Apple Crumble Cake

Tender apple cake with cinnamon, walnuts, and a buttery crumble

I absolutely love apple pies and have collected quite a few recipes over the years. But this one is among the simplest - especially for beginner cooks and bakers.

There’s no complicated dough to roll out, and the nutty cookie crust comes together in minutes. Add plenty of cinnamon-spiced apples and a creamy sour cream filling, and you have a wonderfully easy autumn dessert.

Ingredients

• 120 g tea biscuits or plain cookies

• 120 g softened butter

• 120 g walnuts, finely chopped

• 6-8 apples

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 100 g sour cream

• 2 eggs

• 3 tbsp powdered sugar

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1-2 tbsp granulated sugar

• A little sugar and butter for preparing the baking dish

• 2 tbsp lemon juice, for the apples (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Use the top-and-bottom heat setting.

Prepare the Crust

Crush the cookies in a blender or food processor. Combine the cookie crumbs with the chopped walnuts and softened butter. Mix until you have a crumbly mixture that holds together when pressed.

Grease a baking dish with butter and sprinkle it lightly with sugar.

Reserve 3-4 tablespoons of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the rest evenly over the bottom of the baking dish and up the sides, forming a crust with edges about 2 cm (¾ inch) high.

Place the dish in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.

Prepare the Apples

Wash the apples, cut them into quarters, and remove the cores. Slice the apples thinly.

If you are preparing them ahead of time, you can place the slices in a bowl of cold water with a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice to keep them from browning.

Make the Filling

Beat the eggs with the powdered sugar until pale and slightly thickened.

Add the sour cream and continue mixing on low speed until everything is well combined.

Drain and thoroughly dry the apple slices. Sprinkle them with the cinnamon and toss well.

Arrange half of the apples evenly over the chilled crust.

Pour the sour cream and egg mixture over the apples.

Arrange the remaining apples neatly over the top and sprinkle them with the granulated sugar.

Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the filling is set.

Finish the Cake

Remove the cake from the oven and sprinkle the reserved nut-and-cookie crumbs over the top.

Mix 1 tablespoon of honey with 1 tablespoon of water and drizzle it over the cake. You can also use a silicone pastry brush to spread it gently over the surface.

Return the cake to the oven for another 8-10 minutes, until the top is lightly golden.

Let it cool slightly before serving.