This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.
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!