Apple Cake with Crumble is a light and vegan dessert for which I found the recipe some time ago on the Dutch Weight Watchers website. In the Netherlands, the apple cake with crumble, which we call apple crumble in Italy, is very popular and appreciated. Here it’s called Appel-kruimeltaart and it’s truly delicious. It’s made similarly to a pie, but instead of placing the typical dough strips on top, a mix of sugar, flour, and margarine crumbs is prepared and placed over the apples irregularly.
I was already pleased to see whole wheat flour among the ingredients, and I also noticed the light margarine: I didn’t know it could be used for making shortcrust pastry. By light margarine, I mean one with a fat percentage of about 40%, whereas butter or traditional margarine have about 80%. Of course, you have to choose a good margarine without hydrogenated fats, usually available in bio stores under various brands.
As you can see from the pictures, I prepared two versions: a taller one in a 9.5-inch pan leaving the peel on the apples, and a lower one in a 10-inch pan with peeled apples. Both versions were very successful in my home. Come read the step-by-step recipe to learn how to make this cake, which is absolutely not difficult to prepare.
Other apple recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 12 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3.5 oz vegetable margarine (40% fat)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1.65 lbs apples
- 1 untreated lemon (juice and grated zest)
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2.8 oz margarine (40% fat)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Points per slice (12 total slices) = 4 WW points
Tools
- Springform Pan
- Springform Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Plastic Wrap
- Lemon Grater
Preparation
Prepare a shortcrust pastry with the indicated quantities of flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and margarine. If necessary, add a little water. Work the dough quickly and form a ball: wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare in a bowl the juice and grated zest of half a lemon. Wash the apples, cut them into quarters, and remove the core. You can leave the peel on the apples or peel them, according to your taste: if the apples are organic, I personally recommend washing them well and leaving the peel. Slice the apples and place them in the bowl, mixing them gradually in the lemon juice so they don’t darken.
Prepare a 9.5-10 inch Ø springform pan (the cake will obviously be higher or lower) with a piece of parchment paper cut to size and placed on the base. Alternatively, I left a link in the tools for a reusable silicone product to line the pan. Remove the shortcrust pastry from the plastic wrap and place it in the center of the parchment paper. Wrap the plastic wrap around your closed fist and press the dough to spread it to the edges of the pan, pressing well against the sides to form the cake’s crust. The plastic wrap is necessary since the dough remains very moist and not very elastic, so using a rolling pin or spreading it with your hands is difficult, but with a bit of wrap, it won’t stick to your fingers and will spread easily. Poke holes with a fork and pour in all the apples, distributing them evenly over the pastry and leveling them well. Preheat the oven to 356°F.
Weigh the remaining ingredients separately for the crumble and the topping. Work the quantities of flour, sugar, and margarine with your fingertips to form the crumble. The mixture should not be smooth but should remain crumbly. Distribute the crumble evenly over the entire surface of the cake.
Mix the topping of sugar and cinnamon well and sprinkle it over the crumble. Bake at 356°F for about 50-55 minutes. After about 40 minutes, check the color of the surface: if it is already well cooked on the surface, place an aluminum foil sheet and continue baking.
Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove the springform pan by removing the ring. Thanks to the parchment paper placed on the base, it will be easier to remove the cake and place it on the serving plate. Once cooled, our Apple Cake with Crumble will be ready to be sliced and enjoyed!
Here in the photo, you see the version made in the 9.5-inch pan, so it’s taller, and leaving the peel on, I prefer it that way!
This cake is also excellent accompanied by a dollop of whipped cream… just don’t overdo it and count the extra Weight Watchers ProPoints. I also liked it very much with my ‘fake cream’, which is just some ricotta whipped into a cream along with a teaspoon of agave syrup: delicious! Let me know how you enjoyed it below in the comments…
Enjoy!
by Giovanna Buono
Storage
This apple cake can be kept for a few days outside the fridge, but the crust will tend to soften. I have never tried freezing it as I never have any left, but I think it can be done, maybe already divided into slices and first wrapped in kitchen paper and then in a freezer bag.
What can I use instead of margarine?
I know many people are wary of margarine. I use one that is free of hydrogenated fats, palm oil, and 100% vegetable, and I use very little of it: especially for making cookies and pastries, as it provides a crispness that can’t be achieved using only oil. But if you prefer to avoid it, you can make this crust with just oil, starting with 1-2 tablespoons instead of margarine and then proceeding as per the recipe. Be sure to redo the Weight Watchers point calculation considering the oil used.
