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There’s something utterly comforting about a warm slice of apple crumble cake – soft, cinnamon‑spiced sponge, tart apple chunks, a crackly buttery crumble and topped with a vanilla drizzle. In my years of recipe testing, this version always steals the show at in the autumn/fall or whenever you just NEED cake.
“Delicious. Mainly wanted to comment how helpful it was to also have the relevant ingredients under the steps, so you don’t have to keep scrolling up and down. Wish everyone did this, genius!”
Nicky’s Recipe Notes
I developed this apple crumble cake over many Sunday bakes in my kitchen. I wanted a cake that felt like crumble but with that lightness of sponge — and the trick was to use a mix of cooking and eating apples (like Bramley + Jazz) so you get both body and sweetness.
What makes this apple crumble cake so good:
- Soft, lightly spiced sponge melts in your mouth,
- with juicy morsels of apple,
- the crumble topping gives satisfying crunch,
- and the drizzle adds a creamy sweetness that ties it all together.
Table of Contents
📋 Ingredients
***Full recipe with detailed quantities in the recipe card below***
For the Apple Cake
Best type of apples to use
I like to use a mix of tart cooking apples (like Bramley) and sweet eating apples (such as Jazz, Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Pink Lady) in this cake. The cooking apples break down a little and add softness, while the eating apples hold their shape and give little juicy bites. It’s the best of both textures — and makes the flavour more interesting too!
Can I swap out the apples for a different fruit?
Yes, but it’s best to replace the fruit with one that isn’t too juicy. Plums or pears are a great option.
For the Crumble Topping
For the glaze
🍎 How to make Apple Crumble Cake
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card below***
Make the Crumble Topping
The crumble topping is a mixture of butter, flour, sugar and cinnamon. Mix it all together until you get a lovely lumpy mixture. I like small lumps and big lumps in there for lots of crunchy texture.
Prepare the apples
Peel and chop your apples. I like to use a mixture of cooking apples (Bramley) and sweet eating apples such as the Jazz apple variety. Toss them with a little lemon juice to stop them turning brown, then sprinkle them with flour (this will help stop them sinking in the cake mixture as it’s baking).
Make the apple cake
Next make the sponge by mixing melted butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs. Then stir in flour and baking powder. Finally fold in those floured apples.
Transfer to a baking tin and sprinkle on the crumble mixture before baking in the oven.
Once cooked, remove from the oven, leave to cool, then drizzle on that creamy vanilla icing.
Recipe Tips
- Toss the apples with a little lemon juice to stop them turning brown, then sprinkle them with flour (this will help stop them sinking in the cake mixture as it’s baking).
Now how about an extreme close-up of that crunchy crumble and those oh-so-sweet chunks of apple?
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It🍽️ What to serve it with
Now the big question is.. Should I eat it as it is?
Or with ice-cream?
Or some creamy, warm custard?
Mmmmm give me the custard!! Perhaps I’m breaching some etiquette rule by putting custard on it when it’s already got a vanilla glaze but I don’t care!
Of course this cake by itself is pretty amazing too. I may have had two slices for my lunch… It seemed a waste to start making something else when this had just come out of the oven and I wanted it so much!
📺 Watch how to make it
Apple Crumble Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Crumble:
- 180 g (1 cup) soft light brown sugar
- 150 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 210 g (1 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
Apple Cake:
- 550 g (19.5 oz) cooking apples such as Bramley apples – which is about 2 large apples
- 175 g (6 oz) eating apples – which is about 1 apple I like to use Jazz apples, but use your favourite – ideally something tangy and sweet
- 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh or from a bottle
- 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour for mixing with the apples
- 230 g (1 cup) unsalted butter melted
- 2 cups (360g) golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 4 large eggs
- 350 g (3 cups minus 1 tbsp) plain(all-purpose) flour
- 4 tsp baking powder (I know, 4 tsp sounds like a lot, but it’s correct. Just make sure it’s 4 level tsp)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp demerara course sugar
Glaze:
- 90 g (2/3 cup) icing/confectioner’s sugar
- 6 tbsp double/heavy cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- First, make your crumble by mixing the sugar, butter and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the flour and mix with a spoon until you have a crumbly mixture. Set aside.180 g (1 cup) soft light brown sugar, 150 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 210 g (1 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F (fan). Line a 24cmx24cm (9 1/2 inch x 9 1/2 inch) square baking tin with baking parchment. Note – the sides of the tin need to be at least 8cm/3.1 inches high as the cake will spill over if the sides aren't high enough.
- Peel and core the apples and chop them into bite-sized chunks. Mix the apples with the lemon juice to stop them turning brown. Then mix with the 2 tbsp of flour.550 g (19.5 oz) cooking apples, 175 g (6 oz) eating apples – which is about 1 apple, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- In a large bowl, mix the melted butter with the caster sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Mix in the eggs and then fold in the flour, baking powder and salt. Gently stir the apples into the cake mixture.230 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, 2 cups (360g) golden caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp cinnamon, 4 large eggs, 350 g (3 cups minus 1 tbsp) plain(all-purpose) flour, 4 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin.
- Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top (I like to have a mix of small and large chunks) and then sprinkle over the demerara sugar.2 tbsp demerara course sugar
- Place in the oven and cook for 45-55 minutes – until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cover with foil for the last 10-15 minutes if it's starting to look too brown.
- Take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then remove from the tray and leave to cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Once cool, whisk together the icing sugar, half of the cream and the vanilla extract. If it looks drizzle-able stop there. If not, continue to add more cream until you get a thick but pourable mixture. Drizzle over the top of the cake using a spoon, or you can use a piping bag (like I did) to get the neat lines of drizzle.90 g (2/3 cup) icing/confectioner’s sugar, 6 tbsp double/heavy cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Cut into 16 pieces and serve.
Notes
Make ahead & Freezer Instructions
Once baked this apple cake should last 3-4 days in a sealed container at room temperature. You can also freeze the cake by wrapping in clingfilm/plastic wrap, then foil. Defrost at room temperature. The crumb topping won’t be as crispy after freezing, but you can warm the cake through in the oven at 160C/320F for 20-25 minutes (until warm in the centre) and this should help the topping become crispy again. ... Nutritional Information is per serving.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This apple crumble cake recipe was first posted in March 2018. Republished in October 2025 with new photos, step-by-step photos and additional tips. Updated since with recipe improvements and for housekeeping reasons.
🍂 More Autumn/Fall Bakes
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Delicious. Mainly wanted to comment how helpful it was to also have the relevant ingredients under the steps, so you don’t have to keep scrolling up and down. Wish everyone did this, genius!
Hi there I’ve had this cake on 160 fan and it’s had an extra 30mins and still not cooked? I have a powerful oven why do you think this is happening?
Really enjoyed making this and eating this!!!!!
I just wanted to ask – is the weight of the apples before or after they are peeled and cored?
Also, is the temperature 180 degrees centigrade and then 160 if it’s in a fan oven?
Thank you!
Love making this cake popular with my work mates
I’ve made this a few times and love it – but on the last few occasions it has sunk in the middle. What could be causing that? The oven temperature perhaps? Thanks!
Hi B, Usually when a cake sinks in the middle, it can be because the oven was opened before the cake was quite done in the middle, or sometimes because too much baking powder was used (this recipe calls for 4 level teaspoons).
It can also be caused if the cake wasn’t put in the oven right away. The baking agent starts doing it’s work as soon as the cake is mixed, so if it’s left out too long before baking, it can sometimes have expended all its energy already if you see what I mean 🙂
I have made this quite a few times now. It is absolutely fabulous and freezes very well, which is great because it makes a large bake.Cooking time in my oven is about 15 minutes extra with a different pan size (shorter and taller) than the one suggested. It is important to adjust. We’ll worth the effort!