Play with Fruit

BENEATH THE STREUSEL, German crumb cakes often have a layer of colorful fruit. “[It] can vary in different seasons,” Schuhbeck says, noting that apples, cherries, apricots, and prunes are popular. According to Beranbaum, adding fruit sparingly is key—a little moistens the cake, but too much causes sogginess. (She also suggests cutting larger fruits thick enough to retain a little bite.)

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