This German Apple Streusel Cake aka Apfelstreuselkuchen features a deliciously moist sponge cake with Apples and a Spiced Crumble topping. It is a cake that is great when you have a lot of apples knocking about. What a great way to use them up! The cake itself is found in bakeries all over Germany and it is usually served with a hot cup of Coffee as part of an afternoon tea tradition (Kaffee and Kuchen).
Grease a 20cm cake tin/cake pan with butter and line with Parchment paper/Greaseproof paper. Use a loose bottomed or springform pan.
Heat oven to 180 C/ 350 f/Gas Mark 4.
Peel and core the apples and cut into chunks. Place in a medium bowl. Squeeze over Lemon Juice and set aside.
For the Cake, beat Butter, Sugar and Lemon Zest in a large mixing bowl till pale. Or add to the bowl of your electric mixer/stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
Add Eggs 1 by 1 mixing between each one.
Fold the dry ingredients into wet ingredients - Plain Flour, Baking Powder and Salt. Mix on low speed till combined.
Stir in the Buttermilk.
Add the chunks of Apples and fold in gently.
Make the streusel layer by combining the Sugar, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Flour and cold Butter together in a bowl. Use a spatula/food processor or your hands to form breadcrumbs. It should be crumbly. Place in the fridge until needed.
Place the batter into the prepared tin. Add the streusel topping on top of the batter and spread over evenly.
Bake for 40 - 55 minutes. The time depends on apples used and the amount of water they may release.
Check if the cake is done by inserted a skewer into the middle. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.
Let the cake cool for 15 minutes in the tin before removing the warm cake from the tin to a wire rack to cook.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm with a hot drink such as Coffee.You can add a dusting of icing sugar.Try serving with hot Custard.Serve with a drizzle of Cream.Serve with Caramel Sauce.Serve with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream.
How to prepare it in advance
You can prepare the cake a day in advance.It is best to keep the streusel crumb topping and cake batter separate until just before baking.
Storage Instructions
This cake is best served fresh on the day or the day after.Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Freezer Instructions
Tightly wrap it in 2 layers of clingfilm/plastic wrap and a layer of foil once cooled. Then place in a ziplock bag. It will keep for up to 4 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Recipe Variations
FruitThis Apple Streusel or Crumble Cake as my kids call it, works well with a number of fruits. Such as:BlueberriesPearsPeachesPlumsPearsApricotCherriesSpicesAdd other Spices such as Ground Ginger or Ground Cardamom for a different flavour profile. You could use Chai Spices/Pumpkin Spices too.Square Pan/TinMake in a square 20cm tin instead for the same length of time.Loaf TinMake in a loaf tin for 55 - 65 minutes.