Chilean Apple Crumb Cake (Kuchen de Migas)

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
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Updated on 01/5/22
Chilean Apple Crumb Cake - Kuchen de Migas

The Spruce / Marian Blazes

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Yield: 1 cake

This Chilean apple treat has German origins. Many German dishes have taken hold in Chilean cuisine, with local adaptions of course - such as pan de pascua (a Christmas cake similar to stollen) and berlines (German-style doughnuts filled with dulce de leche), as German immigrants brought their recipes from home.

The German word for cake, kuchen, is commonly used to describe cakes in Chile. The same phenomenon occurred in Southern Brazil, where many Germans also settled, though the word kuchen changed slightly to "cuca" in Portuguese. Migas is the Spanish word for crumbs (or streusel topping, in this case).

This Chilean-style kuchen is quite similar to traditional German Apfelkuchen, with a shortcrust filled with a custard-like batter, fruit, and a crumb topping. Another variety of Chilean-style apple kuchen is similar to an apple tart, with a lattice crust in place of the streusel topping. 

In the kuchen pictured, we used applesauce plus some leftover cranberry sauce we happened to have.

Ingredients

For the Base:

  • 12 tablespoons (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/3 cup cornstarch

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

  • 2 cups applesauce, or 1 1/2 cups fruit jam of your choice

For the Topping:

  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

  • 12 tablespoons [3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

  • Confectioners' sugar, for dusting, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

  3. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. 

  4. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.

  5. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. 

  6. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until mixed.

  7. Add the vanilla and mix briefly. 

  8. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.

  9. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/egg mixture and beat until just mixed. 

  10. Press the dough into the prepared springform pan, pressing it evenly along the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

  11. Prick the bottom with a fork in several places.

  12. Chill in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.

  13. Bake the crust for 15 minutes.

  14. Remove from the oven. 

  15. While the crust is pre-baking, prepare the crumb topping. 

  16. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, and salt. (add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon if desired).

  17. Slowly add the melted butter while stirring with a fork, until mixture breaks up into even crumbs. 

  18. Spread the fruit filling over the pre-baked base.

  19. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the fruit. 

  20. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until crumb topping is lightly browned.

  21. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before releasing pan.

  22. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

  23. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

  • You can also use thinly sliced apples, tossed with some sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour or cornstarch. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
730 Calories
36g Fat
96g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 730
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g 47%
Saturated Fat 22g 112%
Cholesterol 138mg 46%
Sodium 507mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 96g 35%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 54g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 70mg 5%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 141mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)