Apple Crumb Cake -

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Apple Crumb Cake

This delicious apple crumb cake is layered with apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, oats, and walnuts. Make it with whole wheat or oat flour for an easy gluten-free version.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: servings

Calories: 438kcal

Author: Nicole Spiridakis

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

1 cup rolled oats
½ cup chopped walnuts
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Cake

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or 2 ½ cups (280 grams) gluten-free oat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 apples, any variety , peeled, cored, and diced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) with an rack in the center position. Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan or 9x12-inch baking dish.
Make the crumble: In a medium bowl, mix together the 1 cup rolled oats, ½ cup chopped walnuts, ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Work in the 3 tablespoons unsalted butter until a crumble forms, then place in the fridge.
Make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or 2 ½ cups (280 grams) gluten-free oat flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, using an electric mixer, cream the ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the 2 large eggs one at a time and beat until well combined. Beat in the 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, then mix in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the diced 2 apples, any variety.
Spread half of the batter into the prepared baking dish and evenly scatter have of the the crumb mixture over the top. Carefully spread the remaining batter evenly over the top, then finish with the remaining crumb mixture. Rest batter for 15-20 minutes, then bake in the center of the preheated oven until a teste inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Notes

If you don't eat nuts, replace the ½ cup walnuts with an additional ½ cup of oats.
Cut the apples fairly small. I know it can be hard to cut up apples uniformly - luckily this is a cake with a rustic vibe so it's OK if they're perfect! But, try to chop them up pretty small so that they distribute evenly throughout the batter so you'll get apples in every bite.
Add vanilla. If you want a bit more depth of flavor, add 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste the batter.
Use maple syrup. Subbing the brown sugar in the crumble for maple syrup is lovely! I use ½ cup of maple syrup instead of the ¾ cup brown sugar for more fall-inspired flavor.
For gluten-free bakes: Make sure to weigh out the flour for accuracy, and let the batter rest for 20 minutes before baking. Cool the cake thoroughly so that the crumb firms up a bit before slicing.
What size pan? I usually bake apple crumb cake in a 9-inch springform pan because I like the look! Try a greased and lined 9x13-inch pan for a more traditional coffee cake, then cut it into squares.

Nutrition