This Apple Coffee Cake is a delicious fall treat, but it's delicious all year long. The best thing about coffee cakes is that it is totally acceptable to be eaten for breakfast or dessert.
The combination of the tender apples and cinnamon along with the buttery crumb topping is hard to resist. It's perfect for packing into a lunchbox or serving for a weekend brunch.
Coffee cake with apples and streusel topping
Coffee cakes are one of the easiest cakes to make. The cake itself can be mixed together by hand in just one bowl. And there's the streusel topping that adds texture, flavor, and takes the place of any necessary frosting. Many coffee cakes add fruit to the cake, and I've used apple in this version.
Instead of adding it directly to the batter, I layered the apples between two layers of the batter. This coffee cake has a moist crumb, plenty of cinnamon flavor, and delicious apples.
Key ingredients for apple coffee cake
- Apples - Select apples that work well in baking. You can use Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, or Fuji. I used apples that are from an old apple tree. They are flavorful, crisp, and hold up well to baking.
- Flour - Use regular all-purpose flour.
- Sugar - Both granulated sugar and brown sugar are used in this cake.
- Butter - I use regular salted sweet cream butter.
- Milk - Use whole milk or 2% milk.
Making the coffee cake
- Create the streusel topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Peel, core, and dice the apples into small ½ cubes.
- Toss with cinnamon and flour.
Set aside.
- Make the cake batter by combining the milk, melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Add flour on top of the batter and then sprinkle with baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Begin mixing the baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into the flour first, and then mix everything into the batter. Stir just until combined.
- Place half of the cake batter in a lightly greased 8x8-inch baking dish. Spread batter as evenly as possible.
- Add prepared apples evenly over the batter.
- Add the remaining cake batter and spread it as evenly as possible.
- Crumble the streusel topping over the top. I use my hands to crumble the topping over the cake.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 40-50 minutes.
- Allow the coffee cake to cool before serving.
Recipe tips
- Don't overmix the cake batter. Stir just until everything comes together.
- Add the crumble topping with your fingers. Crumble the topping between your fingers, creating uneven bits.
- Cool before slicing. This helps the cake set and helps hold the cake together.
Frequently asked questions
Select an apple that is firm and crisp and will hold up to baking. Some options include Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, or Fuji.
After the cake has fully cooled, cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 3-4 days.
More delicious coffee cakes to make
- Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Rhubarb Coffee Cake
- Corn Flake Coffee Cake
- Cranberry Eggnog Coffee Cake
- Banana Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious cake recipes!
Apple Coffee Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- ⅔ cup flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons butter (melted, regular salted butter)
Apple Filling
- 1 ½ cups diced apples (cut into ½ inch pieces)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Coffee Cake
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk
- ⅓ cup butter (melted, regular salted butter)
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
Crumb Topping
- Create the streusel, or crumb topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.⅔ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, 4 tablespoons butter
Filling
- Peel, core, and dice the apples into small ½ cubes.Toss with cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and flour. Set aside.1 ½ cups diced apples, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Coffee Cake
- Make the cake batter by combining the milk, melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl.½ cup milk, ⅓ cup butter, 1 egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla, ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Add flour on top of the batter and then sprinkle with baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Begin mixing the baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into the flour first, and then mix everything into the batter. Stir just until combined.
- Place half of the cake batter in a lightly greased 8x8-inch baking dish. Spread batter as evenly as possible.
- Add prepared apples evenly over the batter. Add the remaining cake batter and spread it as evenly as possible.
- Crumble the streusel topping over the top. I use my hands to crumble the topping over the cake.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 40-50 minutes.
- Cool before serving.
Notes
- Don't overmix the cake batter. Stir just until everything comes together.
- Add the crumble topping with your fingers. Crumble the topping between your fingers, creating uneven bits.
- Check to see if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, or has a few crumbs, the cake is done.
- Cool before slicing. This helps the cake set and helps hold the cake together.
- The cake can be cut into 9 pieces before serving.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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