German Apple Streusel Kuchen with Vanilla Crumb Topping
Streusel Kuchen
Tender German apple kuchen topped with buttery vanilla streusel—homestyle and comforting.
Nutrition (per serving)
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.
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
Instructions
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.
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.
