Easy Apple Crumble Cake
This post may contain affiliate links.
This Apple Crumble Cake is the ultimate cozy bake — buttery sponge, sweet apple slices, and a crunchy cinnamon topping that melts in your mouth. It’s simple, homely, and tastes like a cross between a classic apple pie and a soft coffee cake. Perfect for autumn, holidays, or whenever you want a dessert that’s as comforting as it is delicious.
If you love baking with apples and apple desserts, you'll love my apple and blackberry crumble, puff pastry apple tart and this Dorset apple cake.
What you'll love about this recipe:
Ingredients required
- Butter (softened): Adds richness and keeps the crumb tender.
- Caster sugar: Sweetens and helps aerate the batter when creamed with butter.
- Vanilla extract: Gives warmth and depth of flavour.
- Eggs: Bind the mixture and provide structure.
- Plain flour: Forms the body of the cake.
- Baking powder: Lifts the sponge for a light texture.
- Apples (thinly sliced): Add moisture, flavour, and natural sweetness.
- Melted butter: Holds the crumble together and creates crispness.
- Plain flour: Forms the base of the streusel.
- Caster sugar: Sweetens and caramelises in the oven.
- Ground cinnamon: Brings classic warm spice flavour.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
Here's how to make apple crumble cake step by step
- Cream the butter and sugar: Preheat the oven to 165°C. Line the base of a 20 cm cake tin with parchment and grease the sides with butter or baking spray.
- Add in the eggs: In a medium bowl, beat softened butter and caster sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated.
- Fold in dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk flour and baking powder. Gently fold into the butter mixture, taking care not to overmix. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared tin.
- Layer with apples: Arrange thinly sliced apples evenly over the batter. Set aside while preparing the crumble topping.
Note: To make sure your cake doesn't sink in the middle, don't open the oven door during the first 30 minutes of baking time and ensure the cake is baked with only a few moist crumbs on a tooth pick before cooling.
- Make the crumble: Melt butter and let it cool slightly. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Pour over the melted butter and stir with a spoon until clumps form.
- Bake the cake: Scatter the crumble over the apples. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out with just a few crumbs attached. Cool slightly before slicing.
Chef's Guide: Expert Tips
Drawing on a decade of experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and Cordon Bleu training, I have compiled my top tips for recipe success.
- Chill the Crumble: Pop the prepared crumble in the fridge for 10 minutes — the cold butter helps it bake chunkier and crunchier.
- Spice Depth: Add a pinch of cardamom or allspice along with cinnamon for a more complex, bakery-style flavor.
- Soft butter is key: Make sure the butter for the cake is softened, not melted, for proper creaming and aeration.
- Don't overmix: Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears — overmixing can make the cake dense.
- Slice the apples thinly and evenly so they bake through at the same time.
- Fridge the crumble: Let the melted butter for the crumble cool for a few minutes before mixing with flour and sugar to avoid a greasy topping, and if possible cool it in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight.
- The skewer test: Always test doneness by inserting a skewer in the centre; it should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
What to do with leftovers
- Storage: Keep covered at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Warm slices in the oven at 150°C for 8–10 minutes, or microwave briefly to soften.
- How to Reinvent: Crumble leftover cake over yogurt for breakfast, layer into parfaits with whipped cream, or serve warmed with a scoop of ice cream.
FAQs
More Baking Recipes
Indulge in homemade baked goods with our easy baking recipes. From The BEST Mini Egg Brownies to The BEST Easy Marble Brownies and Ultimate Moist & Flavourful Blueberry Muffins, there's something for every baker.
If you tried any of these recipes, please let me know in the comments below, and leave a star rating while you're there!
For more recipe ideas, follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, and join our exclusive Facebook group.
For meal planning assistance, check out our weekly Aldi-only meal plans, free for subscribers.
Craving more comfort food? Visit our sister site, Salted Mint, for easy, delicious recipes with everyday ingredients.
Easy Apple Crumble Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 150 g (½ cup) butter, softened
- 100 g (¾ cup) caster sugar
- 30 g (2 tablespoon) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 200 g (1 ½ cups) plain flour
- 50 g (½ cup) ground almonds
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 100 g (½ cup) Greek yoghurt or sour cream
- 3 pink lady (or similar) apples, thinly sliced
For the Crumble Topping
- 115 g (½ cup) butter, melted
- 220 g (1 ⅔ cups) cups plain flour
- 135 g (⅔ cup) cup caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Prep the oven and tin:
- Preheat the oven to 165ºC (330ºF). Line the bottom of a 20 cm (8-inch) cake tin with baking paper and grease the sides with butter or non-stick baking spray.
Make the cake batter:
- In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, caster sugar, and brown sugar with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy (about 3–4 minutes).
- Beat in the vanilla, eggs, and extra yolk, one at a time, until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, ground almonds, and baking powder.
- Fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients in two additions, alternating with the yogurt/sour cream. Start and finish with the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined — don’t overmix.
Assemble the cake:
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared tin.
- Arrange the apple slices over the batter in a single, slightly overlapping layer.
Make the crumble topping:
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Pour over the melted butter and stir with a spoon until large, crumbly clumps form.
- Scatter evenly over the apples.
Bake:
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Start checking at 30 minutes — don’t overbake.
Cool and serve:
- Let the cake cool in the tin for 10–15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Room-temperature ingredients: Make sure butter, eggs, and yoghurt are at room temp — this ensures the batter emulsifies properly, giving you a fluffier crumb.
- Don’t skimp on the creaming stage: Beat the butter and sugars until really light and pale. This step incorporates air into the cake, which is what prevents it from becoming dense.
- Choose the right apples: Firm, slightly tart apples (like Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Pink Lady) hold their shape and balance the sweetness. Softer apples can turn mushy.
- Layer the apples neatly: Slight overlap is perfect. Too many layers of apple will weigh the cake down and stop it from rising properly.
- Keep the crumble chunky: When mixing the topping, don’t overwork it. Bigger clumps = crunchier topping after baking.
- Check early for doneness: Ovens vary. Start testing at 30 minutes — you’re aiming for a skewer with a few moist crumbs, not bone-dry.
Nutrition
Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef dedicated to helping you create unforgettable meals on a budget. Discover more about my journey and dive into a world of foolproof recipes designed for those who love to eat well without overspending.
