Fresh-Milled Spelt Apple Cider Crumb Cake

A tender autumn cake with reduced apple cider, warm spice, and a buttery spelt crumb topping.

Ingredients

• For the crumb: 80 g fresh-milled spelt flour
• 65 g light brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of fine salt
• 55 g melted unsalted butter
• For the cake: 240 g fresh-milled spelt flour
• 8 g baking powder
• 2 g baking soda
• 4 g fine salt
• 1½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 115 g softened unsalted butter
• 130 g light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs (about 100 g without shells)
• 120 g unsweetened applesauce
• 100 g apple cider, reduced from about 240 g and cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla

Method

1. Simmer 240 g apple cider until 100 g remains, then cool completely. Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment.
2. Make the crumb: stir 80 g flour, 65 g sugar, cinnamon, and salt with melted butter until clumps form. Chill while mixing the cake.
3. Whisk 240 g spelt flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another bowl, cream softened butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then applesauce, cooled cider, and vanilla.
4. Fold the dry mixture into the wet just until no dry flour remains. Rest 10 minutes so fresh flour hydrates. Spread evenly in the pan and scatter crumb over the top.
5. Bake 40–45 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out with moist crumbs and the center springs back. Cool in the pan 20 minutes, then lift out and cool before slicing.

Make it well

Spelt becomes tough if mixed hard after the flour goes in. Keep the batter gentle. Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. This is an original recipe formulated for the site; oven and flour differences may require a few minutes of adjustment.

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