Farmhouse Apple Cake

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, or so the old saying goes. Luckily for us, they never specified exactly how this magical apple is to be consumed, which is why today we are enjoying our apples in a deliciously moist Farmhouse Apple Cake.

Topped with buttery, crumbly, nutty streusel, this cake is definitely good for the soul and will keep you coming back for more.

What is a farmhouse apple cake?

My Farmhouse Apple Cake recipe is a rustic, old-fashioned sort of apple cake. It’s super easy to make, no mixer required at all, just a couple of bowls and a whisk. Full of fruit and with a crumbly streusel topping it is absolutely delicious.

What makes this cake so special?

It has a secret ingredient! The secret to the lovely tender crumb of this cake is using sour cream, which stops the cake from being too heavy and gives it a terrific texture.

As a bonus, it means you can use much less butter than you would in a traditional cake, so you get all that flavour and moistness with less fat. (I’m still not pretending cake is actually health food, but you get my drift).

Perfect for laidback weekend baking.

I love baking this apple cake because it comes together so easily. No need to get the mixer out, just stir together and pop it in the oven. By the time it’s cooked, the whole house is full of enticing aromas and you’ll be ready for a cup of tea!

Which apples are best for making apple cake?

The best apples for cooking with are always the tarter varieties, Granny Smith or Braeburn are widely available. In the US Jonagold or Honey Crisp will work well.

Today I used one of the very best: ‘Belle de Boskoop’ a brilliant all-rounder, whether cooking, eating or cider making.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Farmhouse Apple Cake Recipe

Farmhouse Apple Cake

Jay Wadams

Crumbly, buttery, nutty streusel tops this moist and tender apple cake. This rustic farm-style cake is made with no special equipment, just a couple of bowls and a whisk.

The sour cream makes the crumb beautifully light and fluffy, while the apples make sure the cake is never dry.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

4.63 from 32 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Serves 8

Ingredients

 

MetricU.S. Customary

for the crumble:

• ▢ 75 g plain or all-purpose flour
• ▢ 50 g butter, cubed
• ▢ 50 g white sugar
• ▢ 50 g mixed nuts, e.g: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, roughly chopped

for the cake:

• ▢ 200 g sour cream, full fat
• ▢ 2 medium eggs
• ▢ 50 ml vegetable oil,, e.g: sunflower, canola
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla essence
• ▢ 200 g plain or all-purpose flour
• ▢ 175 g white sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1-2 tart apples, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes, approx 250g (¼ lb. see note)

Instructions

 

• PREPARE: Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4. Line the base of a 20cm round spring form cake tin with baking paper and grease the base and sides well with butter.
• MAKE THE CRUMBLE: Make the crumble by combining the flour and butter in a bowl. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour, pinching it and squeezing it until it has a rough, pebbly texture. It doesn’t have to be fine, in fact, the rougher the better. Stir through the sugar and nuts, then put the bowl in the freezer while you prepare the cake.
• MIX THE BATTER: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs and oil until smooth. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined, then add the apple cubes to the mixture and fold through, gently but thoroughly. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the top, then scatter over all of the crumble.
• BAKE: Bake in the bottom third of the preheated oven for 1 hour. Check around 55 minutes to make sure it isn’t getting too brown on the top, it shouldn’t, but if it is, cover loosely with a square of tin foil. After an hour, check to make sure the cake is cooked by inserting a wooden skewer into the centre of the cake. It should come out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to the skewer. If it is at all liquid, return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
• COOL AND SERVE: Allow the cake to cool in the tin before running a sharp knife around the side to loosen from the tin and transferring to a serving platter. Dust with icing sugar to serve, and if you fancy a big mound of whipped cinnamon cream, though it is so lovely and moist the cake doesn’t need it.

Notes

For a cake like this, it is best to use tart apples, Boskoop are my favourite, but Braeburn or Granny Smith would be fine. If you have very sweet apples, reduce the sugar by 25g and add some grated lemon zest.

If you don’t have vanilla essence or extract where you are (eg: Germany) replace with 2 tsp vanilla sugar.

In Germany use Schmand or Creme Fraiche, not Saure Sahne)

Imperial and cup measurements are approximate. For best results I use and recommend a digital kitchen scale like the one below.

Recommended Equipment

Digital Kitchen Scale

Springform Pan Set of 3

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 172mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Leave a review or a star rating and let me know how it was! Use the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.

Course | Sweet Things

Cuisine | European

Ⓒ | Jay Wadams

If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating in the recipe card and share it using the buttons below so that others can find it too!