Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Crumble
Welcome autumn with this simple, cozy cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake!
- Prep
- 25 mins
- Cook
- 40 mins
- Cooling Time
- 20 mins
- Total
- 1 hr 25 mins
- Makes
- 10 servings
Welcome autumn with this simple, cozy cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake! Crowned with a buttery brown sugar crumble, this soft and tender breakfast cake is packed with chopped apples and layered with a cinnamon streusel. It is wonderful all by itself, or you can drizzle on a basic vanilla or brown sugar glaze!
We’ve already had a few chilly days here and there this September. The cooler air is welcome, since it has me in the mood for all the autumn recipes coming up on the site!
This apple coffee cake joins my breakfast sweets collection, right alongside my Apple Bundt Cake and Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins, and it is a perfect fall treat! Shooting it also gave me a chance to show off my Grammy’s old apple dishes in the photos, which Uncle Doug and Aunt Janet generously passed down to me over the summer!
Why You Will Adore This Recipe
- Remarkably moist and fluffy
- Bursting with cinnamon and apple flavor
- Has a sticky cinnamon streusel layer
- Finished with a brown sugar crumble
- Very simple to put together
- Easy to adapt to a 9-inch springform pan, an 8-inch baking pan, or a 9 x 13-inch baking pan (doubling the recipe)
- Delicious all on its own, though a simple glaze can be drizzled over the top
- Tastes great warm, or served cold or reheated the next day
If you are a big fan of a truly good fall breakfast treat, you are going to absolutely love this apple coffee cake recipe!
What You Will Need
Here is the list of what you need to make this easy cinnamon apple coffee cake. For the crumb topping, cinnamon streusel layer, and glaze, scroll down to the recipe card!
- All-Purpose Flour. I reach for King Arthur brand most often, but any brand you like will work!
- Baking Powder. Check how fresh yours is before you start. Old baking powder can leave baked goods dense and sunken in the middle. To check, pour some boiling water over a teaspoon of it. If it bubbles up, it is still good!
- Baking Soda. Any brand will do. For storage, I keep mine in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. You can test it the same way as baking powder!
- Salt. A pinch, or 1/8 teaspoon, is all you need.
- Cinnamon. Do not mix this up with the cinnamon sugar used in my Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe. You only need 1/2 teaspoon for the batter, but you will use more in the crumb topping and cinnamon streusel layer.
- Vegetable Oil. Canola or coconut oil can stand in for it. I have not tested this with unsalted butter.
- Granulated Sugar. I use Simply Nature Organic sugar from ALDI, but plain white granulated sugar bakes up just as nicely in this recipe!
- Light Brown Sugar. Simply Nature Organic is my go-to, and it smells wonderful when you open the bag. Use whichever you prefer, but if you measure with cups, pack the brown sugar lightly.
- Egg. You only need one, and it is best at room temperature.
- Buttermilk. If you do not have any, a substitute works fine, and I have listed some below. Do not skip it, since it is key to keeping your apple coffee cake fluffy and moist!
- Apple. This is the star ingredient that delivers so much of the flavor! Peel it and dice it into small cubes.
Which Apples Work Best for Baking?
McIntosh, Gala, and Granny Smith all bake up beautifully. While testing this apple coffee cake, I used Granny Smith and Gala.
What Can I Use Instead of Buttermilk?
If you have no buttermilk on hand, any of these will work as a stand-in:
Option 1. Pour one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup. Add a scant cup of milk and fill up to the 1/2 cup line. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes so it thickens before you add it to the batter.
Option 2. Sanco Pantry sells a powdered version that you mix with water. It has saved me more than once when I was completely out of milk!
I did not test this one, but you could also swap the buttermilk for 1/2 cup of plain yogurt.
Optional Brown Sugar Glaze
The recipe card includes an optional brown sugar glaze that you can use in place of the vanilla glaze.
This brown sugar glaze is a half batch of the one from my Apple Bundt Cake. Four ingredients go into a pan over medium heat, then it rests for 10-12 minutes so it can thicken before you spoon it over the coffee cake.
You can also skip the glaze altogether, and the cake is just as good without it!
Variations
No 9-inch springform pan on hand? You can make this cinnamon streusel apple coffee cake in either of these two ways:
8-inch Square Baking Pan. Use an 8-inch square pan in place of the 9-inch springform pan. The baking time and temperature stay the same.
9 x 13-inch Baking Pan. You will need to double the recipe for this size. The oven temperature stays the same, but bake it for 45-50 minutes instead.
Helpful Tips for Success
Prep the apple first. Do this before anything else. Once the batter is mixed, you do not want it sitting around while you stop to dice the apple into small cubes.
Make the cinnamon streusel and brown sugar crumble first. This is another good time saver. Prepare both before you start on the batter.
Chill the brown sugar crumble. If the butter in the crumble starts to get too soft and leaves you with mushy clumps as you mix, put it in the freezer, with the fork still in it, while you work on the batter.
Take it out right before you need it and toss it gently with the chilled fork to bring the crumbles back to life.
Line the pan with parchment. If you would rather serve the coffee cake without the springform pan base underneath, add a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit the pan. It makes it much easier to lift the cake onto a serving plate.
Do not skip the buttermilk. A substitute is fine, but do not leave it out entirely!
Let the apple coffee cake cool. As much as I love it warm, it needs a bit of time to set. I recommend at least 25-30 minutes.
If you like, you can loosen (not remove) the sides of the springform pan 10 minutes after it comes out to cool.
Make the glaze. If you are using the vanilla or brown sugar glaze, mix it just before serving. Spoon it on while the cake is still warm, and it will sink right into the top.
Store it in the refrigerator. Leftovers, or a cake you made a day ahead, keep best in a tightly sealed container in the fridge. They last for up to 2, maybe three days. Reheat them in the microwave or toaster oven, or just eat them cold.
More Breakfast Sweets to Try
If you make this Apple Coffee Cake Recipe or any other recipe from my site, please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!
Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Crumble
Welcome autumn with this simple, warm Apple Coffee Cake! Crowned with a buttery brown sugar crumble, this soft and tender breakfast cake is packed with chopped apples and layered with cinnamon streusel. It is wonderful on its own, or drizzle on a simple vanilla or brown sugar glaze!
- Prep
- 25 mins
- Cook
- 40 mins
- Cooling Time
- 20 mins
- Total
- 1 hr 25 mins
- Makes
- 10 servings
Ingredients
cinnamon streusel layer
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar, lightly packed
- 1 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
brown sugar crumble
- 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, lightly packed
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into small cubes
apple coffee cake
- 1 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/8 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk
- 1 Large Granny Smith Apple, equals about 2 cups, cut into small cubes
vanilla glaze
- 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tbsp Milk
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
brown sugar glaze
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 tsp Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, lightly packed
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Method
- In a small bowl, whisk the three ingredients together. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, and ground cinnamon.
- Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter. Use a fork to press the butter into the dry mixture until it forms small crumbles. A few larger pieces are fine too. Set aside.
- Move your oven rack to the 2nd level position (just above center) and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly coat your 9-inch springform pan with a flour-based baking spray and set it aside. Optional: line with parchment paper, then spray lightly again.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar on medium-high speed until well combined.
- Mix in the egg and buttermilk.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Gently fold in the diced apples.
- Spread a little more than half the batter into the prepared springform pan. Add the cinnamon streusel, then top with the rest of the batter. Scatter the brown sugar crumbles over the top.
- Set the pan in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350ºF. Every oven is different, so start checking at the earliest time listed. The cake is done when a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.
- Take it out of the oven and let it cool for at least 25-30 minutes before serving with the optional vanilla or brown sugar glaze.
- In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Pour it over the cooled coffee cake or individual slices.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the unsalted butter, heavy whipping cream, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Bring the mixture to a boil so the brown sugar fully dissolves.
- Stir in the vanilla extract to blend.
- Take it off the heat and let it rest for 10-12 minutes to thicken. Pour over the cooled coffee cake or individual slices.
Baker’s notes
- Adapted from the St. Stephen’s Family Recipes 1987 cookbook.
