In a small bowl, stir together the apple pie filling, lemon juice, and extra cinnamon. Spoon this apple mixture evenly over the batter layer in the pan, leaving a small border around the edges. Carefully drop the remaining cake batter in small dollops over the apple filling. Don’t worry about covering it completely—it will spread some as it bakes, creating a beautiful marbled effect. Now, make the crumb topping. In a small bowl, combine the ½ cup flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the cold, cubed butter. Using a fork, pastry cutter, or your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Stir in the chopped nuts if using. Sprinkle this crumb mixture evenly over the entire top of the cake.
Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the top is a deep golden brown, the crumb topping is crisp, and a toothpick inserted into the cakey parts (avoid the apple filling) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The smell is absolutely divine—like a cinnamon-apple heaven. When you pull it out, you might see some bubbly apple filling peeking through, which is exactly what you want. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes to an hour before slicing. This allows the structure to set, ensuring clean cuts and letting the molten apple filling cool to the perfect edible temperature.
Pro Tips for Best Results
I tested the sour cream versus Greek yogurt debate, and while both work, sour cream gave the cake a slightly richer, more tender crumb. Greek yogurt made it a tad tangier and a bit denser. For ultimate luxury, use full-fat sour cream. It makes a noticeable difference in the cake’s moisture and texture.(See the next page below to continue…)