Friday, September 14, 2012

Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake

Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake

For those of you who will be celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the holiday begins at sundown on Sunday evening and includes eating sweet apples as part of the festivities. For those of you not celebrating Rosh Hashanah, apple season begins in autumn and includes eating many delicious apple desserts. In our house, we celebrate both!

Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake
Rosh Hashana (literally the head of the year) is the Jewish New Year and families will gather to enjoy each others company and feast lavishly. We always head to Brian's mother's house where the guest list includes my family, his family, siblings and various friends who have attended for many years. But both our mothers are up there in years and neither can create the entire feast anymore. And so, various courses have been parsed out to various siblings and I am in charge of vegetables and dessert (and interesting pairing, don't you think?)

Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake
As I said, eating sweet apples is part of the holiday tradition so it seemed logical to bake an apple cake. A moist, cinnamon scented cake with plenty of sweet apples and a generous cinnamon crumb topping because...well, everyone knows the crumb topping is the best part! So, Shana Tova (good year) and happy apple season. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Crumb Topping Layer:
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 Stick unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
Dash of salt

Cake Layer:
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
3/4 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Teaspoon grated lemon zest
2/3 Cup sour cream
1 1/4 Cups all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
2 Apples, peeled, cored and diced *
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake
To make the crumb topping, combine the sugar, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar together using either a stand mixer or a hand mixer. Add the eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and sour cream and continue mixing until combined. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the batter. Add the apples and mix just until combined.

* I used Red Delicious apples because I like a softer consistency.If you prefer a firmer texture, use Granny Smith apples instead.

To assemble the cake, pour the cake layer batter into a greased 9" round spring-form pan (you can also bake this in a 9" square baking dish). Crumble the crumb topping evenly over the batter and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before removing from the spring-form pan. Dust the top with confectioner's sugar before serving. Makes approximately 10 servings.

24 comments:

  1. Absolutely stunning photos.. I didn't even know what it was on the plate it looked fantastic.. now that I re read after stopping dead in my tracks looking at the photos I want to eat every delicious bite!

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  2. Happy new year!! :) That apple crumb cake seems like a great idea--and it looks suuuper yummy!

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  3. Crumb cake is one of the best treats to go with coffee. Breakfast, snack, or anytime. This with the apples and cinnamon is one that would call my name until I ate every single last crumb. YUM!

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  4. Your photos are amazing! The recipe looks divine, I am an apple cake lover so I'll save these recipe with lots of joy :)

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  5. Sounds good. Thanks for linking up with us at Foodie Friends Friday. Dawn a fellow blogger and host
    http://spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

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  6. It's wonderful that you can celebrate with family. You did a beautiful job on this apple cake. I have two softball sized apples waiting to be put to use. Now I know what I'll do with them.

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  7. I used to work in a bakery that served an area with lots of Jewish people. They would always make special desserts for all of the holidays. I swear they make the best treats. I think I just might make this as a coming home surprise for my husband.

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  8. Oh, how I love apple cake...the ol' hubby is not so smitten. I need an excuse to make this! Wishing you a sweet new year~

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  9. So excited is apple season :) Your crumb cake sounds so delicious! I love a warm cinnamon crumb cake in the fall, yum!

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  10. Anita this looks absolutely amazing! I love anything apples!! Can't wait to give this one a try!

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  11. I'll be right over. But I'm bringing a spoon, not a fork kinda of a gal.

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  12. apple, cinnamon, crumb, cake - those are the magic words, Anita! :)

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  13. Oh, man, anything with apples and crumb topping is a winner in my book. Happy New Year to you! :)

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  14. What a beautiful fall dessert. I use to work for a Jewish family in Denver, and I miss joining in the celebrations. Thank you for sharing with me!

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  15. This looks incredible Anita! So putting me in the mood for fall!! :)

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  16. One of the great things September brings is apple season and for the next month or so the orchards here in the mountains are brimming with ripe juicy delicious apples and our kitchen smells of apples prepared in what seems like a hundred different ways. One hundred and one, now. This looks really good!

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  17. I am loving all the apple recipes all over the place lately, this looks amazing!

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  18. This is the perfect cake. I consider anything with a crumb topping fair game for breakfast, and with apples in it, I can call it healthy! I will be making this soon! Happy Rosh Hashanah! Pinned.

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  19. My husband told me to look out for apple desserts and cakes. ^.^

    Looks wonderful and tempting, I think I d like that with some ice cream... mhmm

    Thanks for sharing and enjoy your holidays! =)

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  20. What are the best kind of apples to use in this recipe

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  21. You can really use any apples you like. I prefer softer apples so I used Red Delicious (Golden Delicious would also work as a soft apple). If you like firmer apples, Granny Smith is a good choice.

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  22. Looks tasty thank you

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