FRUIT CRUMBLE CAKE – STREUSELKUCHEN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love summertime baking. There is so much fresh fruit available from our farmers’ markets and our own trees in the yard that it is very easy to come up with a quick dessert for a summer barbecue or outdoor pot-luck party. One of my favorite desserts is a fruit crumble cake. This is a sheet cake that has a rich cake base, covered with loads of fresh fruit, and topped with rich crunchy crumbles or streusels. In Germany, this cake is called a Streuselkuchen. The Mennonites call this cake “Platz” or “Plautz‘.

The recipes for this wonderful pastry are as many and varied as the cooks who prepare them, but the basic principle remains – a rich base, loads of fruit in the middle (in the winter, frozen fruit can be used), and crumbles or streusels for the top. The recipes for the crumbles also vary. I like mine to be crunchy, a nice contrast to the juicy fruit nestled below.  More variations of this cake are found in my Cherry Desserts Magic cookbook where I make suggestions on how to incorporate cherries into the cake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For today`s cake I used large firm apricots and strawberries. Any fruit may be used.

Tip: when using a stone fruit – apricots, plums, peaches – place the fruit halves cut side up. This prevents the fruit from making the cake base soggy and you get to enjoy the full flavor of the fruit.

This makes a large sheet cake – I used a 11 x 17 inch jelly roll pan.

Preparation:

Grease or use baking spray on a large jelly roll pan (11 x 17 inch).

Preheat oven: 375°F.

Wash and slice fruit as desired.

Fruit Crumble Cake Base:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

4 eggs

2/3 cup vegetable oil + water to fill 1 cup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
2. Whisk together oil, water, eggs and vanilla.
3. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth thick batter.
4. Spread batter onto a prepared jelly roll pan. Carefully level the batter and push into the corners of the pan using a spatula or your fingers that you keep coated with flour. Work slowly and gently until the batter is spread evenly in the pan.
5. Arrange fruit onto the cake base. Top with crumbles (streusels).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crumbles/Streusels:

1 cup butter or margarine or vegetable shortening or a mixture (I use 2/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup vegetable shortening – this makes a crunchy streusel)

1 ¼ cups sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups or more all-purpose flour

1. Melt butter/shortening in a medium-sized mixing bowl in the microwave.
2. Add sugar and vanilla and stir to dissolve sugar.
3. Add flour and stir with a fork to form crumbles. Add more flour if needed until crumbles are formed.
4. Spread crumbles on top of fruit.
5. Bake cake in a preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and crumbles are a light golden brown.
6. Cool on cooling rack.
7. This cake easily serves 10 – 12. Can be served warm or cold with whipped cream, ice cream or plain.

Tags: apricot cake, crumb cake, Fruit Crumble Cake, Oma's Streuselkuchen, Streuselkuchen

Category: Cakes & Tortes, Cookies & Squares