APPLE CRUMB TORTE (or SHEET CAKE)
This easy-to-make apple cake is a great dessert for potlucks, parties & visitors. I serve it still warm with a big scoop of ice cream or cold from the fridge. Everyone loves this easy apple dessert!
I halved ingredients and still had plenty. Dez says needs more apple & to break down more and the lemon should be in apples not in the biscuit pastry. I thought some chopped pecans on top drizzles with maple syrup or ACV would be nice and a lot less sugar. Makes 24 slices
Ingredients (brackets are from sheet cake recipe)
CAKE & APPLES
200g (1 ½ cups) unsalted butter or margarine (divided)
1 cup (⅓ cup) white sugar – halve to 1/2 cup
½ teaspoon (few drops) vanilla extract
1 large egg
4 cups sifted SR (all-purpose flour, divided)
750g+ fresh* or canned apples – peel, core & slice (5 apples) – try MORE
1 teaspoon lemon zest, freshly grated
TOPPING:
1 tsp (½ teaspoon) ground cinnamon
2T brown sugar
1. Lightly grease a lamington tin (or 9×13″ baking sheet) & preheat oven to 170°C FF. Leave the butter on kitchen counter to get to room temperature.
2. Cream butter & sugar together until light & fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla & lemon rind. Fold in SR flour: mixture will be crumbly. Press half the mixture into lamington tin. (then put in fridge while you prepare apples).
3. Peel & core the apples & slice them, then arrange over base. (chop them into small chunks. Mix the apple chunks with the lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon and apple sauce. Set aside).
4. To assemble the cake, spread the apple mixture onto the dough layer. Then use your fingers to crumble the crumbs on top. Press some crumbs together to form bigger crumbs, you don’t want the crumbs to be too fine.
5. Make topping by mixing the brown sugar with the cinnamon: sprinkle over.
5. Bake for 50-60 mins (45 minutes) until the crumbs are lightly golden. Let the cake cool off completely to make it easier to slice. It will be a little bit soft while hot.
Serve warm or cold with with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
* I like to use Jonagold apples for this recipe but Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, or Pink Lady would work, too – although pink ladies didn’t break down enough to please Derryn.
COMMENTS FROM OTHERS:
Apples: The secret of extra delicious German Streusel is to make them bigger. Use your hands and rub the dough between your fingers, press the smaller crumbs together and sprinkle them over the cake.
Alternative sheet cake recipe (Struesel on top is made from other half of pastry plus
1 ⅓ cup applesauce, sweet or unsweetened and 1 tablespoon lemon juice & zest,
THEN (½ cup white or brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon for topping) Makes 16.
(from Family Circle 1969 but similar at https://platedcravings.com/german-apple-streusel-sheet-cake/ & https://www.365daysofbakingandmore.com/easy-apple-crumb-cake/)
