The Best Dessert for Fall
I make this delicious apple crumb cake throughout the whole Minnesota apple season; it’s one of my favorite autumnal treats. Chock-full of apples, it’s super moist, fruit-forward and really easy to make. I’ll put streusel on anything—I’m obsessed—but it tastes especially great on this cake. And don’t worry if you have leftovers, this cake is equally good with coffee for breakfast.
SweeTango Apple Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Apples
- 2 pounds SweeTango apples, peeled, quartered, cored and sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Streusel
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup crushed toasted almonds or pecans
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 4 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing the pan
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten slightly
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
Instructions
First, caramelize the apples.
Peel, core and slice 2 pounds of SweeTango apples. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan over medium heat. When foaming and hot, add the apples, cinnamon, 2 tablespoons sugar and the lemon juice. Sauté until caramelized lightly, about 15 minutes. Spill contents of pan out onto a large plate and cool to room temperature.
Next, make the streusel topping.
Dice one stick, or 1/2 cup, butter. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, butter cubes and toasted nuts. Mix well using your fingertips until course crumbs form. Reserve.
Now, make the cake.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch brownie pan.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and allspice. Reserve.
Using a handheld or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar, adding the egg when combined well. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk in thirds, alternating as you go. Fold in the apples.
Place batter in the prepared pan, cover evenly with streusel topping and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick withdraws cleanly from the cake. Cool and serve.
Photographs by Madeleine Hill.
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