Apple Cinnamon Crumble Cake is the perfect treat for a warm and cozy fall afternoon. Each layer has hints of cinnamon for flavour. You will enjoy the contrast of a soft cake layer, spiced apples and topped with a crunchy, buttery layer.
What is Crumble Cake?
Crumble Cake is a delicious, soft cake topped with a buttery topping. There are many types of crumble cakes out there, but this recipe is an apple cinnamon version.
Apple Cinnamon Crumble Cake Ingredients
Apple Layer
- Granny smith apples: Granny smith apples are perfect to bake with. Leave the apples unpeeled, or peel them – your choice!
- Dark brown sugar and Ground cinnamon: To balance the tartness of the apples, these 2 ingredients add sweetness and flavour.
Crumble Topping:
- All purpose flour, Dark brown sugar, Ground cinnamon: These are the dry ingredients to create the crumble topping.
- Melted butter: Melted butter brings the dry ingredients together and adds to the crumble topping.
Apple Cinnamon Crumble Cake Ingredients Continued
Cake:
- All purpose flour, Baking powder, Salt: The essentials for this soft cake layer. The salt adds flavour and balances sweetness.
- Pumpkin pie spice with added Cinnamon: Pumpkin Pie Spice is a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cloves. These spices are PERFECT for apple crumble cake, with additional cinnamon, you have a powerhouse of spices.
- Dark brown sugar: To sweeten the cake.
- Butter, melted: For fat and flavour.
- Vanilla extract: Essential for flavour.
- Eggs: Added fat and provides structure to the cake.
- 2% milk: The fat content in milk creates a soft cake. I experimented with oat milk but it was missing structure and taste.
Use leftover Pumpkin Pie Spice for Pumpkin Spice Scones!
Vanilla Frosting (optional)
- Powdered Sugar, Vanilla extract, Warm water: This is basic frosting but adds a sugary coating on top of the crumble cake. This is completely optional but gives a WOW factor.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Crumble Cake
- Preheat oven and prepare baking tray: Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare the baking tray with parchment paper. Then butter and dust flour to any exposed edges.
- Prep apples: Core and dice the apples. Then toss with ground cinnamon and dark brown sugar. Set aside.
- Mix cake: Combine the dry ingredients together into a bowl. Next, make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Mix together until evenly combined.
- Create crumble topping: In another bowl, mix together all of the crumble topping ingredients.
- Layer it!: Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking tray. Next sprinkle the diced apples then sprinkle the crumble topping.
- Bake: Bake for 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs.
- Let it cool: Cool in the baking tray for 20 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Mix the vanilla frosting: Combine all the vanilla frosting ingredients in a small bowl and mix until a frosting forms.
- Drizzle: Using a spoon or fork, drizzle the frosting on the apple crumble cake.
- Serve: Cut the apple crumble cake into squares and serve with milk, coffee and/or tea!
Frequently Asked Questions about Apple Cinnamon Crumble Cake
What is the best apple to use for apple cake?
Granny smith apples are perfect for apple crumble cake. Sweeten the granny smith apples to your personal reference. Other baking apples can work with this recipe, but adjust the sugar level according to the natural sweetness of the apple.
What is the top of apple crumble made of?
The apple crumble topping is made of: flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter.
Should apples be peeled for apple crumble cake?
This is up to you! I prefer not to peel apples because that is one less step to do! 🙂
Should apple crumble cake be refrigerated?
Once completely cool, the apple crumble cake can be stored at room temperature for 1 day then store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can apple crumble cake be reheated?
Reheat the apple crumble cake squares in the microwave. Or if you need the entire cake to be reheated, reheat in the oven until warm.
More recipes here:
Nutmeg and Cinnamon Apple Crisp
Pumpkin Pie Spice Scones
Lactose-Free, No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake
The Best Apple Cinnamon Crumble Cake
Apple Cinnamon Crumble Cake is the perfect treat for a warm and cozy fall afternoon. Each layer has hints of cinnamon for flavour. You will enjoy the contrast of a soft cake layer, spiced apples and finally topped with a crunchy, buttery layer.
Ingredients
Apple Layer
- 1½ Granny smith apples Cored and diced
- ¼ cup (60g) Packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
Cake Layer
- 1½ cups (195g) All-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup (142g) Packed dark brown sugar
- 97 grams Unsalted butter melted, cooled
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup 2% Milk
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup (130g) All-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp Dark brown sugar
- ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
- 118 grams Unsalted butter melted, cooled
Vanilla Drizzle (Optional)
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp Powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 tsp Warm water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/176°C, line 9×10 baking tray with parchment paper. butter and flour any exposed areas of the tray.
- Cut, core and dice apple, toss with dark brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and brown sugar. Make a well in the centre and add the cooled melted butter, vanilla extract, eggs and milk. mix until combined.
- In another bowl, toss together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter.
- Pour cake batter into the baking tray. Sprinkle the apple mixture on the entire cake then sprinkle the crumble topping over the entire cake.
- Bake for 40 minutes, leave cake in tray to cool for 20 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.
- While the cake is cooling, mix the vanilla drizzle ingredients together until evenly combined with no lumps. Once the apple crumble cake is completely cool, use a spoon or a piping bag to drizzle on the cake. Serve!
Video
Notes
Preparing the baking dish: Add parchment paper to the baking dish but have extra parchment hang from each side, this will act as a handle to pull the crumble cake from the baking dish. The sides without parchment paper is buttered and dusted with flour to prevent the cake from sticking.
Apples: Any baking apple can be used, but adjust the sugar level depending on the natural sweetness of the apple.
Make-ahead: You can make this recipe a day ahead and store at room temperature until needed. When ready to serve, add the vanilla drizzle.
Storage: Once completely cooled, you can store at room temperature for 1 day. Then store in the fridge for 5 days.
If you tried this recipe, leave a comment below!
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