Easy Torta Sbriciolata (Italian Apple Crumble Cake)

My Italian Apple Crumble Cake-Torta Sbriciolata alle Mele is a delicious Italian apple crumble cake. It is perfect to enjoy for breakfast or an afternoon break with a hot cup of coffee.

Fall has officially arrived and we are finally making delicious desserts with apples. I couldn't wait to make this Italian Apple Crumble Cake (Torta Sbriciolata alle Mele). If you have been following my blog for a while, you know I just love baking with apples!

This lovely cake is really easy to put together and is totally no-fuss! Sbrisolana is a cake you can find in Mantua in the Lombardy region of Italy. You may find the same cake in the Veneto region called rosegota and they also make a cake like this in the city of Verona and it's very soft and has even more crumbs as it's made without eggs.

In the dialect of Lombady, sbrisolana means crunchy (it's not really that crunchy when you take a bite) and it reminds me of a streusel topping I make for many of my quick breads and other desserts. Sbrisolana is dialect for sbriciolata. I love the name sbriciolata (pronounced: sbree-cho-LAH-ta). One of my favorite words is briciola, which means crumb.

My mother-in-law lives in the Lombardy area near Como most of the year and she shared this recipe with us. She usually makes this apple cake or even this one, but this crumble cake is also quite a hit!

Like most of the cakes in Italy and that Teresa makes (my MIL), this is pretty simple and nothing fancy. There isn't gobs of frosting and there aren't a lot of steps to put it together, but it is delicious!!

Why you'll love this torta sbriciolata

• Crumbly texture: The crust and topping of this sbriciolata have a crumbly, buttery texture that's both satisfying and delicious.
• Fruity filling: The apple filling is made with fresh, juicy Granny Smith apples, and is sweetened with a touch of apricot jam and cinnamon. It's the perfect contrast to the crumbly crust and topping.
• Citrus flavor: The addition of lemon rind to the crust and topping adds a bright, zesty flavor that complements the sweetness of the apples.
• Easy to make: While sbriciolata may sound fancy, it's actually quite simple to make. The ingredients are easy to find, and the recipe doesn't require any special equipment or techniques.
• Versatile: Sbriciolata is a versatile dessert that can be served for breakfast, brunch, or as a dessert. It's perfect for sharing with friends and family.
• A taste of Italy: Sbriciolata is a traditional Italian dessert that's not often seen outside of Italy. Making it at home is a great way to bring a taste of Italy to your kitchen!

Have you been enjoying colder temps? So have we! It actually went down to the 60's this past Sunday and we missed it. We went to beautiful Boston to see some dear friends and to eat! Boston is one of my favorite places.

There are so many cool and hip restaurants. We walked by an Italian restaurant called Sportello that is just beautiful and had desserts at Pastoral (and even a pretty amazing pizza Margherita).

The concierge recommended Lucky's Lounge near our hotel for burgers and it was a great recommendation. Lucky's Lounge used to be a speak easy and has a super cool vibe, great service and food. We tried to get into Shojo noodles in Chinatown for some ramen.

I read online a really great review, but when we got there the hostess said there was a 1.5 hour wait (on a weeknight, no less). The music was super loud and it was filled mostly with high bar tables (not a kid friendly place).

We ended up eating at a much smaller place that was super quirky with Asian music videos playing on a big screen TV when you walk in. They had great appetizers and even delicious sushi.

Ingredients to make this apple crumble cake

CRUST AND TOPPING:

• 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour: provides the structure and bulk of the crust and topping.
• 2 teaspoons baking powder: helps the crust and topping rise and become slightly fluffy.
• Lemon rind from one lemon use organic: adds a bright citrus flavor to the crust and topping.
• 1 cup of sugar plus 2 Tablespoons for the apples: adds sweetness to the crust and topping, and some of it is also used to sweeten the apple filling.
• Dash of salt: enhances the flavor of the crust and topping.
• 8 Tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces: adds richness and flakiness to the crust and topping.
• 2 eggs room temperature, lightly beaten: binds the crust and topping together and helps it hold its shape.

FILLING:

• 4 apples peeled and cut into small pieces, I used Granny Smith: provides the fruity filling for the sbriciolata.
• Juice of one lemon: adds acidity to the apple filling and helps prevent the apples from browning.
• 1 Tablespoon apricot jam: adds a sweet and fruity flavor to the apple filling.
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon: adds warmth and spice to the apple filling.

How to make this Italian apple cake

CRUST AND TOPPING

1. Place the flour and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the lemon rind, granulated sugar and salt and pulse again.
2. Add the cold butter pieces and pulse until you get a sandy texture (about 6-8 pulses. Be sure the butter is broken up in the flour and there are no large chunks.
3. Transfer the flour mixture to a clean counter (or a bowl)and incorporate the eggs gently with your hands to get large crumbs. The dough should stay more crumbly than combined. Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes.
4. While dough chills, heat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch spring form pan or round cake pan with parchment paper. I sprayed my paper and pan all around with non-stick baking spray.
5. Prep apples also while dough is chilling.

FILLING

1. In a small skillet, add in the apples, 2 Tablespoons sugar, lemon juice, apricot jam and cinnamon. Cook on medium-low heat for about 8-10 minutes until the apples are tender (it took my apples 10 minutes to have the right consistency after baking). Remove from the heat and set aside while you finish prepping the dough in the cake pan.
2. Once dough is chilled, place ¾ of your crumbly dough on the bottom of the pan and with a spoon, press it and push some up the sides of the pan.
3. Place the apples on top of the crust.
4. Sprinkle on the rest of the crumbly dough on top of the apples making sure to get the corners and covering the apples. Press gently to make sure the crumbs stick together taking care that they are still crumbly.
5. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool completely in pan. Remove when ready to serve and dust lightly with confectioner's sugar.

Substitutions and Variations for Torta Sbriciolata

Substitutions:

• All-purpose flour: You could use a gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
• Butter: You could substitute the butter with vegan butter or coconut oil to make this recipe dairy-free.
• Sugar: You could use coconut sugar or brown sugar instead of white sugar to add a different flavor to the crust and topping.
• Apples: You could use other types of apples instead of Granny Smith apples. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Gala apples would also work well.
• Apricot jam: You could use peach, raspberry, or strawberry jam instead of apricot jam for a different flavor.

Variations:

• Berry filling: Instead of using apples, you could use fresh or frozen berries like raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries for a different fruity filling.
• Nutty topping: You could add chopped nuts like almonds, pecans, or walnuts to the topping for a crunchy texture and nutty flavor.
• Chocolate chips: You could add chocolate chips to the topping or the filling for a decadent twist.
• Spices: You could experiment with different spices in the filling, like ginger, nutmeg, or cardamom, to add a different flavor to the sbriciolata.
• Lemon glaze: You could make a simple lemon glaze by mixing powdered sugar and lemon juice and drizzling it over the sbriciolata for added sweetness and tanginess.

Expert Tips for making Sbriciolata

• Use cold butter: It's important to use cold butter when making the crust and topping. This helps create the crumbly texture that sbriciolata is known for. You can even chill the butter in the freezer for a few minutes before using it.
• Don't overmix: When incorporating the butter into the flour mixture, be careful not to overmix it. You want to pulse it just enough to get a sandy texture with no large chunks of butter. Overmixing can result in a dense and tough crust.
• Chill the dough: After incorporating the eggs, it's important to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. This helps the butter solidify and the dough to firm up, making it easier to work with.
• Line the pan with parchment paper: To ensure easy removal of the sbriciolata from the pan, it's a good idea to line it with parchment paper. You can also spray the paper and pan with non-stick baking spray for added insurance.
• Press the crust gently: When pressing the dough into the bottom of the pan, be gentle to avoid compacting it too much. Press it just enough to form a crust, and push some of it up the sides of the pan.
• Use a spoon to spread the filling: When spreading the filling over the crust, use a spoon to distribute it evenly. Be careful not to pour any excess liquid onto the crust, as this can make it soggy.

FAQ'S

This isn't what you expect when you make a typical American crumb cake. The bottom of the cake is also a layer of crumbly dough as opposed to a more fluffy cake or really soft quick bread you will find in an American recipe.

And since it's made with sweet fall apples, this could be the most perfect dessert to serve at Thanksgiving or mix it up with another fruit filling. I used Granny Smith apples, but you could experiment with different apples or a combination to get a different texture and sweetness.

Some other apple desserts to enjoy:

• Cinnamon Apple Banana Bread
• Sourdough Discard Apple Cake
• Salted Caramel Apple Pie
• Apple Banana Bread
• No-Bake Summer Treats!
• No-Bake Strawberry and Mascarpone Cheesecake-Sbriciolata con Fragole e Mascarpone
• BEST Easy Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping
• Strawberry Crumble Bars

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5 from 2 votes

Easy Torta Sbriciolata-Apple Crumble Cake

A delicious Italian apple crumble cake that is perfect to enjoy for breakfast or an afternoon break with a hot cup of coffee.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: apples

Servings: 1 9-inch springform pan

Calories: 188kcal

Author: Lora

Ingredients

CRUST AND TOPPING

• 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• lemon rind from one lemon use organic
• 1 cup of sugar plus 2 Tablespoons for the apples
• dash of salt
• 8 Tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces
• 2 eggs room temperature, lightly beaten

FILLING

• 4 apples peeled and cut into small pieces I used Granny Smith
• juice of one lemon
• 1 Tablespoon apricot jam
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

CRUST AND TOPPING

• Place the flour and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the lemon rind, granulated sugar and salt and pulse again.
• Add the cold butter pieces and pulse until you get a sandy texture (about 6-8 pulses. Be sure the butter is broken up in the flour and there are no large chunks.
• Transfer the flour mixture to a clean counter (or a bowl)and incorporate the eggs gently with your hands to get large crumbs. The dough should stay more crumbly than combined. Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes.
• While dough chills, heat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch spring form pan or round cake pan with parchment paper. I sprayed my paper and pan all around with non-stick baking spray.
• Prep apples also while dough is chilling.

FILLING

• In a small skillet, add in the apples, 2 Tablespoons sugar, lemon juice, apricot jam and cinnamon. Cook on medium-low heat for about 8-10 minutes until the apples are tender (it took my apples 10 minutes to have the right consistency after baking). Remove from the heat and set aside while you finish prepping the dough in the cake pan.
• Once dough is chilled, place ¾ of your crumbly dough on the bottom of the pan and with a spoon, press it and push some up the sides of the pan.
• Place the apples on top of the crust.
• Sprinkle on the rest of the crumbly dough on top of the apples making sure to get the corners and covering the apples. Press gently to make sure the crumbs stick together taking care that they are still crumbly.
• Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool completely in pan. Remove when ready to serve and dust lightly with confectioner's sugar.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Nutrition

Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 327mg | Sodium: 981mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 528IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 563mg | Iron: 3mg

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