Name: Apple and brown butter streusel cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 medium pink lady apples, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces; 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, plus 2 tsp extra; 1/2 tsp mixed spice; 1 Tbsp lemon juice; 1 Tbsp brown sugar, plus 1/2 cup extra; 10g unsalted butter, plus 100g extra, at room temperature; 1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest; 2 free-range eggs; 200g sour cream, room temperature; 1 cup self-raising flour, sifted; Double cream, to serve; Streusel topping; 70g unsalted butter; 1/2 cup plain flour; 2 Tbsp rolled oats; 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1/3 cup skinless hazelnuts, chopped; Lemon icing; 1/2 cup pure icing sugar, sifted; 1–2 tsp lemon juice

Warm, spiced, and irresistibly crumbly, this Apple Streusel Cake is everything you want in a cosy bake. With layers of tender apple, rich brown butter, and a golden streusel topping, it’s the perfect treat for afternoon tea, dessert, or a sweet weekend bake.

Ingredients

2 medium pink lady apples, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, plus 2 tsp extra

1/2 tsp mixed spice

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp brown sugar, plus 1/2 cup extra

10g unsalted butter, plus 100g extra, at room temperature

1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest

2 free-range eggs

200g sour cream, room temperature

1 cup self-raising flour, sifted

Double cream, to serve

Streusel topping

70g unsalted butter

1/2 cup plain flour

2 Tbsp rolled oats

1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup skinless hazelnuts, chopped

Lemon icing

1/2 cup pure icing sugar, sifted

1–2 tsp lemon juice

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease and line base and sides of a 20cm springform pan with baking paper.

Step 2

For the streusel topping, place butter in a small saucepan on medium-high heat. Cook 2–3 minutes, until it’s deep golden and smells nutty. Combine remaining streusel ingredients in a bowl. Stir in cooked butter including all sediment. Transfer to a tray lined with baking paper. Chill until needed.

Step 3

Combine apples, cinnamon, mixed spice, lemon juice and brown sugar in a bowl. Heat butter in a large frying pan on medium heat. Add apple mixture and cook, stirring occasionally,
4–5 minutes, until apples soften and liquid evaporates. Set aside.

Step 4

Place extra butter, extra sugar and lemon zest in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium 1–2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add sour cream. Fold in sifted flour and extra cinnamon. Place batter in prepared pan and level.

Step 5

Evenly spoon apple mixture over batter. Crumble over streusel topping. Bake 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 6

For icing, combine icing sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, stirring until spoonable (you may not use all the juice). Drizzle over cake and let set for 10 minutes. Serve with double cream.