Dutch Apple Cake

I’m more of a pie person than a cake person.

I had a pie bar at my wedding instead of a traditional wedding cake. I’ll reach for the pie at a party before I’ll reach for a cake. Pie is just a better dessert option in my opinion.

Of all the pies in the world, a traditional cherry pie is probably my favorite. My second favorite is a Dutch apple pie. Dutch apple pie is different from a regular apple pie simply because of its topping. Instead of pie crust, the Dutch apple pie utilizes a crumb/streusel topping. That type of topping works well with the apple pie filling, giving it a crunchy, cinnamony flavor.

While perusing through my cookbook collection the other day, I stumbled upon a Dutch apple cake recipe. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. And just like its pie counterpart, it was just like a regular apple cake—but with a crumbly topping.

This recipe needed some tweaking. The original crumb topping called for NO flour, which is basically impossible (flour needs to coat the butter to keep it from melting) to make a good topping. Even after I added some flour, I didn’t add ENOUGH, meaning my topping still got a little melted. I’ve adjusted the recipe below to make sure whoever makes it will end up with a nice, crispy, crumbly topping.

The vanilla cake beneath the crumbs and apples is exceptionally moist and delicious. This is definitely a recipe I will be trying out again.

Enjoy!