This easy and delicious Apple Crumble Cake by James Martin combines a light, fluffy cake with a sweet, crispy crumble topping. Made with simple ingredients like apples, cinnamon, and butter, it’s a perfect treat for any occasion. Serve it warm with cream for a comforting, satisfying dessert everyone will love!
Ingredients Needed
For the crumble topping:
- 100g/3½oz ( ¾ cup) plain flour
- 70g/2½oz ( 5 tbsp) cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 75g/2¾oz ( ⅓ cup ) demerara or light brown sugar
For the cake:
- 100g/3½oz ( ½ cup ) caster sugar
- 100g/3½oz (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 100g/3½oz (¾ cup) plain flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 4 dessert apples
- 1 unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest and juice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
How To Make Apple Crumble Cake
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4 (350°F). Grease the sides of a 20cm/8in square cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
- Make the crumble topping: Rub the flour and butter together with your fingers until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs, or pulse briefly in a food processor. Stir in the sugar and refrigerate until needed.
- Make the cake mixture: Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating half the flour after adding the first egg. Stir in the rest of the flour and the baking powder.
- Prepare the apples: Peel the apples, core them, and cut each into quarters, then cut each quarter into long slices. Mix the apples with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and ground cinnamon.
- Assemble the cake: Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin. Arrange the apples on top and scatter the crumble topping over them.
- Bake the cake: Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake: Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Carefully turn it out onto a wire rack and flip it over so the crumble side is facing up.
- Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature with cream.
Recipe Tips
- Use firm apples: Choose firm apples like Bramley or Granny Smith to avoid mushy fruit when baking. These varieties hold their shape and add a nice texture to the cake.
- Chill the crumble topping: After making the crumble topping, refrigerate it for at least 20 minutes. This helps it form a crunchy texture while baking.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter: When adding the flour, stir gently to avoid overmixing, which can make the cake dense and heavy.
- Test with a skewer: Always check the cake’s doneness by inserting a skewer into the center. It should come out clean when the cake is ready.
How To Store Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover Apple Crumble Cake cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover it tightly and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: After cooling, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or foil and place it in an airtight container. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw the cake at room temperature for a few hours before eating.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice (50g)
- Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
- Sodium: 125mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 28g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 13g
- Protein: 2g
Try More James Martin Recipes:
- James Martin Microwave Syrup Sponge Pudding
- James Martin Strawberry Trifle
- James Martin Cheese And Onion Quiche
- James Martin Cottage Pie
James Martin Apple Crumble Cake
Description
This easy and delicious Apple Crumble Cake by James Martin combines a light, fluffy cake with a sweet, crispy crumble topping. Made with simple ingredients like apples, cinnamon, and butter, it’s a perfect treat for any occasion. Serve it warm with cream for a comforting, satisfying dessert everyone will love!
Ingredients
For the crumble topping:
For the cake:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4 (350°F). Grease the sides of a 20cm/8in square cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
- Make the crumble topping: Rub the flour and butter together with your fingers until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs, or pulse briefly in a food processor. Stir in the sugar and refrigerate until needed.
- Make the cake mixture: Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating half the flour after adding the first egg. Stir in the rest of the flour and the baking powder.
- Prepare the apples: Peel the apples, core them, and cut each into quarters, then cut each quarter into long slices. Mix the apples with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and ground cinnamon.
- Assemble the cake: Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin. Arrange the apples on top and scatter the crumble topping over them.
- Bake the cake: Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake: Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Carefully turn it out onto a wire rack and flip it over so the crumble side is facing up.
- Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature with cream.
Notes
- Use firm apples: Choose firm apples like Bramley or Granny Smith to avoid mushy fruit when baking. These varieties hold their shape and add a nice texture to the cake.
- Chill the crumble topping: After making the crumble topping, refrigerate it for at least 20 minutes. This helps it form a crunchy texture while baking.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter: When adding the flour, stir gently to avoid overmixing, which can make the cake dense and heavy.
- Test with a skewer: Always check the cake’s doneness by inserting a skewer into the center. It should come out clean when the cake is ready.
James Martin Apple Crumble Cake