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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake

    Published: Oct 24, 2022 by Petra Kupská

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    Easy crumb cake with shredded apples and cinnamon flavoring. An ideal fall treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth!

    Slices of apple cinnamon crumb cakes served on a plate, with a fork.
    Table of Contents hide
    ➜ The essentials of this apple recipe
    ➜ Ingredient list
    ➜ Instructions with photos
    ➜ Serving
    ➜ Storage
    ➜ Useful tips
    Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake

    ➜ The essentials of this apple recipe

    This delicious recipe comes from the Czech Republic, where I was born, raised, and still live with my family.

    Because apples are abundantly grown in Central Europe, dishes with apples in any form, including cakes, are highly popular in the region.

    The crumb cake I feature in this post is very easy to prepare. You only use a few basic ingredients to make moist crumbs, dividing them into two halves to form the bottom and top layers of the cake.

    Between the crumbs come apple shreds seasoned with cinnamon. I add cornstarch to the apples in order to make them thicker.

    Process photo of making an apple cinnamon crumb cake. There are seen all three layers in the baking pan while completing the cake.

    Czechs usually bake cakes in square pans or baking sheets, so that's what I did. I made the sweet crumb cake in a 9x13-inch baking dish with higher rims.

    In Czech, the cake is called "drobenkovy kolac s jablky", while the word "drobenka" means crumbs or streusel topping. If you are a fan of crumb topping, here is a detailed recipe on how to make Czech drobenka (also known as "posypka."

    MY TIP: You can find lots of other apple recipes on my blog, like these pan-fried apple rings. Give them a try; they taste fantastic!

    ➜ Ingredient list

    Listed ingredients for apple cinnamon crumb cake, inclusive captions.

    To make a crumb cake with cinnamon-flavored shredded apples, you will need:

    For crumbs:

    • All-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour
    • Baking powder
    • White granulated sugar; replace the white sugar with light brown sugar for more flavor, but this is not strictly necessary.
    • Egg; makes the crumbs firmer after baked
    • Unsalted butter; doesn’t need to be cold or melted. My best practice for making perfect crumbs is butter warmed to room temperature.
    • Lemon zest; for even more aroma. Ideally, freshly grated from an organic lemon.

    For the layer of shredded apples:

    • Fresh apples; I used apples picked in our backyard. These are juicy and semi-sweet, not too starchy. 
    • Ground cinnamon; a spice that pairs wonderfully with apples in any sweet recipe
    • Granulated sugar
    • Vanilla pasta; or vanilla extract
    • Cornstarch; makes the apple layer firmer

    ✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

    Next, you need a 9x13-inch baking dish and one sheet of parchment paper.

    Forget about dry cake! Buttery crumbs and apples thickened with cornstarch will make sure the cake is juicy and amazingly moist.

    ➜ Instructions with photos

    STEP 1: Mix flour with baking powder and pour it into a large mixing bowl. Add granulated sugar, egg, and grated lemon zest to the dry ingredients. Add the butter cut into smaller slices.

    Ingredients for making crumbs, in a white bowl.

    STEP 2: Use your fingers to work everything into irregular clumps. Expect this step to take some time and maybe even physical effort, but it's nothing you can't handle! 

    Soft crumbs for making apple crumb cake, in a white mixing bowl.

    If you have experience with an electric mixer when preparing crumbles, feel free to use a version that works well for you. My personal preference is for this crumbly labor to be done manually by human hands. 🙂

    STEP 3: Skin the apples with a peeler. Then cut out the apple core. I use a simple tool for this: a core remover. Place the peeled apples in a medium bowl. Using a hand grater box, shred the apples on the side with large holes. Don't drain the juice from grated apples!

    peeling apples
    Shredding apples on a hand grater box.

    MY TIP: If you don't have a core remover, read my article on how to shred apples, where I provide a method for cutting out the core with a knife.

    STEP 4: Add the sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla, and cornstarch to the shredded apples. Stir until combined.

    Shredded apples with cinnamon, sugar and cornstarch in a white bowl.

    STEP 5: Line a baking dish with parchment paper. I have a simple trick for keeping the paper from curling or sliding on the pan's surface.

    Crumple the baking paper into a ball, dip it in water, squeeze it, and spread the paper out again. Then place it on the bottom of the baking pan.

    Baking dish lined with wet parchment paper.

    STEP 6: Make an apple cake with three layers. Divide the crumbs into two equal halves. Spread one half of the crumbs on the bottom of a lined baking pan. Continue spreading the apple layer, smoothing the surface well. Sprinkle the apples evenly with the other half of the crumb mixture.

    See what the three layers look like (a process photo):

    Process photo of making an apple cinnamon crumb cake. There are seen all three layers in the baking pan while completing the cake.

    STEP 7: Preheat the oven to 340°F/170°C (lower and upper heat). Place the pan with the apple cake in the oven and bake for 40 minutes until the surface turns golden brown.

    Apple cinnamon crumb cake after baking, still in a baking pan.

    ➜ Serving

    Let the apple cake cool a bit, then cut it into slices about 3 inches wide and serve with a cup of coffee or tea. Besides, this soft, buttery cake makes the perfect breakfast indulgence for lazy mornings.

    If you like sweeter cakes, dust the surface with powdered sugar before serving.

    Sliced crumb cake with shredded apples, served on a plate with a fork.

    ➜ Storage

    • At room temperature: Cover the cake pan with a tea towel or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. This crumb cake will keep on the kitchen counter for about three days.
    • In the fridge: Cut the cake into slices, place them in a resealable container, and store covered in the refrigerator. Here it will stay fresh for a week without zero problems.
    • In the freezer: This cake freezes great! Seal the sliced cake in an airtight container and put it in the freezer. It will keep for at least three months. Defrost slowly at room temperature or in the microwave or conventional oven set to the appropriate program.

    ➜ Useful tips

    • The cake is also extremely popular with our western neighbors in Germany, where they call it apple streusel cake. The German word streusel means basically the same as crumbs.
    • This recipe is also perfect for all apple lovers who don't have much cooking experience and are looking for quick and easy ways to use apples in the kitchen.

    More apple recipes:

    • No bake apple jelly cake
    • Apple compote
    • Easy puff pastry apple strudel

    Tried this recipe?

    Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Follow me on Facebook and Pinterest. Subscribe to my newsletter. Send me any question about Czech cuisine to my e-mail. I love hearing your feedback!

    Sliced crumb cake with shredded apples, served on a plate with a fork.

    Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake

    Easy crumb cake with shredded apples and cinnamon flavoring. An ideal fall treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 397kcal
    Author: Petra Kupská
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: Recipes with apples

    Ingredients

    Crumbs:

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour (390 g)
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1 ¾ sticks unsalted butter (200 g)
    • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest freshly grated

    Apple layer:

    • 6 apples rather greater
    • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
    • ⅔ cups granulated sugar
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon ground
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Mix flour with baking powder and pour it into a large mixing bowl. Add granulated sugar, egg, and grated lemon zest to the dry ingredients. Add the butter cut into smaller slices.
    • Use your fingers to work everything into irregular clumps. Expect this step to take some time and maybe even physical effort, but it's nothing you can't handle! 
    • Prepare the apples: Skin the apples with a peeler. Then cut out the apple core. I use a simple tool for this: a core remover. Place the peeled apples in a medium bowl. Using a hand grater box, shred the apples on the side with large holes. Don't drain the juice from grated apples!
    • Add the sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla, and cornstarch to the shredded apples. Stir until combined.
    • Line a baking dish with parchment paper. I have a simple trick for keeping the paper from curling or sliding on the pan's surface: Crumple the baking paper into a ball, dip it in water, squeeze it, and spread the paper out again. Then place it on the bottom of the baking pan.
    • Make the apple cake with three layers. Divide the crumbs into two equal halves. Spread one half of the crumbs on the bottom of a lined baking pan. Continue spreading the apple layer, smoothing the surface well. Sprinkle the apples evenly with the other half of the crumb mixture.
    • Preheat the oven to 340°F/170°C (lower and upper heat). Place the pan with the apple cake in the oven and bake for 40 minutes until the surface turns golden brown.

    Notes

    • Makes about 12 slices.
    • EQUIPMENT: Baking pan with higher rims 9x13 inches, parchment paper
    • SERVING: Let the apple cake cool a bit, then cut it into slices about 3 inches wide and serve with a cup of coffee or tea. If you like sweeter cakes, dust the surface with powdered sugar before serving.

    DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:

    Conversion chart

    Nutritional Estimate pro portion

    Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 481IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg
    Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.
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    Comments

    1. Tshering

      February 17, 2023 at 2:02 am

      5 stars
      love the recipi

      Reply

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    Hi there, I’m Petra, a self-taught home cook and a Czech mom of two teen boys with more than 20 years of cooking experience. I am here to share traditional recipes from the Czech Republic, a small country in the very heart of Europe.

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