Let’s be honest, a simple streusel cake is always a good idea, right? Add a dollop of whipped cream, and you’ve got a delicious treat to enjoy alongside a cup of coffee during a casual get-together with friends or family. And when you throw in some fruit – like in this simple Apple Sauce Streusel Coffee Cake – it gets even better. More flavor and a lovely texture. What more could you ask for?!
Whoever invented the humble streusel (coffee) cake deserves to have a holiday named after them. It was probably a woman. Let’s face it, men usually aren’t that clever. The idea of scattering buttery, crumbly dough over a cake, which then turns into a crisp topping in the oven, as a contrast to a softer filling or base? Simply brilliant!
In the U.S., these kinds of simple cakes topped with streusels are called either a »crumb cake« or a »coffee cake«. Not because they necessarily are made with coffee, but because they’re the perfect accompaniment to a coffee break. While some coffee cakes might actually include coffee, it’s certainly not a requirement.
A coffee cake doesn’t strictly have to have a streusel topping, though it typically does. Even a simple bundt cake can fall into this category, I’d say. The important thing is that there’s no frosting or other »moist« topping involved. In Germany, things are a bit different. Pretty much anything goes as a »cake to enjoy with your coffee«. If you believe the surveys, cheesecakes and cream-filled layered cakes are the top favorites here…
Anyway. This delicious Apple Sauce Streusel Coffee Cake is perfect for (almost) any occasion: an afternoon coffee break with family or friends, a sweet breakfast, a dessert after a nice meal, or even a cheeky late-night snack. In other words, this cake can be enjoyed on any occasion, at any time of day or night.
Preparing the cake is incredibly simple. You start by mixing the streusel topping – this is almost always the first step when making a streusel cake. The topping should spend some time in the fridge so the streusels hold their shape during baking and they turn out nice and crispy. They don’t need to be in the fridge for long – just as long as you to prepare the rest of the cake’s components.
Once the streusels are in the fridge, all that’s left to do is whip up a basic batter and peel and dice the apples. That’s essentially it! Once the oven is preheated, you simply layer everything into your baking pan – the applesauce and diced apples go into the middle, creating a visible layer inside the finished cake, as well as on top, right beneath the streusels. This ensures the cake stays wonderfully moist and tastes deliciously of apples from top to bottom.
If you’re now in the mood for more simple cakes like this, you won’t have to go anywhere else. Our Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake fits perfectly into this category – it’s always our top choice for an easy streusel cake during fall and winter.
Or how about a simple Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake? Fresh blueberries can be a bit pricey in the autumn and winter, but this recipe works perfectly with frozen berries. In fact, the small, wild blueberries you find in the freezer section are even better than those mutated oversized blueberries you can normally find in the produce section…
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the streusels:
4.3 oz. (120g) all-purpose flour*
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar*
2 tsp. ground cinnamon*
1/4 tsp. salt
2.5 oz. (75g) cold butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract*
For the cake batter:
3/4 cup (150g) sugar (fine)*
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar*
5.3 oz. (150g) butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/3 cup (80ml) sunflower oil*
2 tsp. vanilla extract*
2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour*
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
5.3 oz. (150g) Greek yogurt
10 oz. (280g) applesauce (unsweetened)*, divided
2 medium-sized apples, peeled & finely diced
some sugar & cinnamon mixed (optional)
Für die Streusel:
120g Mehl (Type 405)*
50g brauner Zucker*
2 TL Zimt*
1/4 TL Salz
75g Butter (kalt)
1 TL Vanille Extrakt*
Für den Kuchenteig:
150g Zucker (fein)*
50g brauner Zucker*
150g weiche Butter
2 Eier (L)
80ml Sonnenblumenöl*
2 TL Vanille Extrakt*
325g Mehl (Type 405)*
2 TL Backpulver
1 TL Salz
150g griechischer Joghurt
280g Apfelmus (ungesüßt)*, aufgeteilt
2 mittelgroße Äpfel, geschält & fein gewürfelt
etwas Zucker & Zimt, gemischt (optional)
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. For the streusels combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Add the butter in small pieces, as well as the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Rub everything between your fingers until different-sized streusels form. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line and grease a 22cm square baking tin* and set it aside.
3. For the cake batter add both sugars and the butter to the bowl of a standmixer (or use a handheld mixer) and start slowly, then mix on high for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one after another and mix well after each addition. Next, add the sunflower oil and vanilla extract and mix them in.
4. In a separate bowl combine all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Add these dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the Greek yogurt and 2.8 oz. (80g) of the apple sauce to the bowl of the standmixer and fold everything in with a rubber spatula – you don’t want to mix more than needed here.
5. Transfer about half of the cake batter to the prepared baking tin and spread it evenly. Add half of the remaining apple sauce (3.5 oz./100g) on top of the batter and spread it evenly. Sprinkle half of the diced apples on top and sprinkle everything with a small amount of sugar-cinnamon mixture (optional). Next, spoon the remaining cake batter on top and spread it evenly – this works best with an offset spatula*. Continue the layering with the remaining apple sauce, sprinkle the remaining diced apples on top and finish with the streusels. Some more sugar-cinnamon mixture sprinkled on top of the streusels is optional.
6. Place the baking tin in the middle of the oven and bake the cake for about 65-75 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. If you think the streusels get too dark towards the end of the baking time, cover the cake with some baking parchment and continue baking. Take the finished cake out of the oven and let it cool down inside the baking tin for some time, then transfer it to a wire rack so it can cool down completely. Cut into 9-12 pieces before serving.
1. Mehl, braunen Zucker, Zimt und Salz für die Streusel in einer Schüssel vermengen. Die Butter in kleinen Stücken und den Vanille Extrakt dazugeben, alles vermischen und dann zwischen den Fingern verreiben, bis Streusel unterschiedlicher Größe entstehen. Bis zur weiteren Verwendung in den Kühlschrank stellen.
2. Den Ofen auf 180°C (350°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Eine quadratische Backform (22cm)* leicht einfetten und mit Backpapier auslegen. Zur Seite stellen.
3. Die beiden Zuckersorten und die Butter für den Teig in die Schüssel einer Küchenmaschine geben – eine Rührschüssel und Handrührgerät funktionieren hier natürlich auch. Zunächst langsam, dann auf höchster Stufe mehrere Minuten lang aufschlagen, bis die Masse hell und luftig ist. Die Eier einzeln dazugeben und jeweils gut unterrühren. Anschließend das Öl und den Vanille Extrakt dazugeben und unterrühren.
4. In einer separaten Schüssel das Mehl mit Backpulver und Salz vermischen. Diese trockenen Zutaten in zwei Portionen, abwechselnd mit dem Joghurt und 80g des Apfelmus, zur Schüssel dazugeben und mit einem Gummispatel untermischen – hier sollte man nicht mehr als notwendig rühren.
5. Etwa die Hälfte vom Teig in die vorbereitete Backform geben und gleichmäßig verteilen. Etwa die Hälfte vom verbliebenen Apfelmus (100g) auf dem Teig verstreichen, dann die Hälfte der Apfelwürfel darüberstreuen und alle nach Belieben noch mit etwas Zucker und Zimt bestreuen (optional). Als Nächstes den restlichen Teig löffelweise auf den Äpfeln verteilen und gleichmäßig verstreichen – das funktioniert am besten mit einer Winkelpalette*. Das Schichten mit dem verbliebenen Apfelmus fortsetzen, die restlichen Apfelwürfel darauf verteilen und dann mit den Streuseln abschließen. Wer mag, kann jetzt auch noch einmal etwas Zucker und Zimt über die Streusel streuen (optional).
6. Die Backform in die Mitte des Ofens schieben und den Kuchen dann für etwa 65–75 Minuten backen – mit einem Holzspieß testen, ob noch Teig kleben bleibt, und den Kuchen erst herausholen, wenn dieser sauber herauskommt. Sollten die Streusel gegen Ende der Backzeit zu dunkel werden, kann man den Kuchen mit einem Stück Backpapier abdecken und weiterbacken. Den fertigen Kuchen aus dem Ofen nehmen und einige Zeit in der Form abkühlen lassen, dann aus der Form herausheben und auf einem Kuchengitter komplett abkühlen lassen. Den Kuchen vor dem Servieren in 9-12 Stücke schneiden.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Apple Sauce Streusel Coffee Cake
- Prep Time: 00:20
- Cook Time: 01:10
- Total Time: 02:00
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: -
- Cuisine: Germany
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Fall is the time for everything apple – though this Apple Sauce Streusel Coffee Cake can be made all year round, of course. It’s so delicious!
Ingredients
For the streusels:
4.3 oz. (120g) all-purpose flour*
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar*
2 tsp. ground cinnamon*
1/4 tsp. salt
2.5 oz. (75g) cold butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract*
For the cake batter:
3/4 cup (150g) sugar (fine)*
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar*
5.3 oz. (150g) butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/3 cup (80ml) sunflower oil*
2 tsp. vanilla extract*
2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour*
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
5.3 oz. (150g) Greek yogurt
10 oz. (280g) applesauce (unsweetened)*, divided
2 medium-sized apples, peeled & finely diced
some sugar & cinnamon mixed (optional)
Instructions
1. For the streusels combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Add the butter in small pieces, as well as the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Rub everything between your fingers until different-sized streusels form. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line and grease a 22cm square baking tin* and set it aside.
3. For the cake batter add both sugars and the butter to the bowl of a standmixer (or use a handheld mixer) and start slowly, then mix on high for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one after another and mix well after each addition. Next, add the sunflower oil and vanilla extract and mix them in.
4. In a separate bowl combine all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Add these dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the Greek yogurt and 2.8 oz. (80g) of the apple sauce to the bowl of the standmixer and fold everything in with a rubber spatula – you don’t want to mix more than needed here.
5. Transfer about half of the cake batter to the prepared baking tin and spread it evenly. Add half of the remaining apple sauce (3.5 oz./100g) on top of the batter and spread it evenly. Sprinkle half of the diced apples on top and sprinkle everything with a small amount of sugar-cinnamon mixture (optional). Next, spoon the remaining cake batter on top and spread it evenly – this works best with an offset spatula*. Continue the layering with the remaining apple sauce, sprinkle the remaining diced apples on top and finish with the streusels. Some more sugar-cinnamon mixture sprinkled on top of the streusels is optional.
6. Place the baking tin in the middle of the oven and bake the cake for about 65-75 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. If you think the streusels get too dark towards the end of the baking time, cover the cake with some baking parchment and continue baking. Take the finished cake out of the oven and let it cool down inside the baking tin for some time, then transfer it to a wire rack so it can cool down completely. Cut into 9-12 pieces before serving.
Notes
The kitchen is calling, time to bake!
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