There’s something irresistible about a warm slice of apple coffee cake fresh from the oven. Moist, tender and buttery cake is layered with sweet spiced apples, topped with a cozy cinnamon spiced crumble. This easy apple coffee cake is simple enough for a weekend breakfast but special enough for brunch, holidays, or a cozy afternoon treat. If you love homemade apple desserts with warm cinnamon flavor that pair perfectly with a cup of coffee, this is a recipe you’ll want to bake all season long.
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Why Make This Recipe
I absolutely adore a delicious coffee cake recipe. My Blackberry Coffee Cake, Buttermilk Coffee Cake, Banana Coffee Cake, Pumpkin Coffee Cake and Coffee Cake Muffins are just a few coffee cake recipes I love from the blog. This easy apple coffee cake is filled with fresh apples and the coziest flavors and textures of the season.
- Layers of flavors and textures. From the soft and fluffy vanilla cake layered with warmly spiced apples, to the sweet cinnamon spiced streusel, this apple crumb cake will delight your senses.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. This homemade apple coffee cake tastes like you just bought it from a bakery, but is so simple to make. Simply make the streusel, mix up the buttermilk coffee cake with apples, bake and enjoy.
- Perfectly cozy and perfect for cozy seasons. The light, fluffy and tender vanilla coffee cake is flavored with vanilla, cinnamon and apples and is perfect for fall breakfast, brunch or dessert.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This apple buttermilk crumb cake is as easy to make as it is delicious. Here are the ingredients needed, as well as my recommended substitutions to make this streusel topped apple cake if you need them.
- All Purpose Flour: To make this apple crumble cake gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. I recommend using the weight of flour (240 g) rather than cup for cup.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These both act as leaveners in this coffee cake.
- Ground Cinnamon: Feel free to use your preferred warming spices. Apple pie spice, chai spice or even pumpkin spice would all be delicious in place of ground cinnamon.
- Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: This apple crumb cake recipe calls for granulated sugar and light brown sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter in place of the unsalted butter. Just make sure to omit the added salt. Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Buttermilk: This ingredient is standard in the classic coffee cake. However, a thick and creamy greek yogurt or full fat sour cream works well in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Apples: Use apples meant for baking. I personally love using Granny Smith apples. Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples also work well.
How To Make
Learn how to make apple coffee cake in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Lightly grease and line the bottom and two sides of a 9 x 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the streusel topping. Work in the melted butter until a sand like texture develops. There will be a few bigger crumbs, but most should be finer, smaller pieces. Place the bowl in the fridge until the coffee cake is ready for topping.
- Make the apple filling. Peel, core and dice the apples into ½ inch cubes. Add the prepared apple pieces to a large mixing bowl along with light brown sugar, cornstarch and ground cinnamon. Mix all the ingredients together until the apple pieces are fully coated. Set aside for now.
- In a medium bowl whisk the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and light brown sugars together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2-3 minutes on medium speed. On low, cream in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Alternating dry ingredients and buttermilk, mix in ? of the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat until all the ingredients are just combined.
5. Evenly spread about ⅔ of the coffee cake batter into the prepared pan. Evenly layer all of the apple filling on top of the cake batter. Top the apple filling with the streusel, making sure to break any extra large pieces into smaller pieces.
6. Bake the coffee cake for 45 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the apple coffee cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool the pan in the pan for 15 - 20 minutes. Gently lift the coffee cake out of the pan using the parchment paper. Transfer to a serving plate or serve right from the pan.
How To Make Ahead, Freeze and Store
- Make Ahead: Parts of these coffee cake can easily be made ahead of time. To do this simply prepare streusel topping according to the recipe directions and place it in an airtight storage container and refrigerate until you’re ready to make the coffee cake. Make the apple filling up to one day before assembling the coffee cake. Store the filling in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Store: Place the slices of the apple crumb cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 - 2 days. Then the cake should be transferred to the fridge for up to another 2 - 3 days.
- Freeze: Make sure the apple crumble cake is completely cooled to room temperature. Individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the apple coffee cake is to let it sit out at room temperature for at least two hours or overnight in the fridge. Enjoy at room temperature or microwave the coffee cake slice for 20 - 30 seconds for that “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use the right apples. The best apples for this coffee cake are also the best apples for baking other apple desserts. Look for a mix of tart apples like Granny Smith and sweeter apples like Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in soft, fluffy, moist and tender coffee cake.
- Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Use the baking times as a guide. All ovens vary and baking times should be used as a guide. As a general rule, when the coffee cake becomes fragrant, it’s a good idea to start checking. Begin checking on the coffee cake at the minimum baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out with a few moist crumbs or clean.
FAQs
Crisp apples that hold their shape when baked are a great choice. Depending on the variety, you can use a sweeter apple or one with more tartness for contrast. Using a flavorful apple is more important than choosing one specific variety.
Peeling is optional, but peeled apples give the cake a softer, more uniform texture. If you prefer a little extra texture and don't mind the peel, you can leave it on.
A dense coffee cake can be for a few different reasons. Overmixing the batter, adding too much flour, or using expired leavening agents can contribute to a dense cake. Mix the batter just until combined and measure your ingredients carefully. A soggy apple coffee cake can happen if the apples are too watery or if the cake hasn’t baked long enough.
Use a 9 inch (23cm) round pan or 9 inch (23 cm) springform pan and bake for about the same amount of time. Double the recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 pan. If you prefer, make this recipe as apple coffee cake muffins. Bake in a muffin pan at 375 F (190 C) for about 20 - 22 minutes.
Other Apple Recipes to Try
If you try this Apple Coffee Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Apple Coffee Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 whisk
- 1 whisk and flexible spatula or spoon
- 1 9 x 9 inch (23 cm) aluminum pan
- 1 sheet parchment paper
- 1 knife and vegetable peeler
Ingredients
Cinnamon Crumble Topping
- 1 cup (120 g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 - 8 tablespoons (85 - 113 g) unsalted butter, melted
Apple Filling
- 2 cups diced apples
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Apple Coffee Cake
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Lightly grease and line the bottom and two sides of a 9 x 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the streusel topping. Work in 6 tablespoons melted butter until a sand like texture develops. If needed, add the remaining 2 tablespoons. There will be a few bigger crumbs, but most should be finer, smaller pieces. Place the bowl in the fridge until the coffee cake is ready for topping.1 cup (120 g) all purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , 6 - 8 tablespoons (85 - 113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- Make the apple filling. Peel, core and dice the apples into ½ inch cubes. Add the prepared apple pieces to a large mixing bowl along with light brown sugar, cornstarch and ground cinnamon. Mix all the ingredients together until the apple pieces are fully coated. Set aside for now.2 cups diced apples, ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- In a medium bowl whisk the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined.2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and light brown sugars together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2-3 minutes on medium speed. On low, cream in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Alternating dry ingredients and buttermilk, mix in ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat until all the ingredients are just combined.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract , ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- Evenly spread about ⅔ of the coffee cake batter into the prepared pan. Use a slotted spoon or strain the excess juice from the apple filling before topping the cake. Evenly layer all of the apple filling on top of the cake batter. Top the apple filling with the streusel, making sure to break any extra large pieces into smaller pieces.
- Bake the coffee cake for 45 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the apple coffee cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool the pan in the pan for 15 - 20 minutes. Gently lift the coffee cake out of the pan using the parchment paper. Transfer to a serving plate or serve right from the pan. Top with powdered sugar or a glaze, slice and enjoy.
Notes
- My apple coffee cake is dry. Possible cause: Too much flour or overbaking. Try this: Measure your flour carefully and begin checking the cake toward the end of the recommended baking time.
- My coffee cake is soggy in the middle. Possible cause: The center hasn't finished baking or the apples added more moisture than expected. Try this: Continue baking until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out without wet batter.
- My cake is dense and heavy. Possible cause: Over-mixing or inaccurate measurements. Try this: Mix only until the batter comes together and measure flour carefully.
- My cake is browning too quickly. Possible cause: The top is cooking faster than the center. Try this: Tent the top loosely with foil toward the end of baking while allowing the center to finish cooking. I recommend checking around 40 minutes of baking.
- My apple coffee cake fell after baking. Possible cause: The center may not have been fully set, or the batter may have been over-mixed. Try this: Make sure the cake is fully baked before removing it from the oven and avoid opening the oven unnecessarily during the early part of baking.
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