German Apple Streusel Kuchen with Vanilla Crumb Topping
This streusel kuchen is the sort of cake I love to bring to weekend coffee — simple, rustic, and full of comfort. Tart apples fold into a tender vanilla-scented batter and get buried under a generous, buttery streusel that crisps up beautifully in the oven.
It’s a beloved German-style Kuchen: uncomplicated to make, yet deliciously impressive. Slice it warm with a dusting of powdered sugar or a spoonful of whipped cream and watch it disappear.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang to lift the cake out easily.
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2
Toss the sliced apples with lemon juice, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp granulated sugar; set aside to macerate while you make the batter.
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3
In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp baking soda and 0.5 tsp salt.
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4
In a separate bowl whisk melted butter, eggs, yogurt and vanilla until smooth. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
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5
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Scatter the macerated apple slices evenly over the batter, pressing them down gently so they settle in.
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6
Make the streusel: in a bowl combine 1 cup flour, 0.5 cup brown sugar, 0.25 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and 0.25 tsp salt. Cut in the cold 10 tbsp butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
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7
Scatter the streusel evenly over the apples, pressing very lightly so some crumbs adhere to the fruit but leaving plenty loose for a crisp top.
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8
Bake in the preheated oven for 45–55 minutes, until the streusel is golden and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake (not through a large apple piece) comes out mostly clean.
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9
Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for at least 20 minutes, then lift out using the parchment overhang. Dust with powdered sugar if you like, slice, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour (batter):2 cups
- Granulated sugar (batter):1 cup
- Baking powder:2 tsp
- Baking soda:0.5 tsp
- Salt (batter):0.5 tsp
- Unsalted butter (melted for batter):0.5 cup
- Eggs:2 pieces
- Plain yogurt or sour cream:1 cup
- Vanilla extract:1 tsp
- Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced:1.5 lb
- Lemon juice:1 tbsp
- Ground cinnamon (for apples):1 tsp
- All-purpose flour (streusel):1 cup
- Light brown sugar (streusel):0.5 cup
- Granulated sugar (streusel):0.25 cup
- Cold unsalted butter (streusel), cut into pieces:10 tbsp
- Ground cinnamon (streusel):1 tsp
- Salt (streusel):0.25 tsp
- Powdered sugar (optional dusting):0.25 cup
Tips & Notes
- Use a firm, tart apple like Granny Smith or Braeburn so the fruit keeps its shape while baking.
- Chill the streusel butter until the last minute — cold butter yields the best crisp, crumbly topping.
