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My most recent baking project has become creating the perfect crumb cake. There are so many elements that come into play here- texture, topping, density, and overall taste are all vital in formulating a masterpiece. I’m happy to say that I just may be onto something with this recipe.

Fall is high time for all things apple. Nothing makes your house smell better when baking or adds more moisture to your goodies. I choose Granny Smith as a rule, because they have a great tartness about them and retain their texture even when baking for substantial periods of time. Plus, if I have any left over they make the best snack when sliced and served with a baked round of brie, a drizzle of honey and some fresh baguette.

You are probably familiar with the classic pastry technique of incorporating very cold, cubed butter into streusel toppings, to create a divine crumb for these types of cakes. I’ve found amazing results instead, in melting the butter and using it to partially dissolve the sugars, bring out the essence of spices, and bind your crumble topping. This way, by the time you are ready to top your batter, the butter has semi-hardened once again, and it’s easy to crumble it into perfection. The pecans add fantastic crunch, and the richness of the brown sugar is the perfect companion to the buttery cake below.

This cake is best when just cooled and also keeps well when covered at room temperature for a few days. It is not overly sweet, but well balanced instead and gently spiced with seasonal flavors. If you have fresh nutmeg on hand it will be well utilized in this recipe, when grated finely with a microplane. I find it’s a good idea to buy inexpensive whole nutmeg, store it in a small jar with the rest of your spices and it’ll always be at your fingertips. It really is much more fragrant and dynamic than the powdered version and an easy way to add a little something extra to your dishes.

Here’s the recipe:

Apple Pecan Crumb Cake

For the crumb:

¼ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly nutmeg

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ cup oats

½ cup pecan chips

1 cup flour

For the cake:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup sour cream

1 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and diced

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan. Place a round of parchment paper on the bottom of the prepared pan.

Combine the sugars, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Pour the melted butter in and stir. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats and pecans before adding to the sugar mixture. Incorporate fully and set aside while you prepare the cake batter.

Cream together the butter and sugar until whipped and fluffy. Incorporate the eggs one at a time on low speed. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix 1 minute. In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 2 batches and mix until fully combined. Fold in the apple pieces and pour into the prepared pan, spreading into an even layer. Crumble the topping over the batter evenly, going all the way to the edges of the pan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until set in the middle and cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.