Apple Streusel Cake

This apple streusel cake is the best apple cake that I have made so far. It's very light, not too sweet, and absolutely delicious. The pecan topping adds a lovely crunchy texture to the cake, and tasted almost like peanut butter crumble.

I made a few changes to the original recipe. I replaced the mixed spice with cinnamon because I love the combination of apple and cinnamon. For me, nothing beats that. I also used soft dark brown sugar for the cake instead of light brown muscovado sugar, and it works fine.

The recipe calls for 500 grams of apples. I weighed the apples before I peeled and diced them.

If you like apple cake, you will need to try this...

Apple Streusel Cake
(Adapted from GoodFood)

Pecan Topping
50 grams pecans
50 grams plain flour
25 grams of soft dark brown sugar
25 grams of butter, diced

Cake
140 grams unsalted butter, soften
150 grams firmly packed soft dark brown sugar
2 eggs
225 grams self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon milk
500 grams granny smith apples (about 2-3 apples), peeled, cored, diced.

Heat oven to 160 degree celcius fan force. Line a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper, leaving a 1in collar above the tin (I skipped this step because I used a non-stick tin with removable base).

Place the topping ingredients in a small food processor and blitz to a crumbly texture. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

To make the cake, beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy, then gradually add the eggs, one at a time, continuing to beat until fully combined.

Sift in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Add the milk and apples, then fold everything together. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle over the topping.

Bake for 1 hr 10 mins, until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Take out of the oven and cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.