Apple cake is a delicious treat, isn’t it? Whenever a few streusels come into play, that apple cake gets even better! Just like Grandma used to bake her cakes. This delicious German Apple Sauce Streusel Cake is made with tons of apples. It’s impossible to add more. I can only recommend trying this cake and recipe. So good! ;P

There are many variations of apple pies and cakes. Wherever apples are grown, there are typical regional bakes with apples. In France, for example, you can find delicious galettes with apples or the famous Tarte Tatin. In the US, people love a Classic Apple Pie and in Ireland, the apples for an Irish Apple Cake are thrown into a delicious sponge cake mixture. The possibilities are endless here ;P
Anyway. In Germany, we also have loads of apple cake recipes. This Apple Sauce Streusel Cake is only one of many, if we’re being honest. Is it one of the best apple recipes? I think so. As I mentioned before, you can hardly get more apples into a single cake.

I think I’ve said about my Invisible Apple Cake https://baketotheroots.de/invisible-apple-cake-aka-gateau-invisible-aux-pommes/ that this is the cake with the most added apples, but I’ll have to revise my opinion after publishing this recipe here. ;) You really can’t have more apples in an apple cake. Impossible. In the invisible cake, the apples are difficult to distinguish from the cake part, in this cake there is nothing between the apples but apples. Pure apple filling with a little pastry around and crunchy streusels on top ;P
I got a recipe for a similar Applesauce Cake already here on the blog for quite some time already. That one has a base and a layer on top made of shortcrust pastry, brushed with a generous amount of sugar glaze. In Germany, it’s also called »Gedeckter Apfelkuchen« meaning »covered apple cake«. A somewhat plain-looking cake, but no less delicious compared to this cake here. To be honest, I could tweak the old recipe a bit more… the apple layer in the old recipe is extremely thin in my opinion. Could be more! ;P


As the name suggests, this cake uses a fair amount of apple sauce. You can easily make it yourself at home – it’s quite easy to do. You can also use a ready-made product from the supermarket, of course. I don’t blame anyone here if they want to work less. However, when making something from scratch, you always know what you get. Products from the supermarket can have stuff added, that are not always the best…
If you make the apple sauce yourself, you can do it some time in advance and don’t have to worry about it on baking day. I recommend making a little more and then using it for other purposes as well. Once the work is done, you can enjoy the apple sauce over and over. If you work properly (and clean), apple sauce is good to be stored for a long time.
Delicious apple cakes and pies are in season here all year round, not only in fall. That’s why there are already quite a few recipes for those cakes/pies here on the blog. In addition to the cakes already mentioned (above), I would like to show you these two recipes here as well, because they are that good: My Dutch Apple Pie with Crumb Topping is an absolute »must bake« when it comes to apples, as well as my Apple Crumble Cupcakes. They are extremely delicious and are always gone in an instant when you place a tray with them on the table ;P
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the apple sauce:
about 30-32 oz. (850-900g) apples
1 tbsp. lemon juice
some water
For the streusels:
12.4 oz. (350g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 pinch of salt
7.8 oz. (220g) cold butter, in pieces
For the filling:
about 26.5 oz. (750g) of the apple sauce
1.6 oz. (45g) cornstarch
1 tsp. apple pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 medium-sized apples, diced
some sliced almonds (optional)
Für das Apfelmus:
etwa 850-900g Äpfel
1 EL Zitronensaft
etwas Wasser
Für die Streusel:
350g Mehl (Type 405)
150g Zucker
1/4 TL Backpulver
1 Prise Salz
220g Butter, kalt
Für die Füllung:
etwa 750g vom Apfelmus
45g Speisestärke
1 TL Apple Pie Spice
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
2 mittelgroße Äpfel, gewürfelt
einige gehobelte Mandeln (optional)


DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Start with the apple sauce. Peel the apples, cut them into quarters, remove the cores, and then cut them into small pieces. There should be about 28 oz. of apples left after peeling. Add the apple pieces together with lemon juice and a bit of water to a small saucepan and heat up. Let the apples simmer over medium-high heat for about 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly. The apples get soft and partly falling apart. Remove the saucepan from the heat and purée the apples using an immersion blender* – it’s fine if there are some larger pieces visible here and there. Let cool down completely. The apple sauce can be prepared in advance and then stored in the fridge.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line round a 9-inch baking tin with a loose bottom* with baking parchment and grease lightly. Set aside.
3. For the streusels, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter in small pieces to the bowl. Cut it into even smaller pieces using a pastry blender* or a knife, then rub everything between your fingers until you get different-sized streusels. Transfer about 2/3 of the streusels to the prepared baking tin and press them to the sides and bottom of the tin. You want the sides of the cake base to be at least 1.5-2 inches high. Prick the base several times with a fork, then pre-bake for about 15 minutes. The sides of the cake base will slide down a little, but that’s ok.
4. While the cake base is in the oven, prepare the filling. Mix about 26.5 oz. of the cooked applesauce with the cornstarch, apple pie spice, and vanilla extract – mix until there are no more lumps of starch visible. Peel the apples, quarter, core, and cut them into small pieces. Add them to the apple sauce and mix in.
5. Take the baking tin out of the oven (careful, it’s very hot!) and fill in the apple sauce mixture. Smooth out the top, sprinkle the streusels evenly all over the filling, as well as some sliced almonds (optional). Bake the cake for about 45-50 minutes – the streusels should have slightly browned. Take the cake out of the oven, place it on a wire rack, and let the cake cool down completely inside the tin – for at least 3-4 hours.
1. Als Erstes das Apfelmus einkochen. Dafür die Äpfel schälen, vierteln, das Kerngehäuse entfernen und dann in kleine Stücke schneiden. Es sollten nach dem Schälen etwa 800g Äpfel übrig sein. Apfelstücke zusammen mit dem Zitronensaft und ein wenig Wasser in einen kleinen Topf geben und erhitzen. Die Äpfel bei mittlerer Hitzezufuhr für etwa 10-12 Minuten köcheln lassen, dabei immer wieder umrühren. Die Äpfel sollen schön weich sein und zum Teil schon zerfallen. Den Topf vom Herd ziehen und die Äpfel mit einem Pürierstab* weitestgehend pürieren – es dürfen hier und da noch größere Stücke sichtbar sein. Komplett abkühlen lassen. Das Apfelmus kann vorab zubereitet und dann im Kühlschrank gelagert werden.
2. Den Ofen auf 180°C (350°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Eine 23cm (9 inches) Backform mit Hebeboden* mit Backpapier auslegen und leicht einfetten. Zur Seite stellen.
3. Für die Streusel das Mehl mit Zucker, Backpulver und Salz in einer großen Schüssel vermischen. Die kalte Butter in kleinen Stücken dazugeben und mit einem Teigmischer* oder einem Messer in etwa erbsengroße Stücke zerteilen, dann die Masse zwischen den Fingern zerreiben, bis unterschiedlich große Streusel entstehen. Etwa 2/3 der Streusel in die vorbereitete Form füllen und zuerst an den Seiten zu einem etwa 4-5cm hohen Rand festdrücken, dann am Boden zu einer ebenen Schicht zusammenpressen. Mit einer Gabel mehrmals einstechen, dann für etwa 15 Minuten vorbacken. Die Ränder werden etwas herunterrutschen, aber das ist ok.
4. In der Zwischenzeit die Füllung vorbereiten. Etwa 750g vom eingekochten Apfelmus mit Stärke, Apple Pie Spice und Vanille Extrakt verrühren – man sollte keine Stärkeklümpchen mehr sehen können. Die Äpfel schälen, vierteln, entkernen und in kleine Stücke schneiden – zum Apfelmus dazugeben und alles gut vermengen.
5. Die Backform aus dem Ofen holen (Vorsicht, heiß!), die Apfelmusfüllung vorsichtig auf dem vorgebackenen Boden verteilen und glatt streichen. Die verbliebenen Streusel auf der Füllung verteilen und dann mit einigen gehobelten Mandeln bestreuen (optional). Den Kuchen für etwa 45-50 Minuten backen – die Streusel sollten etwas Farbe bekommen haben. Den Kuchen aus dem Ofen holen, auf ein Kuchengitter stellen und in der Form komplett abkühlen lassen – für mindestens 3-4 Stunden.


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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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German Applesauce Streusel Cake
- Prep Time: 00:30
- Cook Time: 01:00
- Total Time: 06:00
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: Germany
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A classic German cake my grandma already loved to bake: a simple & easy Apple Sauce Crumb Cake. Loaded with apples and super delicious!
Ingredients
For the apple sauce:
about 30–32 oz. (850-900g) apples
1 tbsp. lemon juice
some water
For the streusels:
12.4 oz. (350g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 pinch of salt
7.8 oz. (220g) cold butter, in pieces
For the filling:
about 26.5 oz. (750g) of the apple sauce
1.6 oz. (45g) cornstarch
1 tsp. apple pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 medium-sized apples, diced
some sliced almonds (optional)
Instructions
1. Start with the apple sauce. Peel the apples, cut them into quarters, remove the cores, and then cut them into small pieces. There should be about 28 oz. of apples left after peeling. Add the apple pieces together with lemon juice and a bit of water to a small saucepan and heat up. Let the apples simmer over medium-high heat for about 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly. The apples get soft and partly falling apart. Remove the saucepan from the heat and purée the apples using an immersion blender* – it’s fine if there are some larger pieces visible here and there. Let cool down completely. The apple sauce can be prepared in advance and then stored in the fridge.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line round a 9-inch baking tin with a loose bottom* with baking parchment and grease lightly. Set aside.
3. For the streusels, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter in small pieces to the bowl. Cut it into even smaller pieces using a pastry blender* or a knife, then rub everything between your fingers until you get different-sized streusels. Transfer about 2/3 of the streusels to the prepared baking tin and press them to the sides and bottom of the tin. You want the sides of the cake base to be at least 1.5-2 inches high. Prick the base several times with a fork, then pre-bake for about 15 minutes. The sides of the cake base will slide down a little, but that’s ok.
4. While the cake base is in the oven, prepare the filling. Mix about 26.5 oz. of the cooked applesauce with the cornstarch, apple pie spice, and vanilla extract – mix until there are no more lumps of starch visible. Peel the apples, quarter, core, and cut them into small pieces. Add them to the apple sauce and mix in.
5. Take the baking tin out of the oven (careful, it’s very hot!) and fill in the apple sauce mixture. Smooth out the top, sprinkle the streusels evenly all over the filling, as well as some sliced almonds (optional). Bake the cake for about 45-50 minutes – the streusels should have slightly browned. Take the cake out of the oven, place it on a wire rack, and let the cake cool down completely inside the tin – for at least 3-4 hours.
Notes
Have fun in the kitchen!
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