Apple Streusel Cake

I make a lot of cakes.  They are usually elaborately decorated for baby showers, wedding showers, birthdays, or weddings.  To get some inspiration and decorating tips, I’ve been watching Cake Boss on Netflix.  I used their scissor-snip method to make Brobee look furry.

Anyway, I was watching Season 3, Episode 19, on which Buddy shares how to make an apple cake.  It looked so good, I just had to try it!  I made a few changes to make it my own, and it turned out amazing!

One thing I added was a cinnamon-sugar coating.  Rather than lining the cake pans with wax paper like I usually do, I buttered and coated them with cinnamon sugar.  Believe it or not, you can buy cinnamon sugar.  At Amazon.com, you can get 21.72 ounces for $14.99—that’s $11.04 per pound!  But I can make it for under $1 per pound.  I don’t measure.  I just fill a container with sugar and mix in some cinnamon.

I always use Fuji apples for everything—eating, baking, cooking, dipping.  If you live in central California, you can get Fujis for $0.57/lb. at Save Mart through Tuesday (1/31).  When I went to WinCo last Thursday, they had them for $0.78/lb.

This time of year you might notice that some of your apples look a little different inside.  This is called “water core.”  It is not really a disease, but more of a physiological disorder.  It can be caused by a number of factors, all environmental.  Water core apples are completely safe to eat and may even be sweeter than normal apples.  You can find the UC Davis info sheet here.

For the actual cake pans, I used two 8-inch by 3-inch pans.  I wouldn’t recommend trying this in 2-inch high pans as it rises quite a bit.  If you do attempt it, be sure to put some foil on the rack below your pans to catch the drips.  You will also need to increase the baking time.

I have found that this cake gets better with a little age.  It tastes great the first day, excellent the second, and amazing the third (if there is any left by then)!

Apple Streusel Cake

For Pan

Butter, softened

Cinnamon sugar

Streusel Topping

1 ½ c. flour

1 ½ c. sugar

2 Tbsp. cinnamon

¾ c. butter, melted

Cake

½ c. water

4 eggs

1 c. sour cream

1 c. vegetable oil

1 box vanilla cake mix

1½ small boxes vanilla pudding (or 1 large)

2 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

4 medium Fuji apples

Drizzle

½ c. powdered sugar

2-3 tsp. water

Spread insides of two 8”X3” round cake pans with butter.  Coat with cinnamon sugar; set aside.

In small bowl, mix all streusel topping ingredients and cream together; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°.  For cake, place water in microwave about 30 seconds to heat.  Meanwhile, in mixing bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, cake mix, pudding mix, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Add warm water.

Mix on low until combined.  Increase speed to medium and mix about 2 minutes.  Fold about 1 c. streusel topping into batter, being careful not to over mix.

Divide batter between pans.

Peel and core apples.  Cut into 8ths then cut each wedge in half cross-ways.  Place apples on top of batter.  

Crumble remaining streusel topping over apples.

Bake about 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove to wire rack.  Immediately run a knife around the pan to loosen.

Let cool until handleable and turn out; cool completely.  In small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and water; drizzle over cake.

Variations:

Coffee cake—omit apples

Apple-nut cake—sprinkle chopped nuts over apples before adding streusel

Caramel-apple cake—serve with caramel sauce