Description
A moist and flavorful apple sheet cake topped with a cinnamon pecan streusel, perfect for fall gatherings or a cozy dessert. This easy-to-make cake combines tender apples with warm spices and a buttery crumble topping, baked in a single sheet pan for simple serving and cleanup.
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups cake flour (all-purpose also works)
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3-4 apples (peeled and diced)
Pecan Streusel Topping
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
- 2 cups very finely chopped pecans (using a food processor or walnuts)
- 3/4 cup sugar (granulated or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper and set it aside for easy cake removal.
- Chop Apples: Peel and dice 3 to 4 apples and set them aside for topping the cake later.
- Make Streusel: In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, finely chopped pecans, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir with a fork until the mixture is well blended. Set aside.
- Beat Eggs and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, whisk together the sugar and eggs for 1-2 minutes until slightly frothy to incorporate air into the batter.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the melted butter and milk to the egg mixture and whisk on low speed until combined well.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract to the wet ingredients. Mix on the lowest speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix to keep the cake tender.
- Transfer Batter: Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13 pan, spreading it evenly.
- Add Apples and Streusel: Spread the diced apples evenly over the cake batter. Then crumble the pecan streusel mixture evenly over the top of the apples.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving. This ensures clean slices and lets the flavors set.
Notes
- You can substitute walnuts for pecans in the streusel topping if desired.
- Using room temperature eggs and milk helps the batter mix more evenly for better texture.
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of salt to the cake batter to balance sweetness.
- The cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- Reheat slices gently in the microwave for a warm treat.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
