Description
A warm, rich dessert made with browned butter, tart apples, and a crisp cinnamon crumble topping. This cozy cake is perfect for fall gatherings, holiday tables, or just a sweet everyday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Grease the sides.
- In a saucepan, brown the butter until golden and nutty. Let cool slightly.
- In a bowl, toss diced apples with lemon juice, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, remaining cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In another bowl, mix brown butter, granulated sugar, remaining brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients, then fold in apples gently.
- Pour half the batter into the pan, layer with apple mixture, then top with remaining batter.
- Prepare the crumble topping by mixing flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cold cubed butter until crumbly.
- Sprinkle crumble over the batter and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack. Serve warm with ice cream or caramel drizzle.
Notes
- Use tart apples like Granny Smith for the best flavor contrast.
- Don’t overmix the batter to keep the cake soft and light.
- Chill the crumble before baking for extra crunch.
- Great for making a day ahead — flavors improve overnight.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 170mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: apple crumble cake, brown butter cake, fall dessert, cozy apple cake, easy apple recipe