Ingredients
Scale
For the cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
For the crunchy topping
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
For the glaze
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and set it aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and granulated sugar until evenly combined.
- Add the melted butter, sour cream, beaten eggs, and vanilla to the dry mix. Stir until the batter is smooth and uniform.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Scatter the chopped Granny Smith apples evenly over the top.
- Make the topping by combining the flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Sprinkle this streusel over the apples, covering the surface.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs (no wet batter). If the topping browns too quickly, tent the pan with foil.
- While the cake cools a bit, prepare the glaze: place the brown sugar, apple cider, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and butter melt and the mixture is glossy. Remove from heat.
- Drizzle the warm glaze over the cake once it has cooled for about 10–15 minutes. Serve slices warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Cutting the apples into small, even pieces helps them bake through without making the cake soggy.
- Keep the topping butter cold before cutting it in if you prefer chunkier crumbs, but melted butter works fine for a more cohesive streusel.
- This cake is perfect served slightly warm; a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top turns it into dessert.