Easy sheet pan fruit crumble cake with a creamy cheesecake layer and buttery streusel. Made with any fruit you have - canned, fresh, or frozen.
This sheet pan fruit crumble cake is one of those easy bakes that just fits into everyday life. Soft cake base, a creamy layer, fruit, and a buttery crumble on top - nothing complicated, just good homemade cake.
It's also very forgiving. Canned apricots, cherries, fresh berries, or whatever you have in the kitchen all work. That's probably why it's such a useful recipe to keep around.
What makes it especially quick is the way it comes together. First, the crumbs, then the batter in the same bowl (so no washing up in between), then the cream cheese layer and fruit. Everything goes straight into the pan and into the oven.
If you like this kind of easy tray bake, you might also like my Cherry Crumb Cake or the Apple Blueberry Crumble - both follow a similar idea with different fruit variations.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Ingredients: 11 + salt | Servings: 20 | Difficulty: Easy
Jump to:
Recipe notes
Fruit: This recipe is very flexible. I used canned apricots and sour cherries, but almost any fruit works: peaches, plums, apples, pears, berries, or rhubarb. If using canned fruit, drain it very well. Frozen fruit can be used straight from the freezer.
For sour cherries, look for cherries packed in juice or light syrup (often labeled "sour cherries" or "Morello cherries"). Avoid cherry pie filling, which is already sweetened and thickened.
- If you like baking with fruit, you might also enjoy my Apple Cherry Crumble or the Sour Cherry Cake, both of which use similar fruit-based baking ideas but in a simpler form.
Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese at room temperature for a smooth, stable layer. Low-fat versions can turn slightly watery after baking.
Pan size: Works best in a 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 inch) baking sheet or a US half-sheet pan (13 × 18 inches). A slightly larger pan is fine - the cake will just be a bit thinner and may bake slightly faster.
Food processor/mixer: A food processor is the fastest option and keeps cleanup minimal. A stand mixer or hand mixer also works for the batter and cream cheese layer.
How to make any fruit crumble cake?
Start with the crumble so it has time to chill. Then use the same food processor bowl for the batter - flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla all mixed into a thick, spreadable base.
That "same bowl, no washing" step is what keeps this recipe fast. It turns what could be multiple steps into one continuous flow.
The cream cheese layer is simply mixed until smooth and spread over the batter. Fruit goes on top, then the crumble finishes everything.
Step-by-step
Step #1 - Make the crumble: Pulse flour, sugar, and cold butter until you get uneven crumbs with some larger pieces. Chill while you continue.
Step #2 - Make the batter: Mix dry ingredients first, then add butter, eggs, and vanilla. Blend until you get a thick, smooth batter.
Step #3 - Spread evenly on the tray and scrape the bowl well.
Step #4 - Make the cream cheese layer: Mix cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth and creamy.
Step #4 - Assemble: Spread cream cheese over the batter.
Step #5: - Add drained fruit.
Step #8 - Top with crumble.
Step #8 - Bake until the top is golden and the center is set. Start checking early if using a larger pan.
Tips
Drain fruit well - especially canned fruit - or the cake can become too soft in the middle.
Don't overthink fruit choices. This cake is meant to be flexible.
Frozen fruit goes in straight from the freezer, no thawing needed.
If you like softer fruit-based bakes, the same idea also shows up in my Rhubarb Sour Cream Cake, just with a slightly different texture.
Storage
Store covered at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated for 3-4 days.
Freezes well in slices. Thaw at room temperature.
More fast and easy cakes
Sign up for our Newsletter to receive new, quick, and delicious recipes in your inbox occasionally! Find me sharing daily meal-time inspiration on Pinterest and Facebook
Give my quick recipes a try for your next family meal! Feel free to reach out if you need any assistance!
📖 Recipe
Any Fruit Crumble Cake
Equipment
- Food processor, stand mixer, or hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Sheet pan 12 x 16 inches / 30 x 40 cm, Note 1
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Cake Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour Note 2
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch fine salt
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter softened
- 5 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling
- 14 oz cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons milk Note 3
Fruit
- 1 large can apricot halves drained (about 17 oz / 480 g drained weight), Note 4
- 1 jar or can sour cherries drained (about 12 oz / 350 g drained weight), Note 5
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the sheet pan with parchment paper.
Make the crumb topping
- Start with the crumb topping so you don't have to wash the food processor bowl between steps.
- Make the crumbs: Place the flour and sugar in the food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pea-sized pieces remaining.1½ cups all-purpose flour + 7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter + ½ cup granulated sugar
- Refrigerate the crumbs: Transfer them to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the cake batter:
- Mix dry ingredients: Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the food processor and pulse briefly to combine.2 cups all-purpose flour + ¾ cup granulated sugar + 2 teaspoons baking powder + 1 pinch fine salt
- Add wet ingredients: Add the softened butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Process until the batter is smooth and thick. Do not overmix.⅔ cup unsalted butter + 5 large eggs + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Spread the batter: Transfer the batter to the prepared baking sheet and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Scrape the bowl thoroughly to remove as much batter as possible before preparing the filling.
Prepare the fruit:
- Drain the apricots and cherries well. If using canned fruit, reserve 3 tablespoons of the juice.1 large can apricot halves + 1 jar or can sour cherries
Make the cream cheese filling:
- Combine: Place the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and milk in the food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, beat the ingredients with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.14 oz cream cheese + ⅓ cup sugar + 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 3 tablespoons milk
Assemble the cake:
- Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the batter.
- Arrange the drained fruit evenly over the cream cheese layer.
- Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the fruit.
Bake:
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is set and the crumb topping is golden brown.
- Serve: Allow the cake to cool before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Baking sheet: If your baking sheet is slightly larger, that's fine. The cake will be a bit thinner and may bake a few minutes faster (around 35 minutes instead of 40). Start checking early and bake until the top is golden and the center is set.
- Measurements: I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale for weighing the ingredients. It guarantees the most accurate results.
- If using canned fruit, you can replace the milk with the same amount of reserved fruit juice.
- Fruit: You'll need about 17 oz (480 g) drained apricot halves. Use one large can or two smaller cans of apricot halves packed in juice or light syrup. The exact amount is not critical.
- Cherries: You'll need about 12 oz (350 g) drained sour cherries. Look for sour cherries packed in water, juice, or light syrup rather than cherry pie filling. The exact amount is not critical.
- Fruit Options: This recipe works with almost any fruit. Try peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, apples, pears, or rhubarb.
- Frozen Fruit: Frozen fruit can be used without thawing. Add it directly from the freezer. Depending on the fruit, you may need to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes.
Comments
No Comments