Best Apple Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Crumb Topping
Best Apple Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Crumb Topping
Why You Should Give This Recipe a Try
Best Apple Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Crumb Topping is an easy to make cake batter mixed with homemade apple pie filling and topped with a crunchy, buttery brown sugar crumble. It produces all the fall vibes: smell, taste, supreme coziness. If you are a coffee cake lover, this is the perfect cake for you. If you have found coffee cake to be a bit dry in the past (which is why you need coffee), worry no more! This delicious cake is super light and moist thanks for the apple filling, some Greek yogurt, and a splash of milk. Best Apple Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Crumb Topping is perfect as a morning treat with a cup of tea or a cup of coffee, or serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream to add to your list of favorite apple desserts.
Some of the best features of this cake:
Cinnamon! An absolute fall favorite, cinnamon is in the batter, in the apples, and in the crunchy streusel topping.
Chunks of fresh apples cooked in sugar and apple pie spice are swirled in the batter so they are in nearly every bite – sort of like an apple pie cake!
A thick layer of crunchy brown sugar and cinnamon streusel tops every inch of the cake.
Like all of my recipes, this is an easy coffee cake to make with no complicated steps and with simple ingredients you can find in pretty much all grocery stores.
Happy baking!
Recipe Ingredients
Apples Pie Filling:
4 cups chopped Granny Smith apples
⅓ cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
⅛ tsp allspice
Cake:
2 ¼ cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour (divided)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup butter (softened)
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs (room temperature)
½ cup Greek yogurt (room temperature)
¼ cup milk (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Streusel Topping:
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup cold butter
Helpful Tools
Non-stick cooking spray
Vegetable/apple peeler
Small, sharp knife
Slotted spoon
Electric mixer (stand mixer or handheld mixer)
Rubber spatula
Springform pan (9 inch pan)
Whisk
Offset spatula
Ingredient Notes
Granny Smith apples work best here because they don’t fall apart easily. You will precook the apple filling, but you don’t want them to turn to mush.
I like to make my own apple pie spice, but you can use the pre-made as well. Check out the FAQs for the amount.
Make sure that the butter for the cake (1/2 cup), the eggs, the Greek yogurt, and the milk are at room temperature.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the apple filling first and allow time for it to cool down.
2. Peel, core, and chop the apples.
3. Place the apples in a saucepan with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and allspice.
4. Cook the apples and spices over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium if the juices begin to bubble vigorously.
5. The apples are ready when they can be easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. NOTE: Do not let the apples become too soft or you will end up with the consistency of applesauce. You wants chunks of cooked apples in this cake.
6. Place the cooked apples into a mixing bowl and set aside to cool.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Prepare the springform pan. Remove the bottom of the pan and trace its shape on a sheet of parchment paper. Make sure you write on the side that will not touch the cake. Set aside.
9. Return the bottom to the springform pan and close. Spray the bottom and the sides of the pan with non-stick cooking spray.
10. Place the parchment paper circle in the bottom of the pan and lightly stray the paper with the cooking spray as well.
11. Sift the flour into a medium bowl.
12. Gently whisk the baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon into the sifted flour. Set aside.
13. Add the butter and sugar to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat at low speed until fully combined, 1-2 minutes.
14. Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture and beat together until combined.
15. Next place the Greek yogurt and milk into the bowl with the butter and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until combined.
16. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides and up from the bottom with a rubber spatula to be sure everything gets incorporated. For best results, never over mix cake batter. Set aside.
17. Using a slotted spoon, drain the cooked apple mixture and place it into a small bowl. You don’t want to add too much liquid to your cake batter.
18. Add two tablespoons of flour to the apple mixture and stir to combine. This will help the apples stay distributed in the cake as it bakes.
19. Add the apple mixture to the batter, folding it in with a rubber spatula. Do not over mix.
20. Prepare the crumb topping by mixing the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
21. Cut the butter into tablespoons and then quarter each tablespoon.
22. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, mix the butter into the flour and sugar mixture. The goal here is to create crumbs, so you are not trying to incorporate it completely. I usually finish up by rubbing the pieces of butter and the flour and sugar between my fingers. You do not want tiny crumbs or big chunks of butter; try for something in between.
23. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
24. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the top of the batter. Press them down very slightly.
25. Bake until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 50-60 minutes.
26. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife or a metal spatula around the exterior of the cake to make sure it is separated from the sides of the pan.
27. Open the springform pan and, using oven mitts or potholders, move the cake – on the base – to a wire rack to cool further.
28. Best Apple Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Crumb Topping is great served slightly warm.
Check out the printable recipe card with step-by-step directions below!
Storage
Store the cake in an airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. It can remain on the counter for two days. After that, store the remaining cake in the fridge, heating in the microwave before serving.
Tips & Tricks
Always read all of the steps of a recipe before beginning. This one requires a few room temperature ingredients.
Did you forget to take the eggs out to bring them to room temperature? Fill a bowl with hot tap water and submerge the eggs for five minutes.
A fluffy cake is more desirable than a tough apple crumb cake, so be sure you do not over mix the batter It is generally enough to be sure that all of the ingredients are combined.
FAQs
Can I use canned apple pie filling?
Canned pie filling doesn’t have the desired consistency for this cake, so stick with making your own. It is easy and delicious!
Can I use prepared apple pie spice instead of mixing my own?
You can use two teaspoons of prepared apple pie spice instead of mixing the individual spices. You will still need 1 tsp of cinnamon in the cake batter.
If you are looking for other autumn desserts, try making these delicious Best Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Blondies with Cream Cheese Frosting or this Easy Single Crust Spiced Apple & Cranberry Pie.
Best Apple Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Crumb Topping
Ingredients
Apple Pie Filling
- 4 cups chopped Granny Smith apples
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp allspice
Cake
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour & 2 tbsp divided
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt room temperature
- 1/4 cup milk room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Streusel Topping
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter cold
Instructions
- Prepare the apple filling first and allow time for it to cool down.
- Peel, core, and chop the apples.
- Place the apples in a saucepan with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and allspice.
- Cook the apples and spices over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium if the juices begin to bubble vigorously.
- The apples are ready when they can be easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. NOTE: Do not let the apples become too soft or you will end up with the consistency of applesauce. You wants chunks of cooked apples in this cake.
- Place the cooked apples into a mixing bowl and set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare the springform pan. Remove the bottom of the pan and trace its shape on a sheet of parchment paper. Make sure you write on the side that will not touch the cake. Set aside.
- Return the bottom to the springform pan and close. Spray the bottom and the sides of the pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the parchment paper circle in the bottom of the pan and lightly stray the paper with the cooking spray as well.
- Sift the flour into a medium bowl.
- Gently whisk the baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon into the sifted flour. Set aside.
- Add the butter and sugar to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat at low speed until fully combined, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture and beat together until combined.
- Next place the Greek yogurt and milk into the bowl with the butter and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides and up from the bottom with a rubber spatula to be sure everything gets incorporated. For best results, never over mix cake batter. Set aside.
- Using a slotted spoon, drain the cooked apple mixture and place it into a small bowl. You don't want to add too much liquid to your cake batter.
- Add two tablespoons of flour to the apple mixture and stir to combine. This will help the apples stay distributed in the cake as it bakes.
- Add the apple mixture to the batter, folding it in with a rubber spatula. Do not over mix.
- Prepare the crumb topping by mixing the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Cut the butter into tablespoons and then quarter each tablespoon.
- Using a pastry cutter or two forks, mix the butter into the flour and sugar mixture. The goal here is to create crumbs, so you are not trying to incorporate it completely. I usually finish up by rubbing the pieces of butter and the flour and sugar between my fingers. You do not want tiny crumbs or big chunks of butter; try for something in between.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the top of the batter. Press them down very slightly.
- Bake until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 50-60 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife or a metal spatula around the exterior of the cake to make sure it is separated from the sides of the pan.
- Open the springform pan and, using oven mitts or potholders, move the cake – on the base – to a wire rack to cool further.
- Best Apple Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Crumb Topping is great served slightly warm.
