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This Apple Coffee Cake is soft, plush, and packed with juicy chunks of cinnamon apples, all tucked under a thick layer of buttery cinnamon streusel. The smell alone will have you hovering by the oven door. And just when you think it couldn’t get any better, it’s finished with a silky apple glaze that adds the perfect touch of sweetness!
For more coffee cake recipes, make my blueberry sour cream coffee cake and cardamom coffee cake!
We’re well into apple season and I am living for all of the Fall bakes. This apple coffee cake gives all of the cozy vibes and fills the kitchen with that warm, cinnamon apple aroma that just screams fall.
It’s an incredibly moist cake with chunks of soft baked apples and a cinnamon streusel topping that takes it over the top!
The crumb topping bakes up golden and crisp, while the inside stays plush and buttery with every bite. Honestly, it’s one of the best coffee cakes I’ve ever made and I’m so in love with it.
That apple glaze on top ties everything together with the perfect hint of spiced sweetness. This is the kind of cake that’s perfect with a hot cup of coffee but also incredible with a scoop of ice cream to fix your sweet tooth. Trust me, you’ll be making this one on repeat all season long.
Table of contents
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below)
- Honeycrisp apples have a nice sweet flavor and hold their shape really well! As they bake, the apple release moisture into the batter that makes the cake super moist but also hold their shape so you get tender apple chunks instead of applesauce mush. Save leftovers and make my apple cobbler recipe next!
- All-purpose flour is the base of the cake. It provides structure and helps the crumb stay soft yet sturdy enough to hold the apples and streusel layers.
- Vegetable oil keeps the cake ultra-moist and tender for days. Unlike butter, oil stays soft even when the cake cools.
- Sour cream adds moisture, a little tang, and tenderness. The acidity helps create a softer crumb and balances the sweetness of the cake.
- Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice) creates that warm, cozy, fall flavor. Cinnamon adds sweetness, nutmeg brings depth of flavor, and allspice ties everything together with a subtle spice kick.
- Brown sugar and sugar: Sweeten the cake and help with moisture and texture. Brown sugar adds caramel notes and softness, while granulated sugar adds lift and a bit of crispness on the edges
- Butter (for the crumb topping): The magic that makes the streusel crisp and golden. As it bakes, it turns the streusel into buttery little bits with the perfect amount of crunch!
How To Make Apple Coffee Cake
Prep: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9inch springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom and sides of the pan.
Make The Crumb Topping and Apple Filling
Step 1: Prepare the crumb topping first. Mix together sugar, cinnamon, kosher salt, and flour in a bowl. Whisk together and pour in melted butter. Mix until crumbles and chunks begin to form and there aren’t any dry patches. Place bowl into the freezer.
Step 2: Now make the apple filling – chop up the apples and place into a medium sized bowl. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Set aside while assembling the batter.
Mix the Batter
Step 3: Now make the cake batter – In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar, vegetable oil, and sour cream. Whisk together until smooth, then add eggs and vanilla extract and continue to mix until combined. Add in the dry ingredients – all purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and kosher salt. Continue to whisk until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
Step 4: Pour about 1/3 of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Smooth into an even layer and add about 1/2 of the apple mixture, making sure to leave as much liquid behind as possible (save for later). Add another 1/3 of the batter on top of the apples (all of the apples don’t have to be completely covered), then add the remaining apples, again leaving behind the liquid. Add the remainder of the batter on top and remove the crumb topping from the freezer.
Assemble and Bake
Step 5: Break up the crumble with your fingers and sprinkle on top of the cake batter. Bake in the oven for 70-80 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the coffee cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove from the springform pan and place onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: To make the glaze, combine the reserved juices from the apples with melted butter and powdered sugar. Whisk together until combined and smooth, add in whole milk. (If glaze seems loose, thicken by adding 2-3 tbsp of powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add 1-2 tbsp of whole milk) Drizzle on top of the cooled apple coffee cake.
Tips for the BEST Apple Cake
- Freeze the crumb topping while you assemble the batter. Cold butter chunks mean crisp, crunchy crumbles instead of melted mush.
- Tent with foil around the 55 to 60 minute mark if the top looks like it’s browning too quickly. This prevents the crumble from burning.
- Cool completely before glazing. Warm cake = glaze meltdown. Wait until it’s fully cooled for those perfect drips.
- Drain the apple mixture well. Leaving liquid behind keeps your cake from getting soggy in the center. You’ll use those juices later for the glaze.
- Glaze too thin or too thick? Whisk in small adjustments: more powdered sugar to thicken, a tablespoon of milk at a time to loosen.
Recipe FAQs
I love using Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples because they strike that perfect balance between tart and sweet. Fuji and Gala also work great, just avoid super-soft varieties like Red Delicious, since they can turn mushy after baking. Granny smith apples work great here too if you prefer a more tart apple flavor.
That lower temperature helps the cake bake evenly from edge to center without drying out the outside or burning the crumb topping. It’s a slow bake, but worth every minute.
Absolutely! This cake keeps beautifully. Once cooled, store it covered at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5. Warm it slightly before serving for that fresh-from-the-oven vibe.
Yep! Wrap individual slices (or the whole cake) tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently before serving.
Sounds like your crumble wasn’t cold enough when it hit the oven. The trick is to freeze the topping while you mix the batter so the butter stays firm. Cold butter = crispy, bakery-style streusel every single time.
More Apple Recipes
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Apple Coffee Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 3/4 cup (150 g) Sugar
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 cup (113 g) Salted Butter, (melted)
- 1 1/4 cups (156 g) All Purpose Flour
Apple Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp Allspice
- 3/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 3/4 cup (165 g) Brown Sugar
- 1/3 cup (67 g) Sugar
- 1/2 cup (112 ml) Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup (240 g) Sour Cream, (room temperature)
- 2 large Eggs, (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Apple Filling
- 2 Honeycrisp Apples , (chopped into 1/2 inch chunks)
- 1/3 cup (73 g) Brown Sugar
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
Apple Glaze
- Reserved Juices from Apple Filling
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) Powdered Sugar
- 4 tbsp Salted Butter, (melted)
- 2-3 tbsp (2 tbsp) Whole Milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Prepare the crumb topping first. Mix together sugar, cinnamon, kosher salt, and flour in a bowl. Whisk together and pour in melted butter. Mix until crumbles and chunks begin to form and there aren’t any dry patches. Place bowl into the freezer.
- Prep the apple filling – chop up the apples and place into a medium sized bowl. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Set aside while assembling the batter.
- Now make the cake batter – In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar, vegetable oil, and sour cream. Whisk together until smooth, then add eggs and vanilla extract and continue to mix until combined.
- Add in the dry ingredients – all purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and kosher salt. Continue to whisk until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Pour about 1/3 of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Smooth into an even layer and add about 1/2 of the apple filling, making sure to leave as much liquid behind as possible (save for later). Add another 1/3 of the batter on top of the apples (all of the apples don’t have to be completely covered), then add the remaining apples, again leaving behind the liquid. Add the remainder of the batter on top and remove the crumb topping from the freezer.
- Break up the crumble with your fingers and sprinkle on top of the cake batter. Bake in the oven for 70-80 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the coffee cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove from the springform pan and place onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the glaze, combine the reserved juices from the apples with melted butter and powdered sugar. Whisk together until combined and smooth, add in whole milk. (If glaze seems loose, thicken by adding 2-3 tbsp of powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add 1-2 tbsp of whole milk) Drizzle on top of the cooled apple coffee cake.
Video
Notes
- Drain the apple mixture well. Leaving liquid behind keeps your cake from getting soggy in the center. You’ll use those juices later for the glaze.
- Freeze the crumb topping while you assemble the batter. Cold butter chunks mean crisp, crunchy crumbles instead of melted mush.
- Tent with foil around the 55 to 60 minute mark if the top looks like it’s browning too quickly. This prevents the crumble from burning.
- Cool completely before glazing. Warm cake = glaze meltdown. Wait until it’s fully cooled for those perfect drips.
- Glaze too thin or too thick? Whisk in small adjustments: more powdered sugar to thicken, a tablespoon of milk at a time to loosen.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
