An apple crumble cake from above, its crumble centre ringed with sliced apples, green apples around it

Cakes & Cupcakes

Apple Crumble Cake

A warmly spiced cake studded with sweet apples and finished with a silky maple cream cheese frosting.

An apple crumble cake on a white cake stand with Granny Smith apples and white flowers Close-up of the apple crumble cake's sliced-apple crown and maple cream cheese icing

This post is sponsored by Dutoit Agri.

A good apple crumble is hard to beat, but reimagining it as an extravagant layer cake really just elevates this humble, delicious dessert into something spectacular.

This bake is a two-layer showstopper, packed with Dutoit Granny Smith apples, topped with a delicious crumble and sandwiched with a maple cream cheese icing. As if that's not enough, a crown of finely sliced Dutoit apples tops the cake in delicate lacework.

Dutoit Granny Smith apples lend a wonderful tartness to the sweetness of the maple syrup in the frosting and the warmth of the spices in the cake.

The cut apple crumble cake on its stand behind a slice on a plate A slice of apple crumble cake showing the apple-studded crumb and maple cream cheese icing

The recipe

Apple Crumble Cake

adventureswithsugar.com/apple-crumble-cake/

Method

Method: crumble

  1. Combine the dry ingredients: Combine the cake flour, brown sugar, flaked almonds and cinnamon in a bowl.
  2. Add the butter: Pour over the melted butter and stir roughly with a knife until the mixture starts to come together – you want it to form clumps.
  3. Chill: Set aside in the fridge to cool while you make the cake.

Method: apple crumble cake

  1. Preheat the oven and prepare the tins: Preheat the oven to 180˚ Celsius. Grease and line two 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.
  2. Prepare the apples: Prepare the 5 Dutoit Granny Smith apples by peeling, coring and dicing them.
  3. Add the lemon juice: Add the lemon juice to the Dutoit Granny Smith apples and set aside.
  4. Combine the dry ingredients: In a bowl, add the cake flour, brown and muscovado sugars, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices. Whisk together to combine.
  5. Coat the apples: Drop the Dutoit Granny Smith apples into the flour mixture and toss to combine.
  6. Combine the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the 3 large eggs just to combine. Add the oil, sour cream and vanilla and mix.
  7. Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Add this to the apple and flour mixture and stir to combine.
  8. Divide and add the crumble: Divide the cake batter between the two lined tins. Sprinkle about three quarters of the crumble on one of the cakes. This will be the bottom tier.
  9. Top the second cake: Sprinkle the remaining crumble in the centre of the second cake, leaving about a 3cm gap around the edge of the tin.
  10. Slice the apples: With a mandolin or sharp knife, finely slice the remaining two Dutoit Granny Smith apples as finely as possible in rounds and cut each in two to form half-rounds.
  11. Arrange the apple slices: Arrange the apple slices around the edge of the cake, in the area without any crumble. Place the slices so they stand upright and form arcs and spirals, creating an overall pattern around the cake.
  12. Bake: Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Keep an eye on the cakes from about 30 minutes – if the apples on the top start to brown, cover that cake with a piece of foil.
  13. Cool and turn out: Once out of the oven, let the cakes rest for 15 minutes before removing from the tins and leaving to cool completely before frosting.

Method: maple cream cheese icing

  1. Beat the cream cheese: Beat the cream cheese until it has a light, airy consistency.
  2. Add the butter: Add the butter and continue beating until combined.
  3. Add the brown sugar: Add the brown sugar and continue to beat the mixture until smooth.
  4. Add the maple syrup: Add the maple syrup to the frosting and mix until just combined – be careful not to overmix.
  5. Frost the bottom layer: Once the cakes are completely cool, place the bottom tier (without the apple decorations) on your cake stand and top it with all of the frosting.
  6. Add the top layer and dust: Place the remaining cake on top and lightly dust with icing sugar to complete the assembly.
The top of the apple crumble cake with its crumble and sliced-apple lacework Slices of apple crumble cake on plates with gold forks, from above

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