This Apple Streusel Cake is a warm, cozy dessert filled with sweet apples and topped with a crunchy streusel. It’s perfect for a fall day or anytime you need a sweet pick-me-up!
I love how the smell of apples and spices fills my kitchen while it bakes. It’s like giving your home a big, warm hug! Serve it with ice cream for an extra treat. 🍏🍰
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
All-Purpose Flour: This is the foundation for the cake. If you’re looking for a gluten-free option, try using a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, which works well in most recipes.
Unsalted Butter: I prefer unsalted butter to control the salt level in my baking. If you’re dairy-free, coconut oil or a plant-based butter works as a tasty substitute.
Sour Cream: This gives moisture to the cake and a tangy flavor. Alternatives include Greek yogurt or even a plant-based yogurt for a dairy-free option—just watch for texture changes.
Apples: Granny Smith apples provide a nice tartness, balancing the sweetness. Honeycrisp are fantastic too! Feel free to mix different apples for more flavor. If apples aren’t available, try pears.
Brown Sugar: I love the depth of flavor it adds to the streusel topping. If you don’t have it, you can substitute with white sugar, but it might lose some of that rich flavor.
How Do I Achieve a Perfectly Crunchy Streusel Topping?
Getting the streusel just right can elevate your cake. Here’s how to ensure it’s crumbly and crunchy:
- Use cold butter: Cold butter helps create that crumbly texture. A pastry cutter or your fingers will help mix the butter just until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Don’t overwork it: Mix just until combined. If you mash it together too much, it’ll become doughy instead of crumbly.
- Add it generously: Spread the streusel evenly but don’t press it down into the cake. This keeps it fluffy and light.
Following these suggestions will help you make a delicious apple streusel cake that your friends and family will love!
How to Make Apple Streusel Cake
Ingredients You’ll Need:
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2 medium apples (such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
For the Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
How Much Time Will You Need?
This recipe takes about 20 minutes of prep time and around 50-60 minutes for baking. So, it’s roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes from start to finish until you have a delicious Apple Streusel Cake ready to serve!
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare Pan:
First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While it heats up, take a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan and grease it with butter or cooking spray, then lightly flour it. This way, the cake will come out easily!
2. Make the Streusel Topping:
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for your streusel topping. Then, add the cold pieces of butter. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, blend the mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. This will be your crunchy topping! Set it aside for now.
3. Mix Dry Ingredients for Cake:
In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. This will create the base for your cake.
4. Prepare Cake Batter:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until it’s light and fluffy. This should take about 3-5 minutes. Next, add the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition. Don’t forget to stir in the vanilla extract for flavor!
5. Combine Wet and Dry:
Now, it’s time to bring it all together! Alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Stir gently until just combined; you want to avoid overmixing here!
6. Assemble Cake:
Pour half of the cake batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Next, arrange half of the apple slices evenly over the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and smooth it out again. Finally, place the other half of the apple slices gently on top, pressing them slightly into the batter.
7. Add Streusel:
Now, sprinkle that delicious streusel topping evenly over the batter and apples. This will give your cake a wonderful texture!
8. Bake:
Pop the cake into the oven and bake it for about 50-60 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and the streusel topping is a lovely golden brown color.
9. Cool and Serve:
Once out of the oven, let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. If you used a springform pan, remove the sides carefully. After that, you can slice it up and serve either warm or at room temperature. For a special touch, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce on top!
Enjoy your delightful Apple Streusel Cake, bursting with flavor and a lovely crunch!
Can I Use Different Types of Apples?
Absolutely! While Granny Smith and Honeycrisp are great choices for their balance of sweetness and tartness, you can use any apples you love. Try a mix of varieties for even more flavor!
Can I Make This Cake in Advance?
Yes! You can bake the cake a day ahead and store it covered at room temperature. Just reheat individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds before serving for that fresh-out-of-the-oven taste.
How Do I Store Leftover Cake?
Leftover Apple Streusel Cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to keep it longer, you can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to enjoy it again!
Can I Add Nuts to the Streusel Topping?
Definitely! If you enjoy a bit of crunch, try adding chopped pecans or walnuts to the streusel topping. Just mix about ½ cup of chopped nuts in with the dry ingredients for a delightful twist!
