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Apple Crumb Coffee Cake

Jul 7, 2014 · 9 Comments

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This Apple Crumb Coffee Cake has a soft and buttery vanilla cake that is filled to the brim with spiced apples and topped with a cinnamon crumb topping. A sweet brown sugar glaze is drizzled on top just before serving for the ultimate treat.

Apple Crumb Coffee Cake on a plate with caramel oozing out.

Is there anything more satisfying than a warm apple dessert with vanilla ice cream? This cake one of my top favorite desserts. The cake layer is moist and flavorful, the apples get soft while keeping a slight crunch, and the crumb topping is sweet with a hint of cinnamon. It’s like an apple pie meets a crumb cake. Seriously, perfect. The one thing that makes this dessert absolutely over the top (don’t skip this step!) is the brown sugar glaze. It’s the absolute perfect compliment to finish this apple crumb coffee cake off!

How to make Apple Crumb Coffee Cake

For this recipe, you will need some very basic ingredients. As long as you have apples on hand, I bet you have all of the other components!

Cake

  • All-purpose flour
  • Sugar: Light brown sugar + Granulated sugar
  • Baking soda
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Butter: Unsalted butter is used in this recipe.
  • Eggs: 1 egg and 1 yolk – an extra yolk is added for extra richness!
  • Vanilla extract
  • Buttermilk: I usually make my own buttermilk by adding 1 teaspoon to 1/3 cup of milk for this recipe.
  • Apples: Be sure to use a firm apple for this recipe. I like to use Granny Smith or HoneyCrisp. I usually will use a mixture of both for a tart and sweet combo.

Crumb Topping

  • Sugar: Light brown sugar + Granulated sugar
  • Spices: Cinnamon & pinch of salt
  • All-purpose flour
  • Butter: Unsalted butter

Brown Sugar Glaze

  • Sugar: Light brown sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Water
What kind of apples should I use?

Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala are all great options. I love using a mixture of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp in all of my apple recipes!

What is the difference between coffee cake and crumb cake?

To put it simply, crumb cake has more crumb topping than cake and coffee cake has more cake than crumb topping. This recipe is a cross between both!

Does coffee cake have coffee in it?

Nope! Coffee cake does not have coffee in the recipe. It is meant to be enjoyed with a cup of coffee, which is what gives it it’s name!

You may also love these apple recipes

  • Cranberry Apple Pie
  • Apple Cinnamon Streusel Bread
  • Baked Apple Cider Donuts
  • Caramel Apple Crisp
  • Caramel Apple Pie Bars
  • Mini Apple Pies
  • Apple Cider Muffins

If you make this recipe, I’d LOVE to know what you think below! I would so appreciate you leaving a star rating and/or comment. Also, please don’t forget to share a photo of your delicious finished recipe on Instagram or Facebook and give me a tag so I can see!

Apple Crumb Coffee Cake on a plate with caramel oozing out.

Apple Crumb Coffee Cake

Jessica
This Apple Crumb Coffee Cake has a soft and buttery vanilla cake that is filled to the brim with spiced apples and topped with a cinnamon crumb topping. A sweet brown sugar glaze is drizzled on top just before serving for the ultimate treat.
PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 55 mins
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1 9″ cake

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • pinch salt
  • 6 tbs unsalted butter cut into chunks and softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk*
  • 1 1/2 apples peeled, cored & sliced thin, Granny Smith and Honey Crisp are my favorite

Crumb Topping

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbs unsalted butter melted

Brown Sugar Glaze

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbs water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9" x 2" round pan and lightly dust with flour, set aside. Springform pans work best for this recipe.
  • Cake: combine all dry ingredients and whisk together for about one minute until fully combined. Add softened butter chunks and beat on medium-high until consistency resembles a coarse crumb and no large butter pieces remain. Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla and buttermilk. Beat on medium speed until everything is fully incorporated.
  • Crumb topping: Whisk together all dry ingredients and pour in melted butter. Mix until combined and large crumbs form. Set aside.
  • Pour batter into prepared baking pan and spread out into an even layer. (It won't look like a lot of batter.) Scatter apple slices on top. Next, sprinkle crumb topping on top, breaking into large pea-sized pieces until no bare spaces remain.
  • Bake for about 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Start checking cake at 40 minutes and then go from there.
  • Brown sugar glaze: While cake is cooling, make glaze combining brown sugar, vanilla and water. Mix until smooth and set aside.
  • Cake is best served warm with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired! You can drizzle the brown sugar glaze on top of the whole cake or on each individual piece before serving.

Notes

  • *To make homemade buttermilk, add one teaspoon of white vinegar OR lemon juice to 1/3 cup of milk. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before adding to recipe.
  • Cake will keep fresh for 2-3 days if stored in an airtight container.
  • Freezing Instructions: Wrap the entire cake without the glaze tightly in plastic wrap. Place in a large freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight and allow to come to room temperature before serving. I recommend popping it in the oven to warm it up a bit before serving.
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Breakfast Recipes, Cake & Pie

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Comments

  1. Josey says

    April 13, 2015 at 10:47 pm

    Jessica I made the apple crumb coffee cake oh my it was scrumptious ! The whole thing was devoured in no time thank you for sharing your awesome recipes

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      April 14, 2015 at 6:00 pm

      Thank you, Josey! That’s so great to hear! This is one of my most favorite recipes. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Nafi says

    October 29, 2016 at 9:23 am

    Thank you for the recipe.
    I have made it but it is toooo sweet!
    However I didn’t serve with brown sugar glaze.

    Reply
  3. Liz Hughes says

    March 14, 2020 at 1:41 pm

    This cake is amazing! Turned out perfectly! Xx

    Reply
  4. MJ says

    September 28, 2021 at 5:19 pm

    is the instruction correct?
    For Cake 6 tbs unsalted butter cut into chunks and softened ? and For Crumb topping 1/2 cup + 2 tbs unsalted butter melted
    It seems swapped?

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      October 6, 2021 at 7:02 am

      Nope! The recipe is correct. I see why you might think that though! Haha

      Reply

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