This deep apple streusel cake with blueberries combines buttery shortbread layers with tender fruit filling and a crunchy crumble topping. It’s the German answer to apple crumble, baked in cake form with ground almonds for extra richness.

The base layer is pressed shortbread-style crumble, followed by sliced apples and blueberries tossed in sugar, then topped with more crumble. As it bakes, the fruit softens and releases juice whilst the streusel turns golden and crisp. The result is somewhere between cake, crumble, and fruit tart.

This recipe works beautifully with a mix of eating apples (like Pink Lady or Golden Delicious) and cooking apples (like Bramley or Granny Smith). The eating apples hold their shape whilst the cooking apples break down slightly, creating varied texture. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

This apple streusel cake is the first recipe I decided to make out of Annie Bell’s Baking Bible. Her recipe uses blackberries, which I replaced with blueberries. I also used a mix of Pink Lady apples and Golden Delicious because we don’t get Bramleys in SA. Her recipe calls for 300g eating apples and 200g Bramley (cooking) apples.

Why This Apple and Blueberry Streusel Cake Works

Ground almonds add richness
Almond flour in the crumble creates a more luxurious texture than standard crumble made with just flour. It also keeps the streusel tender rather than tough.

Two types of apples create better texture
Mixing eating apples (firmer) with cooking apples (softer when baked) gives you both structure and sauce. The cooking apples break down and create natural juices.

Cold butter is essential
Keeping the butter chilled ensures the crumble stays crumbly rather than turning into dough. Work quickly and don’t overhandle.

Deep pan prevents overflow
This cake needs a deep tin (at least 7-9 cm) because it’s packed with fruit and streusel. The mixture comes to the top but sinks as it bakes.

Lemon zest brightens the flavour
The citrus cuts through the buttery richness and complements both the apples and berries beautifully.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Ground almonds
Also called almond flour or almond meal. This adds moisture and a subtle nutty flavour. You can substitute with more plain flour, but the texture will be less rich.

Golden caster sugar
This has a subtle toffee flavour, but white granulated sugar works perfectly fine. Don’t use brown sugar as it will darken the streusel too much.

Butter
Must be cold and diced. Salted or unsalted both work. If using salted, you don’t need to add extra salt.

Blueberries or blackberries
Either works beautifully. Fresh or frozen both work, though frozen berries release more juice. Don’t thaw frozen berries before using.

Lemon zest
Use a microplane for the finest zest. Orange zest is a lovely alternative that pairs especially well with blueberries.

Other fruit options
Try rhubarb instead of berries, pears instead of apples, or mixed berries. Stone fruit, like plums or apricots, also works well.

FAQ for Apple Streusel Cake

Can I make this apple streusel cake without a food processor?

Yes. Rub the cold butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips, just like making scones or traditional crumble. Work quickly so the butter stays cold and stop when you reach a coarse crumb texture.

Why doesn’t this recipe include eggs?

This is a streusel-style cake, not a traditional sponge. The structure comes from the shortbread-like crumble rather than eggs. This also makes it accidentally suitable for egg-free diets.

Can I use frozen blueberries?

Absolutely. Don’t thaw them first. Frozen berries will release more juice during baking, which creates a saucier filling. The baking time stays the same.

My streusel turned into dough instead of crumble, what happened?

The butter was too warm or you overworked it. The mixture should stay crumbly like sand, not come together into a dough. Keep the butter very cold and pulse briefly in the food processor.

Can I prepare this ahead?

You can assemble the cake completely (all three layers) and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before baking. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 5-10 minutes to the baking time.

What if the top browns too quickly?

Loosely tent a piece of foil over the top for the last 15-20 minutes of baking. This prevents burning whilst the centre finishes cooking through.

Is this cake suitable for vegans?

Not as written (it contains butter). You could try substituting vegan butter, but I haven’t tested this variation so can’t guarantee results.

Prep Time:35

Cook Time:1

Ingredients

For the streusel:

250 grams 2 cups plain flour
125 grams 1¼ cups ground almonds
200 grams 1 cup golden caster sugar (or white granulated)
250 grams 1 cup + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and diced
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

For the filling:

300 grams about 2 medium eating apples (Pink Lady, Gala, or Golden Delicious), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
200 grams about 1-2 medium cooking apples (Bramley or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and thickly sliced
75 grams ⅓ cup caster sugar
250-300 grams 2 cups blueberries or blackberries, fresh or frozen

To serve:

Icing sugar for dusting
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F) or 170°C (340°F) for fan ovens. Line the base of a 20 cm (8-inch) deep springform tin with baking paper and grease the sides.
Put the flour, ground almonds, lemon zest, and 125 grams of the caster sugar in a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine. Add the cold diced butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Don’t overwork it or it will become dough.
Using a spoon, press half the crumble mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared tin, packing it down like shortbread.
Mix the sliced apples with the remaining 75 grams of caster sugar and the blueberries. Spoon this fruit mixture evenly over the crumble base.
Scatter the remaining crumble mixture over the top, covering the fruit completely. It should come right to the top of the tin. The mixture will sink slightly as it bakes.
Bake for 60 minutes until the streusel topping is deep golden brown. If it’s browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the final 15-20 minutes.
Let cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes before removing. The cake is delicious served warm or at room temperature.
Dust with icing sugar and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Notes

Storage Instructions

Store apple and blueberry streusel cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Cover loosely with foil rather than cling film to prevent the streusel topping from becoming soggy. The crumble top will soften slightly in storage but crisps up again when reheated.

Reheat individual slices in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 8-10 minutes to restore the crisp topping. Microwave works in a pinch but won’t crisp the streusel.

You can freeze this cake for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly in cling film, then foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.

Freezing changes the apple texture slightly (they become softer), but the flavour remains excellent.

Servings: 8

RECIPES:

Apple and Blueberry Streusel Cake

Why This Apple and Blueberry Streusel Cake Works

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

FAQ for Apple Streusel Cake

Can I make this apple streusel cake without a food processor?

Why doesn’t this recipe include eggs?

Can I use frozen blueberries?

My streusel turned into dough instead of crumble, what happened?

Can I prepare this ahead?

What if the top browns too quickly?

Is this cake suitable for vegans?

Deep Apple and Blueberry Streusel Cake

Ingredients

For the streusel:

For the filling:

To serve:

Instructions

Notes

Storage Instructions

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