Tuesdays with Dorie: Apple Crumb Cake

Riddle me this: how is it that I can be completely unimpressed with a dessert and still eat half of it, standing up at the kitchen counter? THAT is a mystery for the ages.[Another mystery for the ages is why it is so difficult to photograph powdered sugar without it becoming an electric-white eyesore. Please enlighten me immediately.]

So yeah, this was another 'meh' entry for me, but I can't write it off entirely. I think with a few tweaks, I could grow to love it.

A few problems were of my own creation. I didn't have walnuts for the crumb topping so I used almonds, which I didn't like at all--way too strong. And instead of blueberries, I used sauteed apples that were caramelized with some butter and brown sugar. I thought apple cake seemed way more salivation-worthy than blueberry cake, but I was apparently mistaken. The apples were plentiful, but didn't add enough flavor, or moisture. The cake just wasn't exciting and it was a bit dry...
...which brings me to my next point. The 8x8 pyrex pan I baked this in (the recommended pan, no less) was insane. These were some mondo, honkin slices of cake. And the pyrex caused the edges and bottom to get really, really brown before the center was done. Next time I'd do it in a 9x9 pan (not pyrex!) to make a cake that doesn't resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and that doesn't get extra tasty crispy around the edges.
But with all that being said, I compulsively nibbled the moist center in between taking these photos, so I obviously can't complain too much. In fact, I could go for some apple crumb cake right now...