Should I eat it as it is? Or with ice-cream? Or some creamy, warm custard? Mmmmm give me the custard!! Perhaps I’m breaching some etiquette rule by putting custard on it when it’s already got a vanilla glaze but I don’t care! I can also be found licking the cake-mix spoon and double dipping my bread sticks in that pot of Nutella. Only when I’m with Chris and the kids of course. I’d never do that outside of my little family (shock horror!)
Of course this cake by itself is pretty amazing too. I may have had two slices for my lunch… It seemed a waste to start making something else when this had just come out of the oven and I wanted it so much! The crumble topping is a mixture of butter, flour, sugar and cinnamon. Mix it all together until you get a lovely lumpy mixture. I like small lumps and big lumps in there for lots of crunchy texture.
Peel and chop your apples. I like to use a mixure of cooking apples (Bramley) and sweet eating apples such as the Jazz apple variety. Toss them with a little lemon juice to stop them turning brown, then sprinkle them with flour (this will help stop them sinking in the cake mixture as it’s baking).
Next make the sponge by mixing melted butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs. Then stir in flour and baking powder. Finally fold in those floured apples.
Transfer to a baking tin and sprinkle on the crumble mixture before baking in the oven.
Once cooked, remove from the oven, leave to cool, then drizzle on that creamy vanilla icing. Now how about an extreme close-up of that crunchy crumble and those oh-so-sweet chunks of apple?
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, this cake should last 3-4 days in a sealed container at room temperature. You can also freeze the cake by wrapping in clingfilm/plastic wrap, then foil. Defrost at room temperature. The crumb topping won’t be as crispy after freezing, but you can warm the cake through in the oven at 160C/320F for 20-25 minutes (until warm in the centre) and this should help the topping become crispy again.
Can I replace the apples with a different fruit?
Yes, but it’s best to replace the fruit with one that isn’t too juicy. Plums or pears are a great option.
Can I make it gluten free?
I haven’t tried making this gluten free yet, but if I did, I would use my gluten-free White Chocolate and Pistachio Blondies recipe as a base (adding the apples into the mixture). Then i’d top with the crumble mixture - but would replace the flour with half gluten-free plain/all-purpose flour, quarter ground almonds and quarter gluten free oats.
The Apple Crumble Cake Recipe:
This post was first published in March 2015. Republished in October 2018 with new photos, step-by-step photos and additional tips. Homemade Battenburg < Chris’s favourite! Cherry Crumble Cake Pineapple Upside Down Cake < This is gluten free too! Coconut Pineapple Bread Chocolate Almond Bread Carrot and orange tray bake Sourdough Scones Banana Bread with Caramelized Bananas And loads more….. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
