German Apple Streusel Cake (Apfelstreuselkuchen)
This german apple streusel cake, or apfelstreuselkuchen, is essentially just apples between two layers of flour, sugar and butter, but it's all set up in a way that makes a fantastic dessert. My version includes a little jam under the apples, which is something I borrowed from the Slavic version of this German apple cake I grew up with. It's made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
It's a homemade apple dessert for fall baking, sunday afternoons, family gatherings, or holiday desserts. It's a nice treat to serve with coffee or tea. Serve each slice slightly warm with whipped cream, or enjoy it just as it is!
If you love baking with apples, you can also try my apple strudel with fresh-milled flour and fresh milled apple pie pull-apart sourdough skillet.
Summarize & Adapt This Recipe On:
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 65-75 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours
- Servings: 10-12 slices
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- Baking Method: Oven-baked
- Best For: Fall baking, afternoon coffee or tea, family gatherings, and holiday desserts
Jump to:
- Summarize & Adapt This Recipe On:
- Quick Look
- Important Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- Which Grains Can I Use?
- How to Make German Apple Streusel Cake (Apfelstreuselkuchen)
- Baking Schedule
- 💭Crucial Success Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- How To Store German Apple Streusel Cake (Apfelstreuselkuchen)
- Other Delicious Dessert Recipes
- German Apple Streusel Cake (Apfelstreuselkuchen)
- Need Help Tweaking This Recipe?
- Other Central European Recipes You'll Love
- Traditional German Savoy Cabbage and Potatoes (Wirsing untereinander)
- Fresh Milled Einkorn Fruit Dumplings (Plum or Apricot)
- Fresh Milled Einkorn Crepes
Important Ingredients
- apples are the main ingredient for the filling, and they're cooked down first so the cake holds it shape well.
- butter + all-purpose flour + sugar are the main ingredients that give the shortcrust a tender texture and help create the crumbly streusel topping.
- cinnamon adds a warm spice flavor that goes well with the cooked apples.
- egg helps bring the shortcrust dough together (sugar an flour only would make it too dry) and gives it structure.
- jam adds a fruity flavor and creates a nice layer between the crust and apple filling.
- vanilla extract adds a light vanilla flavor to the buttery streusel topping.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use any apples you have on hand, you really don't have to concern yourself with varieties too much - any good apples will work! I like to use up the ugly ones for dessert like this one, when they get grated anyway!
- Plum and blueberry jam are great choices for adding a little color and fruity flavor. You can also use raspberry, apricot, or any other jam that happens to be opened in your fridge.
- Adjust the cinnamon to your taste, or add a small pinch of nutmeg for a warmer spice flavor.
- FOR PREPARING AHEAD: Prepare the apple filling a day ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. You can also prepare the streusel and keep it chilled until you're ready to assemble the cake.
Which Grains Can I Use?
I've tested this recipe with soft white wheat or spelt flour in place of the all-purpose flour by weight. Mill the flour finely and let it cool before using!
How to Make German Apple Streusel Cake (Apfelstreuselkuchen)
Step 1: Peel, core, and coarsely grate the apples. Melt the butter in a large, wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the grated apples, sugar, and salt, and stir to combine. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the cinnamon and set aside to cool (Image 1).
Step 2: Rub the butter into the flour, sugar, and salt until crumbly. Add the egg and mix just until the dough comes together. Press it into your springform pan, extending it slightly up the sides (Image 2), and refrigerate for 30 minutes before pre-baking. Don't wash the bowl yet, since you'll make almost the same crumbly mixture again for the streusel!
Step 3: Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden. Spread the jam evenly over the warm crust (Image 3).
Step 4: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt (Image 4). Add the cold butter and vanilla, working everything together until coarse crumbs form. Squeeze some of the mixture into larger clusters and refrigerate until needed.
Step 5: Spread the cooled apple filling evenly over the crust and scatter the streusel on top (Image 5). Don't press it down.
Step 6: Bake at 350°F (180°C) for another 45-50 minutes, until the streusel is golden brown (Image 6). Cool completely before removing the springform ring and slicing.
Hint: Cook the grated apples until most of the excess liquid has evaporated before adding them to the crust. This helps keep the shortcrust from getting soggy and gives the filling a soft, caramelized apple flavor. If your apples release a lot of liquid, let them cook for a few extra minutes.
Baking Schedule
- 8:00 AM - cook the apples
- 9:00 AM - make the shortcrust dough, press the dough and chill the crust
- 10:00 AM - pre-bake the crust
- 10:30 AM - spread the jam over the warm crust and prepare the streusel topping
- 10:40 AM - spread the cooled apple filling over the crust and add the streusel topping
- 10:50 AM - bake the cake
- 11:40 AM - let the cake cool completely
💭Crucial Success Tips
Since this recipe doesn't use a thickener, cooking off most of the liquid in apples is important. The filling should be soft and moist without excess liquid pooling at the bottom of the pan. If that happens, cook them a bit longer!
Recipe FAQs
Apfelstreuselkuchen is a German apple streusel cake made with apples and a crumbly topping. Recipes can vary, but this version has a buttery shortcrust, cooked cinnamon apples, fruit jam, and a streusel layer baked until golden.
Yes! You can prepare the apple filling a day ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The streusel can also be made ahead and kept chilled. Assemble and bake the cake when you're ready, or bake it in advance and refrigerate it after cooling.
Yes, soft white wheat or spelt flour works well for the shortcrust and streusel. Replace the all-purpose flour by weight, using 200 g for the crust and 155 g for the topping. Mill the flour finely and allow it to cool before mixing. If the streusel feels too dry to form clusters, add another 5-10 g of cold butter.
How To Store German Apple Streusel Cake (Apfelstreuselkuchen)
Let the cake cool completely, then cover it or place it in an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You can freeze individual slices in airtight, freezer-safe containers or wrap them well to help prevent freezer burn. Thaw the slices in the refrigerator before serving, then warm them briefly in the oven if you prefer.
Other Delicious Dessert Recipes
- German Apple Streusel Cake (Apfelstreuselkuchen)
- Fresh Milled Einkorn Banana Apple Muffins
- Fresh Milled Einkorn Fruit Dumplings (Plum or Apricot)
- Fresh Milled Einkorn Banana Bread
If you tried this german apple streusel cake (apfelstreuselkuchen) or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below! Happy Baking!
German Apple Streusel Cake (Apfelstreuselkuchen)
Ingredients
For the Buttery Shortcrust
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 125 g cold unsalted butter cubed
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Caramelized Apple Filling
- 1.5 kg about 3.3 lbs apples, weighed before peeling
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
For the Streusel Topping
- 155 g all-purpose flour
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 100 g cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
For Assembling
- 2 tablespoons about 40 g jam of choice (I prefer a darker jam so it adds a bit of color, like plum or blueberry)
Instructions
- Peel, core, and coarsely grate the apples. Melt the butter in a large, wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the grated apples, sugar, and salt, and stir to combine. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the cinnamon and set aside to cool.
- Rub the butter into the flour, sugar, and salt until crumbly. Add the egg and mix just until the dough comes together. Press it into your springform pan, extending it slightly up the sides, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before pre-baking. Don't wash the bowl yet, since you'll make almost the same crumbly mixture again for the streusel!
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden. Spread the jam evenly over the warm crust.
- Combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter and vanilla, working everything together until coarse crumbs form. Squeeze some of the mixture into larger clusters and refrigerate until needed.
- Spread the cooled apple filling evenly over the crust and scatter the streusel on top. Don't press it down.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for another 45-50 minutes, until the streusel is golden brown. Cool completely before removing the springform ring and slicing.
