Apple Crumb Cake

Apple Crumb Cake

I remember having crumb cake as a kid and loving it. The tender cake and crunchy topping seemed the perfect combination to me. Even today I would rather have a crumb topping on a cake than frosting. This recipe hits all the right notes. Sweet with apple chunks throughout and that crunchy topping that I love.

Apple Crumb Cake

For cake batter:

2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

½ t. salt

½ stick (¼ cup) butter, softened

¾ c. sugar

1 egg

½ c. milk

2 c. chopped peeled, cored apples

For topping:

½ c. sugar

¼ c. flour

½ t. cinnamon

½ stick (¼ c. butter, chilled and cut into bits)

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. In mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and milk. Add flour mixture gradually until just mixed in. Fold in apples. Grease and flour an 8 or 9-inch pan and add prepared batter. Combine topping ingredients until they resemble coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter in pan and bake in a preheated 375-degree oven and bake for 35-45 minutes. Use toothpick to test.

Note: I used a 9-inch square pan and it worked fine.  

Batter will be thick. Spread in prepared pan.

Sprinkle with crumb topping before baking.

Warm from the oven.