German Crumb Cake Recipe – Oma's Streuselkuchen With Apple

by: Gerhild Fulson  /  Cookbook Author, Blogger, German Oma!

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German crumb cake recipes, aka Streuselkuchen, are quick and delicious treats to make for your family and friends. These traditional cakes, which are so easy to make, look so pretty, too.

Traditionally, the German Streusel cake you find in a German bakery is made with a yeast dough. This one isn't. That means it's quicker to make and easier for those who struggle with yeast dough. And, it's SO good!

The fruit and flavorings can be changed to provide variation. What doesn't change though for making crumb cakes, is the standard streusel warning below!

For variety, you can use different fruit and flavorings; apple slices nestled under the crumbly topping taste so good, but peach slices, pear slices, halved plums, or pitted cherries are also delicious.

Even just jam works in a pinch. You'll be able to create various crumb cakes this way.

What is needed though, is a cup of coffee and that dollop of whipped cream served on the side. In Germany, everything is better with whipped cream! Or, be a rebel and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Are you wanting the Streusel cake made with yeast?

If you like working with yeast, then you'll want to go to this recipe for my German Peach Cake with Streusel shown below.

Go to recipe >

It's a recipe that uses a bread machine to make quick work of the dough, but it has a link to use a stand mixer if you prefer.

Some quick tips ...

• Crumb cakes are great when you need easy dessert ideas. 
• Most mix up quickly using a mixer. Others use a yeast base, but these can usually be made using a bread machine to speed things up.
• By the time the oven preheats, you'll have finished making the cake.
• The only real time is preparing the fruit, unless you use canned fruit. Then you just need to make sure you drain it well.

Standard Streusel Warning :) 

• A warning though - the crumb topping is so delicious, if you have kids (or a husband) around, they will try to sneak some of the small pieces of streusel crumbs off the cake while it is cooling (and even before it is baked)!
• I admit that I always sneak some, both before and after!

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How to make a Streusel Crumb Mixture:

Generally speaking, streusel is an easy recipe made using all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and cold butter in a ratio of 2:1:1. That means, 2 cups flour to every 1 cup sugar and 1 cup butter. That's really the easiest way to remember this.

There are of course variations.

• One can substitute some brown sugar for the granulated.
• Using melted butter is also an option. It work easier, but the resulting crumbs are a bit more 'crispy'. Actually, my hubby likes this way best. Why not try it this way next time you make streusel and see if you like it.

Types of Apples to Use for Baking...

If I'm making an apple crumb cake recipe, or actually most apple recipes, I'll use whatever type of apple I have on hand, although Mackintosh, Golden Delicious, and Mutsu are especially tasty.

I also like using Granny Smith - my all-time favorite apple for both eating and baking apple cake!

How easy is it to make Streuselkuchen?
This easy:

There's NONE of this: "yeast mixture" or "let the dough rise at a warm room temperature in a draft-free place" or make sure you're using "active dry yeast or should that be instant yeast"!

Instead, it's as simple as:

1. Use an electric mixer (a handheld mixer works great) to cream butter and sugar together and then beat in eggs. 
2. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Dough is done.
3. Spread in baking pan (a springform pan is best) and place fruit on top of the dough. 
4. Make the streusel (I actually use my hands) and crumble topping over fruit. 
5. Bake. Enjoy.

Ready to make Oma's Streuselkuchen Recipe?

Print Recipe

German Crumb Cake Recipe – Oma's Streuselkuchen With Apple

German crumb cake recipes, aka Streuselkuchen, are quick and delicious treats to make for your family and friends. These traditional cakes, which are so easy to make, look so pretty, too.

Traditionally, the German Streusel cake you find in a German bakery is made with a yeast dough. This one isn't. That means it's quicker to make and easier for those who struggle with yeast dough

Prep Time 15 minutes

Bake Time 45 minutes

Total Time 60 minutes

Servings:

Makes 16 servings

Ingredients:

Cake Ingredients:

• ½ cup (114 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour 
• ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt
• 1½ teaspoon (6 grams) baking powder
• 1 tablespoon (6 grams) grated lemon zest
• ½ cup (120 milliliter) milk
• 1 pound (454 grams) apples or other fruit, sliced

Streusel Topping Ingredients:

• 1¼ cups (163 grams) all-purpose flour 
• ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• ¾ cup (171 grams) cold unsalted butter 

Instructions:

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a rimmed 9x13-inch baking sheet or two 9-inch springform pans and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat. In another bowl, blend flour, salt, baking powder, and lemon zest together. Add flour mixture a little at a time to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix well after each addition until the flour mixture and milk are all used up.
3. Spread cake batter in greased pan. Arrange apples on top of batter in slightly overlapping rows.

To make Streusel Topping:

1. In a small bowl, combine flour and sugar. 
2. Using 2 knives or a pastry blender cut in butter until mixture resembles large crumbs.
3. Sprinkle over apples.
4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown on top and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack. Delicious when served warm.
6. Tastes great served with whipped cream!

Notes/Hints:

• Instead of lemon zest, add 1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract.
• Instead of using knives or pastry blender, I just use my hands to quickly rub the butter into the flour/sugar mixture.
• Usually I put apple slices under the streusel. However, peach slices, pear slices, halved plums, or pitted fresh cherries would be delicious. Even jam works! You can even just sprinkle dough with streusel and omit the fruit completely.
• Line the baking tray with parchment paper, if desired.
• If you're using canned fruit, drain it well before using.

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11.28.2021 revision update

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Oma's Crumb Cake Recipe ~ German Streuselkuchen With Apple



By Oma Gerhild Fulson





Oma’s crumb cake recipe is traditional German and so delicious. Made without yeast, it’s quick and easy. Instead of apples, use plums, jam, etc. Add whipped cream! Lecker!


Ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, baking powder, lemon peel, milk, apples,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...

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More about me >

Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.