hi Lo, I really don’t know I have never made this recipe with gluten free flour, you could try it and see how it turns out. Let me know.
Ok thanks, I’ll let you know how it turns out.
5 Stars! (Tool working now:-) As easy as pie! Easier! Followed your instructions. Made this twice. A winner each time. Now I know the secret of a crumble top. And, Iโll be making this many more times. Came out as beautiful as your pictures:-) And, sincere sympathy at the passing of your m-i-l. Sounds like she was one of a kind generous with her treasured favorites from the kitchen. Thank you, Joan.
Hi Joan, thanks so much and yes she was wonderful. Glad you enjoyed the recipe. Let me know when you try more.