Apple Coffee Cake
Apple Coffee Cake is the perfect easy dessert recipe to showcase fresh apples! A simple, yet impressive crumb cake that’s filled with fresh apple pieces and topped with the most delicious cinnamon brown sugar streusel. Add a drizzle of homemade glaze and you’ve got the perfect fall treat!
Apples are in season right now and so delicious! For more sweet apple goodness, try this Apple Blackberry Crumble, Apple Baked Oatmeal or Apple Pancakes.
This deliciously sweet apple coffee cake with warm spices is the perfect cozy dessert. Each bite is packed with tender apple pieces and hints of cinnamon and vanilla. It’s the quintessential recipe to kick off the fall season and pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee!
Of all the fall flavors, I have to say while I love me some pumpkin, cinnamon apple is probably my favorite. The sweet aroma of apple mixed with brown sugar and cinnamon gets me every time. So naturally, I’m currently trying to create any type of apple recipe possible. Have you tried my apple fritters or homemade apple pie yet? Well, my new favorite apple recipe is this sweet, moist, and oh-so-delicious Apple Coffee Cake!
Reasons you’ll love this recipe
- It’s melt-in-your-mouth delicious: You may have tried other coffee cake recipes, but I can assure you that this one really does stand out in the crowd. It’s based off of my easy coffee cake recipe, which is a MAJOR family favorite. However, we might love this recipe even more! This whole cake was devoured in less than twelve hours. I think that’s a new record!
- Easy to make: This recipe comes together quickly and easily with pantry staple ingredients you probably already have!
- Perfect for any occasion: Celebrate the start of fall or make this for a holiday brunch. It’s a winning recipe that your whole family is sure to love.
Wow Kim! I just made this Apple Coffee Cake tonight and it is DELICIOUS! I knew it would be delicious (all of your recipes are) so I made a double batch! I did not use apple extract and used 2.5 cups apple per batch. Came out sooo great, thanks! Mine cooked in 30 minutes as well.
— Nicole
Ingredients needed
Honestly, this easy apple coffee cake recipe could be one of my favorite apple recipes of all time! It’s moist, tender, perfectly sweet, packed with warm spices and so incredibly delicious that it’s bound to become a forever family favorite. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Streusel topping. A simple mix of all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter makes for a sweet crunchy layer that pairs so well with the tender cake.
- Flour. To give this dessert the perfect texture, use regular all-purpose flour. I have not experimented with different flour varieties for this recipe.
- Baking soda and baking powder. Helps the cake rise!
- Salt. Really brings all of the flavors together!
- Cinnamon. We’re adding plenty of cinnamon to give this treat that warm, cozy, fall flavor.
- Unsalted butter. Adds incredible moisture and lightens up the crumb.
- Brown sugar. Sweetens the cake and gives it amazing flavor and texture.
- Egg. One egg is needed to add moisture and bind all of the ingredients together.
- Yogurt. Feel free to use vanilla or plain yogurt to achieve the perfect moist texture. Sour cream or Greek yogurt works great too! I recommend using full fat yogurt or sour cream.
- Vanilla + apple extract. Flavor boosters! If you don’t have apple extract, no worries, it just adds a little extra apple flavor.
- Apples. We’ll talk more apple details below. Personally, honeycrisp apples are my favorite for any recipe.
- Glaze. Optional, but highly recommend. A simple mixture of powdered (confectioners’) sugar and milk drizzled over the top is incredible.
Variations
I LOVE this as is, but if you’d like to change it up, here are several suggestions.
- Powdered sugar. If you don’t want to add the glaze, simply dust the cooled cake with a bit of powdered sugar.
- Nuts. Want a little extra crunch? If you love nuts, add some finely chopped pecans or walnuts to the cake batter or just to the streusel topping.
- Spice. Try swapping the cinnamon for apple pie spice or even pumpkin pie spice.
- Dessert. Make this into more of a dessert by serving it alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
How to make this recipe
Apple crumb cake looks fancy, but it is really easy to make. Before starting the recipe, preheat the oven and either grease the pan or line it with parchment paper. Then, grab all of the ingredients and start mixing! Here’s the simple method:
See the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Make the streusel topping. Mix together flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter and use your hands to incorporate it into the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients. For the cake, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. Add the butter and sugar to a separate large bowl and use an electric mixer on medium speed to combine ingredients for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape sides as needed and then add the egg, yogurt, teaspoon vanilla extract and apple extract (if using). Mix for 1 minute until combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined and smooth, again, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Fold chopped apples into batter.
Assemble & bake
- Spoon batter into baking pan. Once the batter is in the prepared baking dish, use a spatula or spoon to pour and spread it out evenly. It will seem very thin, but don’t worry, it will bake up nice and fluffy.
- Add streusel topping. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the cake and gently press down with your fingers. It might seem like too much crumble topping, but trust me, it will be perfect!
- Bake. Place the dish into the oven and bake at 350ºF for about 30-40 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Mine was fully baked in 30 minutes.
- Cool. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
- Make glaze. If using the glaze, stir the powdered sugar and milk together in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle evenly over the cooled apple cake. Slice and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Coffee cake, or kaffekuchen, is a single layer cake with a sweet, cinnamon-infused flavor and streusel top made from flour, butter, and sugar. Streusel can also be layered inside of the cake like a filling. Fruit variations are common, with blueberry being the most popular.
Despite the name, there’s actually no coffee in coffee cake. Coffee cake is thought to of originated in Germany and the name comes from the idea of eating sweet cakes while enjoying a hot cup of coffee. It is most often served for special breakfast events or at brunch, but it’s great anytime of the day!
It’s a tender, buttery, perfectly spiced dessert that pairs wonderfully with a steaming cup of Joe or tea. The wonderful smell, ribbons of cinnamon filling, and classic crumb topping make it a treat at breakfast or as a midday indulgence.
We like to use honeycrisp apples for any apple recipe. The tart apples pair really well with the sweet cake and streusel topping. They are also firm enough to hold up to baking. They’ll bake up nice and tender, but not get overly mushy. Other great apple options for this recipe would be Fuji, Granny Smith apples, Braeburn and/or Pink Lady.
Expert tips
This is the best apple coffee cake and it is really straight-forward and easy to make, but here are a few tips so your crumb cake is perfect every time.
- Follow the recipe. For best results, I highly recommend following the recipe and using the exact ingredients I’ve listed.
- Correct measuring. To ensure the correct amount of flour and best cake results, whisk the flour, then spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the top with a straight edge (without shaking the cup).
- Peeling apples. You don’t have to worry about peeling the apples before adding them to the batter. I usually don’t peel mine and no one even notices.
- Double the recipe. This sweet treat is SO delicious, you might want to double it! Simply bake it in a 9×13″ baking dish.
Storage tips
Apple coffee cake tastes best on day one and two. You can make the recipe one day in advance. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. This can be frozen up to 2 months. Place into a freezer-safe airtight container or bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for several hours at room temperature.
More delicious apple recipes
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Apple Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Streusel topping
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Cake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter , room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg , room temperature
- 1/2 cup vanilla or plain yogurt , (sour cream works too)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon apple extract , (optional)
- 2-3 cups apple diced into very small pieces , (any favorite apple will work)
Glaze (optional)
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8×8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour.
- To prepare the streusel topping, mix together the flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter and use your hands to really mix it up good. Set aside.
- For the cake, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add the butter and sugar to a separate mixing bowl and use an electric mixer on medium speed to combine ingredients for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape sides as needed and then add the egg, yogurt, vanilla and apple extract (if using). Mix for 1 minute until combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined and smooth, again, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Fold diced apples into the batter.
- Transfer the batter into prepared baking pan. Spread it out with a spatula. It will seem very thin, but don’t worry, it will bake up nice and fluffy. Sprinkle streusel topping over the cake and gently press down with your fingers. It might seem like too much streusel, but we really enjoyed the amount.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. My cake was done in 30 minutes.
- Remove cake from oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
- Stir glaze ingredients together in a small bowl, until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
Notes
Double the Recipe: You can easily double this cake recipe and bake in a 9×13″ baking dish.
Did you make this recipe?
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this cake is exceptionally wonderful.
my oven stopped working when I had the batter ready.
I divided batter into 2 6-inch round cake pans that were lined with parchment paper trimmed to the top of pan.
followed listed directions except baking at 350 for 21 minutes and covering the top of cake at the 15 minute bake time mark, and continuing baking for a full 21 minutes.
this cake is wonderful. tender and moist…apple-ie, cinnamon-ie…
do what you have to do to make this cake!! your family and friends will thank you and thank Kim!!
This makes me so happy to hear! Thanks so much for your feedback!
I made this recipe and it was delicious! I made mine non-dairy by adding a bit of vinegar to my soy/oat milk to make the “sour cream”. I used 2 cups of finely diced apples (the suggested range in the recipe is 2 to 3 cups – so I followed the recipe). I will make the recipe again for sure! Thanks for publishing a yummy and reliable recipe! 🙂
Thanks so much for your feedback! Thrilled you enjoyed!
Can you make this in a bundt pan?
I can’t say for sure, as I’ve never tried. If you do, let us know how it works.
This recipe is fantastic. We have been really focused on healthy eating over the last year an d this has become a regular as a healthy snack treat in our house. The recipe is easy to make and more delicious to eat.
Yay! Super happy that you love this one!
Wow Kim! I just made this tonight and it is DELICIOUS! I knew it would be delicious (all of your recipes are) so I made a double batch! I did not use Apple extract and used 2.5 cups apple per batch. Came out sooo great, thanks! Mine cooked in 30 minutes as well.
This makes me so happy!! Thanks so much for your kind words and I’m so glad that you enjoyed!