Apple Coffee Cake Recipe

This Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake with Streusel Crumb Topping is an easy recipe that is popular throughout the year, yet especially during the fall season.

This Coffee Cake Without Sour Cream is an ultimate comfort food. You can’t beat this delicious dessert served with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.

Coffee Cake typically doesn’t have coffee in it. This sweet breakfast cake is named because it pairs perfectly with a good cup of coffee.

Consider it one magical food that can double as a dessert, or a brunch or breakfast food. You’ll fall in love with the warm spices.

My morning coffee isn’t the same without a piece of this easy coffee cake. If it’s apple season, all the better.

You’ll just love this fluffy cake that has warm notes of vanilla, tender bits of warm apple, and a brown sugar streusel.

When mornings are a little chaotic, having classic coffee cake on hand as a grab and go option is always welcome. Much like our Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins.

Both are excellent with a morning hot cup of coffee.

Recipe Ingredients + Notes

This moist cake recipe takes the following simple ingredients. As always the full directions for this Apple Coffee Cake Recipe are on the printable recipe card below.

For the Apple Crumble:

• brown sugar
• ground cinnamon
• unsalted butter, melted butter
• all purpose flour
• fresh apples. You’ll want peeled and chopped apples. You can use red apples, honeycrisp apples, or granny smith apples

How to Make the Best Coffee Cake Recipe

The first thing to do when making this delicious cinnamon apple coffee cake recipe is to bring the butter, eggs, and milk to room temperature. Do this by leaving them on the counter for 1-2 hours.

Then preheat the oven to 350F, and grease a 9×13 baking dish with a piece of butter.

1. Place the room temperature butter and both white and brown sugar into a large bowl.
   
   
2. Combine with a rubber spatula first so the sugar doesn’t spray out. Then use an Electric Mixer on low speed then medium speed, to cream your mixture until light and fluffy.
   
   
3. Add one whole egg at a time and use a whisk to mix after each addition.
   
   
4. Add the vanilla extract and combine again.
   
   
   
5. In a different medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Then, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients (egg mixture) bowl.
   
   Stir to combine, and add ¼ cup of milk and combine.
   
   Follow with ⅓ of flour mixture, stir, and then another ¼ cup of milk. Finish by combining the remaining flour. Set it aside.
   
   
6. Prepare the apple crumble by mixing all the crumble ingredients in a separate bowl, until well combined. It will resemble coarse crumbs.
   
   
7. Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan, spread into an even layer.
   
   Follow with a layer using ½ of the apple crumble. Then, add the rest of the batter and the remaining streusel on top.
   
   
8. Bake the apple cinnamon coffee cake for 50-55 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
   
   Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before taking it out of the pan. For the size of the cake, it’s easier to slice it first and then transfer it one piece at a time.
   
   
   
   
9. To Serve: This Coffee Cake Without Sour Cream is great as is, yet you can also top the cake with ice cream or whipped cream.
   
   You can also top with fresh blueberries or strawberries.
   
   Optional yet recommended: Make a glaze by mixing ¾ cup of powdered sugar with 1 tbsp of milk. Pour it over the cake before serving. It’s delicious!

Storage:

Store leftovers at room temperature in a covered airtight container. It will keep for up to 3 days. It can be kept in the refrigerator for longer, yet it will usually dry out faster.

Variations

Additions:

• Orange zest or lemon zest: The zest of 1-2 citrus fruits added into the cake batter will give a fresh subtle hint of those fruits.
  
  
• Nuts: A half cup of chopped pecans or walnuts added into the topping will give some added flavor and an extra crunchy topping.
  
  
• Chocolate: A half cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips added into the cake will give that warm chocolatey taste. Also try drizzling the cake with Homemade Nutella.

Swap:

• Use eggnog instead of milk for a perfect holiday twist. Ideal for christmas morning.
• Try Banana instead of apple to make banana coffee cake
  
  
• Use Almond Extract or Maple Extract instead of vanilla as an option for different flavors.
  
  
• Spices: Add other spices such as a little pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg. I suggest no more than a teaspoon though, as these can be overpowering.

Can I Freeze this Recipe?

Yes! This is the perfect cake recipe to make in advance, or for freezing.

To freeze, make sure the cake has cooled completely on a wire rack first. I like to double wrap the cake before freezing, both in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw this Coffee Cake Without Sour Cream, unwrap the cake and allow it to thaw naturally at room temperature.

Enjoy at room temperature or warm in the oven. I rewarm just enough to raise the temperature, without cooking it at all.

More Recipes to Try: