Apple Coffee Cake Recipe
This apple coffee cake is soft, buttery, fluffy vanilla cake layered sweet cinnamon apples, topped with a cinnamon spiced crumble. Easy to make and delicious served warm, it’s the perfect treat for a cozy fall breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
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
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.
Vanilla Maple Glaze: Top the apple coffee cake with a vanilla maple glaze. Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar (120 g) with 1 teaspoons (5 ml) vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk. Pour over the warm coffee cake and enjoy.
Quick Troubleshooting Guide
- 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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