Fresh apple crumble cake is a little winner, and very easy to make. We’re always on the hunt for the next delicious apple cake recipe, and this cake delivers big time.
The base is like a shortbread, with thinly sliced pieces of apple that sort of melt into the sandy shortbread, it’s then baked for a second time, with a delicious creamy custard poured over the apples, then topped off with a buttery, cinnamon crumble. What’s not to like.
The recipe comes from Jennifer, of ‘Seasons and Suppers’ food blog from Ontario, Canada. Jennifer apparently likes to read Italian baking forums and relies on Google translate to interpret the recipes, which is how she came upon this recipe.
She says she did “a lot of winging with this recipe”, as Google translate doesn’t always accurately translate in food terms. Well, we think you did a splendid job Jennifer, as this fresh apple crumble cake is now our new favourite apple cake recipes. Thank you!
A Cake That’s Baked in 3 Stages
Interestingly, this cake is baked in 3 stages, and made using a food processor.
Stage 1 – is really a shortbread. You add flour, sugar, baking powder and butter into a food processor and pulse until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture is sand like. You then add 3/4 of this mixture into your pan and scatter the apples on top, leaving a small border around the outside of the tin. Then sprinkle the remaining quarter over the apples, and bake for twenty minutes.
It’s important not to press this mixture down, but leave it light, and airy.
Stage 2 – mix together eggs, cream, sour cream, brown sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt for a minute or so. This creates a custard like layer that is then poured over the apples after the first bake.
This ‘custard’ layer is then baked and is ready around the 25 minute mark, or when the ‘custard’ is set. Gently touch the top of the cake, and if it’s firm you are ready to add the crumble topping. If the ‘custard’ layer is not set simply bake for a minute, or three longer.
Stage 3 – combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Pour the melted butter over the flour mixture and use a fork to mix thoroughly. You are looking to create some ‘lumps’ which is what makes it ‘crumble’.
Once mixed pop the bowl into the freezer till you’re ready to use. We find if you squeeze a handful of the crumble mixture and then sort of break it over the cake gives a good lumpy, and varied size pieces of crumble.
Bake this for 20 minutes or so, and you’re done.
Baking in the three stages gives you time to prepare the next layer, while the stages are baking.
Apples
Designer apples are apparently countering the decline in apple consumption and taking over from older, once popular varieties. We are really spoilt for choice, and love it when a new variety hits the shelves.
- Pink Lady – also known as Cripps Pink has a crunchy texture and tart taste, with a sweet finish and is our choice for making this cake, but really you can use pretty much any other apples you have on hand.
- Jazz – is a cross between Royal Gala and Braeburn apples and is crunchy, with a tangy sweet flavour
- Fuji – are predominately sweet, crisp and juicy, with a distinctive honey-sweet flavour
- Kanzi – is another hybrid of Braeburn and Gala varieties with a tangy taste, and crisp bite
- Granny Smith is a very popular apple for baking. This tart apple holds its shape beautifully when baked. We would add a tablespoon of sugar over the apples as they are a tart apple.
- Jonathan – are mildly sweet and tart
- Honeycrisp – have a crisp, juicy texture and bake up wonderfully. They’re sweet, with a hint of honey
Watch How to Make Fresh Apple Crumble Cake
Scroll down below for the Fresh Apple Crumble Cake recipe
Check out some more winning apple cake recipes
click on the link for the recipe…..Brown Butter Apple Cake
click on the link for the recipe…..French Apple Cake
click on the link for the recipe…..Sicilian Apple Cake
click on the link for the recipe…..Apple Blueberry Cake with Crumble and Almonds
click on the link for the recipe…..German Apple and Pecan Crumble Cake
What’s your go-to apple crumble cake recipe? We would love to hear from you in the comments below when you bake this fresh apple crumble cake recipe.
Yield: 10-12 serves
Fresh Apple Crumble Cake
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
This cake is cooked in three parts, in succession. It's very easy to make, and will take an hour to bake. It's best eaten at room temperature.
Ingredients
cake base with apples - cook #1
- 200g (1 2/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 150g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 100g (3 1/2 ounces) chilled butter - grated, or cut into small cubes
- 3 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced (we used pink lady apples)
cake middle, custard batter - cook #2
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup thickened (heavy) cream
- 1/2 cup full fat sour cream
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
crumble topping - cook #3
- 120g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 140g (2/3 cups) caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 80g (3 ounces) butter, melted
Instructions
This cake unusually, is baked in three stages
cake base with apples, cook #1
- preheat oven to 175c (350f) on bake, not fan
- lightly grease a 24cm (9 1/2 inch) springform, or push pan
- in a food processor add flour, caster sugar, baking powder and butter
- pulse blend till butter is incorporated and mixture is like sand
- sprinkle about 3/4 of this mixture into the base of the pan (don't press it down)
- scatter the sliced apples leaving a small border of 1 1/4 cm (1/2 inch)
- sprinkle remaining mixture over the apples, again do not press mixture down
- bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes
cake middle, custard batter cook #2
- meanwhile in a medium bowl whisk together the cream, eggs, sour cream, brown sugar and salt until smooth (about 1 minute)
- remove pan from oven and pour the cream mixture over the apple mixture
- return pan to oven for about 25 minutes or until the cream mixture is set (see notes)
crumble topping cook #3
- meanwhile prepare crumble mixture by placing flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and melted butter in a bowl
- use a fork to blend the butter through until you have a lumpy and sandy crumble
- place crumble mixture in the freezer
- remove cake from oven and evenly sprinkle the crumble mixture over the cake
- return cake to oven and bake for a further 25 minutes
- remove cake from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes
- run a knife around the outside of the pan and allow to cool completely before removing cake from the pan
- dust with icing (confectioners) sugar
- serve and enjoy!
Notes
- the second bake needs to be set otherwise the crumble mix will sink into any uncooked batter
Nutrition Information
Amount Per Serving Calories 0Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 0mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g
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Sicilian Apple Cake| Italian Apple Cake
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