Streuselkuchen German Crumb Cake

A light and fluffy vanilla cake topped with a thick layer of German style streusel! 

Streuselkuchen was one of the first cakes that I tried on my first trip to Germany. Although I had heard many wonderful things about the German cakes it wasn’t until I actually went to Germany that I truly experienced the beautiful myriad of cakes and tortes.

Streuselkuchen is traditionally prepared with a yeast dough and then covered with streusel (a German style crumb topping comprised of flour, sugar and butter). But for my version I make a light, fluffy and moist vanilla cake instead and cover it liberally with the streusel topping.

It is also a brilliant idea to add fruit, such as apples, apricots or cherries in between the streusel and cake. Also you could add a pudding layer for an even more rich cake. Regardless of how you choose to make it, I am sure you will love it. Or, if you feel so inclined, take a trip to Germany and try this cake and many others in a local bakery. If you love cake and coffee then the German “Kaffee und Kuchen” a special time of day normally in between lunch and dinner, more frequently enjoyed on weekends, when you enjoy a slice of cake and a cup of coffee with friends and family.

Here’s the recipe:

Streuselkuchen German Crumb Cake

For the cake:

• 1 cup vegetable oil (or butter)
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3 whole eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 TBSP corn starch
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cup thick plain yogurt (e.g. Greek yogurt or strained yogurt)

For the streusel topping:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup butter (very cold & cut into small cubes)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.

Line a baking dish with parchment paper and grease it liberally with butter (I used a 13inch x 7inch glass pan).

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar for a minute or two.

Then add the eggs one by one, whisking well with each addition, and then the vanilla extract.

Then in intervals, add the flour mixture and the yogurt until it is all thoroughly combined.

Pour the cake batter into the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. In the meantime, make the streusel.

To make the streusel: Combine together the flour and sugar in a large bowl and stir well. Then add the very cold butter and using your fingertips or a pastry cutter or a fork, “cut” the butter into the flour and sugar. Basically, what you’re doing here is creating the streusel pieces which is formed from the butter clumping into the flour and sugar. Keep clumping into it forms a chunky streusel.

Then take the cake out of the oven and top it with the streusel in a thick layer.

Bake for another 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when stuck in the cake.

Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes and then carefully lift the cake out of the pan by the parchment paper.

Cut into slices and serve and enjoy!

Guten Appetit!

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