Caramel Apple Crumble Cake

This one bowl wonder needs a few pantry ingredients and makes for a warming tea cake that is tender, crumbly and comforting all in one slice.

Sometimes you need a cake that is perfect for tea, a weekend bake, an occasion or even no reason what so ever. This cake recipe is that and needs no further introduction as it is so simple to make and addictively delicious to eat. I used my Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe for this cake and you can do the same or use store bought as well. I would recommend using salted caramel or add extra salt here as this balances out the sweetness in the cake and the caramel sauce on the whole.

What ingredients do you need to make this cake?

The recipe is divided into 3 parts: The Cake, The Crumble & The Salted Caramel Sauce. You can find my go to Salted caramel sauce recipe here but we will make the crumble and the cake batter from scratch. To make the cake you need flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, brown & white sugar, eggs, vanilla, yogurt and fresh apples. I like adding a touch of cinnamon powder as apples and cinnamon are a match made in heaven. For the Crumble topping we need flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, oats, salt, walnuts.

What substitutes can you use?

This cake can be made gluten free with the use of a gluten free flour mix. I have used all purpose flour however you can use cake flour or self raising flour. As for the sugar, I like using brown and white sugar for flavor and texture but you can use either or in the recipe. You need butter here and it should be soft, this makes it easier to make the cake batter by hand. To make it vegan you can use a plant based butter like an olive oil spread or vegetable shortening and replace the yogurt with any vegan yogurt like coconut yogurt. To make the cake eggless, use 3 flaxseed eggs or 60gm milk. In reference to the apples, I have used granny smith apples that are diced fairly large.

The crumble topping needs a granulated sugar as this will help with the crunchy texture. I have used a combination of flour and oats for the dry mixture but you can use flour only. I like using walnuts to add more crunch but you could use almonds, cashews or hazelnuts if you prefer. I have made this crumble using soft butter but you can use a combination of butter and olive oil.

What equipment do you need for the cake?

You can use an electric hand beater to make this cake or use a stand mixer but I made this with a whisk, spatula and a large bowl. I used a smaller bowl and fork for the crumble mixture. The cake fits comfortably in an 8/9 inch round cake tin. If you use a smaller tin it will take longer to bake so be a little mindful before baking. You do need a knife and chopping board t cut up the apples. I do peel them but I must admit to making this cake without peeling the apples a couple of times.

How to serve the cake?

I love serving this cake with a cup of tea or coffee. But it really works well with warm milk too. The next day you can serve with with vanilla ice cream, freshly whipped cream or custard. Sometimes I drizzle caramel sauce over the top as well or a dusting of icing sugar too. But I must admit it is delicious on its own as a tea cake.

How long can you store the cake?

Once the cake is baked you can store it at room temperature away from direct sunlight in an air tight container for a couple of days. Or slice it into individual pieces, wrap each slice in cling film, then baking paper and foil, place in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. You can also store them in zip lock bags and freeze them. When ready to eat, pop into the microwave for 10-20 seconds until warm and steaming. Alternatively you can let it thaw at room temperature.

Now that we have covered all the basics of how to make this cake, let us make it. Happy Baking Ninjas!