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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHAT YOU GET: A simple, moist, spiced Apple Snack Cake, complete with crunchy streusel topping, is the perfect no-frills dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings when you want something just right.
There’s no better time to get into baking than when fall rolls around. The season itself is just begging you to get cozy! And there’s simply nothing more comforting than my homemade Apple Snack Cake with streusel.
This fall recipe takes a lot of my favorite aspects of the season. Apples are at their peak, flavor-wise, at this time of the year, and I love baking them with warm spices like cinnamon and cardamom. The scent that fills my kitchen is what Autumn should smell like.
The homemade apple cake is packed with about two apples of grated apples, ensuring a wonderfully soft, moist cake. And the streusel topping, made with toasted walnuts and oats, is the perfect addition, which ensures every bite to be flavorful and, texture-wise, incredibly pleasing!
What Apples Are Best For Baking?
When it comes to baking with apples, you typically want an apple that will keep its shape and flavor. For this homemade apple cake, the apple keeping its shape doesn’t matter quite as much since the apples are grated.
That said, the flavor is important, always. I typically like to bake with Granny Smith apples or Pink Lady apples because I love their flavor. I prefer an apple that is a little tart rather than sweet, so it balances well with the sugar in the cake. Pick your favorite apples for this cake!
What Is Streusel Topping?
Streusel is a lot like the topping you would find on a crisp or crumble, but the main components for this recipe are walnuts, old-fashioned rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and melted butter. It adds a wonderful flavor to the cake, but more importantly, it adds an extra layer of texture to make the dessert more interesting.
If you prefer a more simple cake, you can omit adding the streusel topping.
Tools You Need To Make An Apple Snack Cake
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Food processor
- Stand mixer or handheld electric mixer
- 8-inch (20 cm) square cake pan
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Apple Snack Cake With Streusel
- The streusel topping gives a great texture contrast to this cake, but you can also leave it out for an even simpler version.
- These can be baked in muffin tins. The baking time will be shorter, so start checking them after 15 minutes.
- Any apple variety can be used, but we prefer a tart variety like Granny Smith or Pink Lady for the most pronounced flavor.
- You can toss 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) of toasted and chopped walnuts into the cake batter if you wish.
- Make an apple and honey cake by replacing the granulated sugar with ½ cup (5 oz/142 g) honey.
Try More Fall Recipes!
Try These Recipes!
Apple Snack Cake
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- ⅓ cup (1½ oz/43 g) walnuts , toasted
- ⅓ cup (1 oz/28 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup (2 oz/57 g) dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons butter , melted
Cake Batter
- 2 large eggs , at room temperature
- ⅔ cup (5 oz/142 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) apples , peeled and grated (about 2 apples)
- 6 tablespoons (3 oz/85 g) butter , melted
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (7½ oz/213 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and line an 8-inch (20-cm) square cake pan. Set aside.
To Make the Streusel Topping
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the walnuts, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom and pulse until the mixture is evenly crumbly.
- Transfer to a medium bowl, then stir in the melted butter using a spatula until well combined. Set aside.
To Make the Apple Cake
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or with a handheld electric mixer), beat the eggs and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda and salt, then fold into the wet ingredients using a spatula until just combined.
- Spread the batter in the prepared pan, then sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top. Pat the streusel gently to ensure that it will stick to the cake.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20-25 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool at least 20 minutes before lifting it out of the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Did you know that it’s generally unnecessary to peel apples before including in most baked goods like cakes, crisps and muffins? The finished product will taste great, and the nutrition is raised by including the peel. Just slice or grate as required.
You will not notice much of a difference, except maybe a little added color from the peel. If you are concerned, you can try a “Half peel” and simply remove half the peel and leave half on. I’ve done this for years!
This sounds great, I will definitely be baking this, thank you Gemma
Good Afternoon first of all Thank you so much for the amazing recipes.Want to know can i replace eggs with curd in the Apple cake recipe.Thank you.
Hi Gemma I made your butterscotch banana cake yesterday and made your honey toffee sauce today absolutely delicious, it’s not going to last long. Slowly getting through the recipes. Emmet
Could I substitute pecans for the walnuts in the topping?
What could I use instead of the nuts?
Do you have to use the cardamon?