Name: Apple Snack Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: ⅓ cup (1½ oz/43 g) walnuts, toasted; ⅓ cup (1 oz/28 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; ⅓ cup (2 oz/57 g) brown sugar; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; ½ teaspoon cardamom; 2 tablespoons butter, melted; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; ⅔ cup (5 oz/142 g) granulated sugar; 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) peeled and grated apple, firmly packed (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; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1 teaspoon cardamom; ¼ teaspoon salt

Homemade apple snack cake is cut into separate servings. The apple cake has a crumbly streusel topping.

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!

Apple Snack Cake

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe

My spiced Apple Snack Cake with crunchy streusel topping is the perfect no-frills dessert to enjoy on a chilly Autumn day.

Author: Gemma Stafford

Servings: people

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

My spiced Apple Snack Cake with crunchy streusel topping is the perfect no-frills dessert to enjoy on a chilly Autumn day.

Author: Gemma Stafford

Servings: people

Ingredients

For the 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) brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cardamom
2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Apple Cake

2 large eggs, at room temperature
⅔ cup (5 oz/142 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (5 oz/142 g) peeled and grated apple, firmly packed (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
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and line an 8-inch (20-cm) square cake pan with parchment. 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 bowl, then stir in the melted butter 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.
Beat in the grated apple, butter, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt, then fold into the wet ingredients until just combined.

To Assemble and Bake

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 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.

13 Comments

most useful

newest oldest

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Jennifer

7 months ago

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!

View Replies (1)

richa sood

21 days ago

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.

Emmet O'Donoghue

6 months ago

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

Karen

Could I substitute pecans for the walnuts in the topping?

Debbie

What could I use instead of the nuts?

View Replies (2)

Loretta

Do you have to use the cardamon?

Apple Snack Cake

What Apples Are Best For Baking?

What Is Streusel Topping?

Tools You Need To Make An Apple Snack Cake

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Apple Snack Cake With Streusel

Try More Fall Recipes!

Apple Snack Cake