A delicious way to celebrate apple season
It’s that time of the year again – apple harvest season. We’ve been given a big bag of freshly picked Pink Pearl apples, which are not only delicious but also beautiful with their naturally pink flesh. To highlight their taste and charm, I decided to bake something truly special: an Apple Crumble Cake with Cream Cheese.
This cake is a true celebration of autumn, with layers of texture and flavour. The sponge is soft and moist, dotted with juicy pieces of apple. It’s topped with a nutty, crunchy crumble that brings a satisfying contrast to every bite. And to take it one step further, I added a luscious cream cheese filling in the middle, which ties it all together. It looks elegant, tastes divine and disappears quickly whenever I serve it.
Why you’ll love this cake
What makes this Apple Crumble Cake with Cream Cheese stand out is its balance of textures and flavours. The sponge is light yet moist, with each bite revealing tender pieces of baked apple. The crumble topping adds crunch, warmth from cinnamon and a nutty note that makes every slice more exciting.
The cream cheese filling is the finishing touch – creamy, tangy and slightly sweet. It complements the sponge perfectly. While the cake is delicious even without it, adding the filling transforms it into something you’d proudly serve at a family celebration, an afternoon tea or even as a dessert to round off a dinner party.
Step-by-step: How to make Apple Crumble Cake with Cream Cheese
Make the crumble topping
In a bowl, mix together light brown sugar, chopped walnuts or pecans (I like using both for more flavour), a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Pour melted butter over the mixture and stir until combined. Sprinkle a little flour and mix again to create that crumbly texture, then set aside.
Prepare the apple sponge batter
Chop the apples into small cubes, not too thin, as you still want to feel the apple’s texture in the sponge. Toss them with a little cinnamon powder and put aside.
In another bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, banking soda, salt and a touch more cinnamon. If you don’t have cake flour, plain flour works well too, cake flour just makes the sponge slightly lighter.
Now for the wet ingredients: beat room-temperature butter and light brown sugar with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Scrape down the bowl then add one egg at a time while mixing on low speed. Once smooth, add Greek yoghurt and a splash of vanilla extract, mixing on low until just combined.
Fold in the dry ingredients on low speed for about 15 seconds, then add the cinnamon-coated apple chunks. You should have a thick batter at this stage.
Bake the apple crumble cake
Divide the batter into two greased and lined tins. Smooth the tops and sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over both. Bake at 160°C (fan assisted) for 40-45 minutes, checking at 40-minute mark. A skewer should come out clean but the cakes should still feel moist.
Make the cream cheese filling
For the filling, beat 200g cream cheese with 200ml double cream, two tablespoons icing sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and whisk until just thickened. Be careful not to overheat or the mixture may split.
Bringing it all together
Once the cakes are cooled, pipe or spread the cream cheese filling over one layer and place the second layer on top. Decorate with extra cream cheese around the edges and garnish with slices of apple for a rustic finish.
The result is a cake that’s moist, crunchy, creamy and absolutely irresistible. Whether served at teatime, for dessert or as a centrepiece for autumn gatherings, this Apple Crumble Cake with Cream Cheese is sure to impress.
Final thoughts
Apple harvest season is the perfect excuse to bake with fresh, local produce. Using Pink Pearl apples gave my cake an extra visual charm but any firm, sweet-tart apples will do. With its layers of flavour and texture, this cake has become one of my favourite bakes.
If you love apple desserts as much as we do, give this recipe a try and let me know how yours turns out!
Head over to the Cake section for more cake recipes.
Apple Crumble Cake with Cream Cheese
Description
This Apple Crumble Cake with Cream Cheese is the perfect bake for apple season. With a soft, moist sponge filled with chunks of fresh apple, a nutty crumble topping, and a creamy layer of cream cheese in the middle, it’s a cake full of texture and flavour. Ideal for afternoon tea, family gatherings, or as a seasonal dessert.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
Crumble Mixture
Wet Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
Instructions
-
Prepare the oven.
- Preheat oven to 160°C fan. Grease and line two 8'' cake tins.
-
Make the crumble.
- Mix the brown sugar, chopped nuts, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
- Pour in the melted butter, stir, then add the flour and mix until crumbly.
- Set aside.
-
Make the sponge batter
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, banking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), cream the softened butter and light brown sugar together on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating low speed until just incorporated.
- Mix the Greek yoghurt and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and beat for just 15 seconds on low speed until combined, do not overmix or the sponge will be dense.
- Fold the cinnamon-coated apple cubes into the batter. The batter will feel thick and chunky.
-
Bake the cake
- Divide the batter between two lined cake tins.
- Sprinkle with crumble topping.
- Bake at 160°C fan for 40-45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
-
Make the cream cheese filling
- Beat the cream cheese, double cream, icing sugar and a pinch of cinnamon until just thickened.
- Don't overbeat.
-
Assemble
- Spread or pipe the filling onto one cake layer.
- Place the second layer on top.
- Add extra filling around the edges and decorate with apple slices if you wish.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 16
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 503.09kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 29.66g46%
- Saturated Fat 14.38g72%
- Trans Fat 0.3g
- Cholesterol 96.9mg33%
- Sodium 307.65mg13%
- Potassium 229.59mg7%
- Total Carbohydrate 55.83g19%
- Dietary Fiber 2.56g11%
- Sugars 34.22g
- Protein 6.16g13%
- Vitamin A 215.63 mcg
- Vitamin C 2.39 mg
- Calcium 126.52 mg
- Iron 2.48 mg
- Vitamin D 0.41 mcg
- Vitamin E 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K 3.28 mcg
- Thiamin 0.29 mg
- Riboflavin 0.25 mg
- Niacin 1.82 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.09 mg
- Folate 22.79 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.23 mcg
- Phosphorus 159.2 mg
- Magnesium 26.34 mg
- Zinc 0.96 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Apple choices: Pink Pearl apples look stunning with their pink flesh, but any firm, sweet-tart apple (like Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Granny Smith) works beautifully.
- Flour: Cake flour gives a lighter texture but plain flour is fine fi that's what you have.
- Don't overmix: Once the dry ingredients are added, mix only until combined, this keeps the sponge soft.
- Storage: The cake will keep 2-3 days in the fridge (in an air-tight container). Bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavour.
