Apple Crisp Snack Cake

In Canada, apples are available throughout the year. About 100 species of apples are grown in the country. With their bright colors, crisp texture and clean, slightly spicy flavor, apples are the perfect fall icon.

Today’s blog recipe is a bit of a different take on a beloved old classic. Apple crisp is a North American dessert which combines tender apples covered with a delectable crunchy topping. It is one of the common desserts that does not have the regular bottom crust and uses sliced or diced apples, generously doused in cinnamon and sugar, as the bottom layer.

The streusel which covers the apples can employ a wide variety of different flour types, nuts, and oats, commonly combined with butter and sugar. It results in a crumbly topping, which usually completely coats the apples, allowing them to release and cook inside the flavorful juices.

Apple crisp is believed to have stemmed from the British crumble, and today these two classics merely differ in their names. Even though the North American crisp was particularly made with oats, which resulted in a crunchier coating, nowadays both varieties can employ various ingredients.

This warm and spicy ‘apple crisp snack cake’ is a comforting twist on the favorite fall dessert. Filled with apples and topped with more apples, cream cheese drizzle the perfect crispy streusel. Orange pumpkins might be more popular this month, but there’s no better time than now to take advantage of apple fresh season.

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Apple Crisp Snack Cake

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Course

dessert

Cuisine

American

Keyword

apple crisp cupcakes

Servings

SERVINGS MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups apples, shredded (drain if they are overly juicy)

Apple Topping

• 2-3 small apples, peeled & finely diced
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt

Drizzle

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• pinch of salt
• 50 gm cream cheese, softened
• 1 Tbsp butter,
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp milk

Baked Crisp Topping

• 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Course dessert Cuisine American Keyword apple crisp cupcakes Servings SERVINGS MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Cake 1 1/4 cups flour 3 Tbsp cornstarch 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp cardamom 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 3/4 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 large egg white 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 2/3 cup buttermilk 1 - 1 1/2 cups apples, shredded (drain if they are overly juicy) Apple Topping 2-3 small apples, peeled & finely diced 1 tsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp water 1 tsp brown sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp salt Drizzle 1 cup powdered sugar pinch of salt 50 gm cream cheese, softened 1 Tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla 2 Tbsp milk Baked Crisp Topping 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats 1/4 cup flour 2 tsp sugar 2 Tbsp brown sugar 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp nutmeg pinch of salt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

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Instructions

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8 x 8inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Peel, core & grate apples. Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom & salt together in a medium bowl & set aside.
3. Using a mixer, cream butter & sugar until light. Scrape the bowl & add the whole egg, mixing on medium-high for about a minute. Scrape the bowl again & add the egg white & vanilla; mix for another 2 minutes.
4. Alternately fold in flour mixture & buttermilk, then gently fold in grated apples.
5. Pour/spread batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack.

Baked Crisp Topping

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place all ingredients except butter in a bowl. Combine well then add softened butter. Mix until the mixture begins to form pea-sized clusters. Spread mixture evenly on the parchment lined cookie sheet, then bake at 350 F. for 5 minutes. Stir the topping around a bit, then bake for another 5 minutes until it begins to turn golden brown. Let crisp topping cool completely to room temperature. If crisp mixture is too chunky break it up with your fingers slightly.

Apple Topping

1. Place apples , lemon juice & water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until softened, but not falling apart. Add brown sugar, cinnamon & salt. Cook for a minute to dissolve sugar. Remove & cool until cake is baked & ready to top.

Drizzle

1. Sift powdered sugar with salt. Set aside. Cream softened cream cheese & butter with a mixer for about 2 minutes. Add vanilla & mix to combine. Add powdered sugar & slowly incorporate into wet mixture. Add milk & beat to create a drizzle consistency.

Assembly

1. When cake is cool, carefully & evenly spread apple topping over top of cake. Using a small piping bag, drizzle icing over apples (using a spatula, lightly spread a bit of drizzle on sides). Next, top cake with baked crisp topping. Slice & serve.

Recipe Notes

• To make your own buttermilk, place 2 tsp of white vinegar or lemon juice in your measuring cup & add milk to equal 2/3 cup, stir & let stand until room temperature.
• If you prefer cupcakes over the snack cake, no problem. Same idea just a different shape. Your choice!