GRANDMAS APPLE CRUMBLE CAKE
ÄPPELKAKA
My grandmother was not a baker, but one thing she used to make was äppelkaka, and we loved it! She would serve the apple cake warm in a bowl, and pour over cold vanilla sauce, and this was heaven! The crunch from the crumble, the tartness from the apples, and the fragrant cake with cinnamon and cardamom perfectly married in a symphony of flavour in the soft cake. Then the velvety soft vanilla sauce poured over.
As kids we used to want heaps of vanilla sauce, mum would say no, but grandma always said yes, and that's why she started serving the apple cake in bowls.
1. PREP TIN & APPLES
Preheat your oven to 180°C (conventional) or 165°C (fan-forced).
Line the base of a 25 cm round cake tin with baking paper and grease the sides. to prevent sticking.
Core and thinly slice 3 medium sized apples, cutting each slice roughly the same thickness so they cook evenly.
Tip: A firm, apple like Pink Lady holds its shape best during baking and balances the sweetness of the cake. Kanzi or Granny Smith also work well.
2. PREPARE THE VANILLA SAUCE
In a small saucepan, bring 200ml milk to the boil, then remove it from the heat. In a bowl, whisk 2 egg yolks together with bag d, then slowly whisk in the hot milk to temper the eggs. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook gently over low heat, whisking continuously, until thickened. Remove from the heat, whisk in 15g butter, then transfer to a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the sauce to stop a skin forming, and place in the fridge to chill.
Tip: Keep the heat low and don't rush this step. If the milk mixture gets too hot too quickly, the egg yolks can scramble instead of thickening smoothly.
4. PREP CRUMBS
In a small bowl, combine bag e with 75g melted butter and mix with your fingertips or a fork until chunky, uneven crumbs form. Set the bowl aside.
Tip: Aim for a mix of larger and smaller crumbs rather than a uniform texture. This gives the topping a better contrast of crunchy and soft once baked.
3. WHISK EGG AND SUGAR
Melt 100g butter and stir in the 80ml milk, then set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk bag b and 3 eggs on high speed for about 6 min, until the mixture becomes thick, pale, and fluffy.
Sift bag c into the egg mixture in 3 batches, gently folding after each addition to keep the air in the batter.
Slowly add the cooled melted butter a little at a time, whisking gently until just combined.
Tip: Make sure the melted butter mixture has cooled before folding it in. If it's still warm, it can deflate the eggs and make the sponge dense instead of light.
This step is key for a light cake, don’t rush it. The mixture should leave a ribbon trail when lifted.
5. BAKE THE CAKE
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula. Arrange the sliced apples evenly over the batter, slightly overlapping them in a nice pattern. Sprinkle the crumbs you made earlier evenly over the apples, right to the edges of the tin.
Tip: Slightly overlapping the apple slices, rather than laying them flat side by side, helps cover the surface fully even with only 3 apples and gives a neater finished look.
6. BAKE THE CAKE
Bake on the middle rack for 70 to 75 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. At around the 55 minute mark, loosely cover the cake with foil to stop the crumble browning too quickly while the centre finishes cooking. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before removing.
Serve the cake with the vanilla sauce poured generously over each slice. Enjoy your delicious Swedish Apple Crumble Cake!
Tip: Every oven runs slightly differently, so start checking with a skewer a little before the time is up. It should come out clean, not wet, but a few moist crumbs are fine.
Storage
Room temperature (2 days): Best eaten the day it's made, or stored briefly at room temperature in an airtight container. Because the crumble topping and vanilla sauce are meant to be served warm and separately, this isn't a cake that benefits from sitting out for multiple days like a glazed cake would.
Refrigerator (3–4 days): Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge. The crumble will soften over time as it absorbs moisture from the apples, so it won't stay as crisp as fresh. Reheat gently in the oven before serving to help crisp the top back up.
Vanilla sauce: Store separately in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Don't store at room temperature since it contains egg yolks and milk.
Freezing (up to 2 months): The sponge and apple layer freeze well, but the oat crumble topping tends to lose its crunch after thawing since oats absorb moisture readily. If freezing, wrap tightly without the vanilla sauce, thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven to help restore some texture to the topping. Don't freeze the vanilla sauce, it can split when thawed.