German Applesauce Cake Recipe with Streusel

This German Applesauce Cake Recipe falls under the heading of “Pantry Cake”… meaning you probably have everything you need to bake this cake already on hand (if you are a regular baker). Flour, Sugar, Butter, applesauce. (you don’t even need an EGG!)  Better yet… the cake is prepared, baked, and on the table in an hour. Perfect for any cake emergency…like a bad day at work, or a Tuesday. Before you know it, you are digging your fork into crunchy streusel and smooth applesauce. YUM!

It LOOKS like your average Apfelstreusel Kuchen (Apple Streusel Cake)… but the filling is Applesauce instead of Apple slices. (That’s right, Apple SAUCE takes the place of Apples… no peeling, coring, or slicing.) I found the original for this recipe on a Dr Oetker site… but I made a few adjustments to make it eas.

What makes this German Applesauce cake recipe so easy?

Instead of a different recipe for top and bottom, it’s just one recipe for the base and the streusel. I mixed it up in a food processor, so it zipped together! But a mixer or pastry fork and some elbow grease will work just as well. While the base is getting a pre-bake, just mix jarred/frozen/homemade applesauce with a few ingredients.  Pour it into the shell… top with the rest of the streusel… then tidy the kitchen while it bakes. Easy.

Let the cake cool enough to not burn your tongue before slicing into it!

German Applesauce Cake Recipe with Streusel

German Applesauce Streusel Cake Recipe

Crunchy Streusel covers a filling of tasty applesauce in this easy to make cake.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Servings 11

Equipment

• 1 9" Springform Pan

Ingredients

  

Base and Streusel

• 2 ½ Cups Flour 350 gram
• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 Cup Sugar 200 gram
• 1 Cup Butter (room temperature) 220 gram

Applesauce Filling

• 24 ounces Applesauce approx. 680 gram
• 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• In a mixer or food processor or bowl... combine the flour, baking powder, and sugar. Slowly add the butter 1 Tablespoon at a time. Pulse/mix/cut the butter into the dry ingredients. You want it to look like wet sand... and clump when you pinch it.
• Divide this streusel mixture into ⅔ and ⅓. Press the ⅔ into the bottom and approximately 1 to 1½ inches up the side of a springform pan. You don't want it TOO thick in the corners, so press it in. Thickness should be about ¼ - ⅓ inch across bottom and sides.
• Bake this for 15 minutes
• While the shell is baking, combine the Applesauce, Cornstarch, Vanilla Extract, and Cinnamon in a medium bowl. Make sure not to leave any lumps of cinnamon or cornstarch.
• Add the applesauce mixture to the pre-baked shell.
• Crumble the rest of the streusel mixture over the applesauce evenly. Use your fist to squeeze it so you get bigger bits as well as just crumbs.
• Bake 35 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.

Notes

You can bake this cake in advance and refrigerate until needed. It also freezes well. 

But truly, it tastes best when it's fresh out of the oven...and it's amazing when it's still a little warm.

Keyword Applesauce cake, German Cake recipes

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How Many Apple Cake Recipes Do you NEED??

All of them!

There really is a German Apple Cake recipe for every occasion.

Gedeckter Apfelkuchen (Covered Apple Cake)

Apfel Streuselkuchen (Apple Streusel Cake in a Sheet Pan)

Versunkener Apfelkuchen (Sunken Apple Cake)

Step by Step German Applesauce Cake Recipe with Streusel

Combine the Streusel ingredients. Press 2/3 into the bottom and an inch up the sides of a 9 inch Springform Pan.
Bake 15 minutes.
DO NOT SKIP THIS!!! From personal experience, the bottom will fall out. 

Combine the Applesauce with cornstarch, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. 
Fill the Baked Shell

Crumble the rest of the Streusel mix over the Applesauce.
Squeeze it in your fist to get some bigger crumbs

Bake 35 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack, then remove the sides.
Let cool until it’s cool enough to eat without burning your mouth

Enjoy! with a cup of Kaffee!