Apple-Ginger Streusel Coffee Cake
Moist apple-ginger coffee cake with walnut streusel. Bake in a bundt or 9x13 pan. Tips for substitutions, storage, and perfect texture.
This addictive coffee cake looks pretty when prepared in a bundt pan, but a 9X13-inch pan also works.
Submitted by: Adapted From Taunton’s Fine Cooking from Milwaukee, WI
Yield: Serves eight
- Make and chill the streusel before assembling for a crisp, crumbly top.
- Alternate flour and buttermilk and stop mixing as soon as combined to avoid a tough cake.
- Bake until a skewer comes out clean and the top is firm; cool 15 minutes before unmolding.
Preparation Instructions:
Heat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 10-cup bundt pan and set aside.
For the streusel - Blend the brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, flour and butter with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. Mix in the walnuts and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the cake - Sift together the flour, ground ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the crystallized ginger and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugars, continue to beat until very light. Add the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well before adding the next. Alternately stir in the flour and the buttermilk, until the batter is just mixed. Don’t overbeat or your cake will be tough. Gently stir in the chopped apple.
Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with a third of the streusel. Pour in the remaining batter and top with the remaining streusel. The streusel will sink a little during baking to make a swirl.
Bake until the top of the cake is firm (a skewer inserted in the center should come out clean), about 40 to 45 min. Cool for 15 min. in the pan on a wire rack. Invert the cake onto a serving platter, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake this in a 9x13 pan instead of a bundt pan?
Yes. Use a well greased 9x13 pan or line it with parchment. Because the batter will be shallower, start checking for doneness at 30 to 35 minutes. Total bake time will usually be about 35 to 45 minutes. A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean.
How do I avoid a tough cake?
Do not overmix once you start adding the flour. Alternate the dry ingredients with the buttermilk and stir just until the batter is combined. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling, not by scooping.
What can I use instead of buttermilk?
For 1 cup buttermilk, mix 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup milk and let sit 5 minutes. You can also thin plain yogurt or sour cream with a little milk to reach the same volume.
How should I store or freeze the cake?
At room temperature, keep the cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Refrigerate up to 4 to 5 days. To freeze, wrap whole or sliced cake tightly in plastic and foil and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature and rewarm gently if desired.
Why does the streusel sink into the cake?
Some sinking is expected and creates the swirl pattern. To keep more of the streusel on top, chill it well before adding and use slightly larger crumbs. Avoid pressing streusel deeply into the batter.
Which apples and ginger should I use?
Firm tart apples like Granny Smith or milder Golden Delicious work well. Crystallized ginger adds concentrated ginger flavor and chewy bites. If you prefer less heat, reduce the crystallized ginger or replace it with finely grated fresh ginger.
Can I omit or substitute the walnuts or crystallized ginger?
Yes. For a nut-free version, skip the walnuts or replace them with pumpkin seeds or extra streusel. If you skip crystallized ginger, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground ginger to the batter or use finely grated fresh ginger to taste.
How do I tell when the cake is done?
The top should feel set and spring back slightly. Insert a skewer into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. Let the cake cool in the pan 15 minutes before inverting.
Can I bake this in a 9x13 pan instead of a bundt pan?
Yes. Use a well greased 9x13 pan or line it with parchment. Because the batter will be shallower, start checking for doneness at 30 to 35 minutes. Total bake time will usually be about 35 to 45 minutes. A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean.
How do I avoid a tough cake?
Do not overmix once you start adding the flour. Alternate the dry ingredients with the buttermilk and stir just until the batter is combined. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling, not by scooping.
What can I use instead of buttermilk?
For 1 cup buttermilk, mix 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup milk and let sit 5 minutes. You can also thin plain yogurt or sour cream with a little milk to reach the same volume.
How should I store or freeze the cake?
At room temperature, keep the cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Refrigerate up to 4 to 5 days. To freeze, wrap whole or sliced cake tightly in plastic and foil and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature and rewarm gently if desired.
Why does the streusel sink into the cake?
Some sinking is expected and creates the swirl pattern. To keep more of the streusel on top, chill it well before adding and use slightly larger crumbs. Avoid pressing streusel deeply into the batter.
Which apples and ginger should I use?
Firm tart apples like Granny Smith or milder Golden Delicious work well. Crystallized ginger adds concentrated ginger flavor and chewy bites. If you prefer less heat, reduce the crystallized ginger or replace it with finely grated fresh ginger.
Can I omit or substitute the walnuts or crystallized ginger?
Yes. For a nut-free version, skip the walnuts or replace them with pumpkin seeds or extra streusel. If you skip crystallized ginger, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground ginger to the batter or use finely grated fresh ginger to taste.
How do I tell when the cake is done?
The top should feel set and spring back slightly. Insert a skewer into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. Let the cake cool in the pan 15 minutes before inverting.
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