Apple coffee cake with crumble topping

Since most of you reading this are happily settled into fall (it’s spring here), I think it’s fit to post about this super amazing apple coffee cake with a crunchy crumble topping full of walnuts and cinnamon.

To tell you the truth, I think apples are a year-round wonder, the type of fruit that is always welcome, be it a cake or a pie.

Something inherited from my apple-loving family for sure, they prioritized anything apple over other desserts (the only exception being lemon pie), especially those with chocolate or dulce de leche. I mean, we’re talking dulce de leche brownies and flourless almond cake. I know, weirdos.

But back to our gorgeous apple coffee cake here, I don’t blame them really.

The mix of apples and cinnamon is heavenly; top it with a walnut crumble in a sour cream coffee cake, and you got yourself a little piece of heaven right there.

Coffee cake with sour cream?

Yes, baby! It’s not coffee cake if it doesn’t have sour cream in the batter, at least not for me.

As mentioned in my last post – the cutest ever blood orange sour cream mini cakes in case you’re wondering – sour cream lends a richness and tight crumb to a cake that is hard to attain any other way. Tender and moist, cakes with sour cream are a thing to remember.

Your brunch table will benefit a lot from this type of cakes since they tend to be just sweet enough with a wonderful crunch.

Apple Coffeecake icing

I am a huge fan of a simple icing (1 cup powdered sugar and a few teaspoons of lemon juice or milk) for coffee cakes as is documented in this fabulous pumpkin coffee cake, and you can certainly add it to this apple coffee cake and coronate the walnut crumble topping. I just chose not to today. No specific reason. The cake is amazing both ways.

How to make crumble topping

About the walnut crumble or streusel as is also known.

It’s a fundamental layer here. Without it, you have a great apple snacking cake. With it, you have a super amazing apple coffee cake that will bring raves and become part of your baking rotation.

I use a bowl and a fork because it’s a small amount, but if you’re making a larger quantity use the food processor for the mix and add the walnuts by hand. Or you can use your fingers too to integrate the butter. And call it therapy, haha!.

What about substituting apples?

I tend to use apples and pears interchangeably. Always have and probably always will.

They have a similar texture and baking time. Do use pears that are not very ripe as they will hold their shape better and not become mushy when baked.

What I do sometimes is use almonds with pears, less cinnamon and maybe a bit of ginger.

You won’t go wrong either way, that, I can guarantee.

APPLE COFFEE CAKE WITH CRUMBLE TOPPING

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• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 65 minutes
• Yield: 0 servings 1x

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Description

A wonderful apple coffee cake topped with a crunchy walnut cinnamon crumble topping.

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Ingredients

For the crumble:

• 1 cup 100g walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup 100g brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons 30g all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoons 30g butter, in small pieces

For the cake:

• 1 pound 450g baking apples, such as granny smith, peeled, cored and very coarsely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon 15g sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup 180g sour cream, at room tº
• 1/4 cup 60ml whole milk, at room tº
• 2 3/4 cups 370g all-purpose or cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup 225g unsalted butter, at room t1
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 cup 200g sugar
• 3/4 cup 150g brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

For the crumble:

1. In a small bowl mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
2. Add pieces of butter and mix with a fork until they are small and all is somewhat mixed.
3. Add nuts and mix.

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC.
2. Butter or spray a 9×13-inch (23x33cm) rectangular pan and line bottom and two wider sides with a piece of parchment or waxed paper.
3. In a large bowl mix apples, peeled and chopped, with the tablespoon of sugar cinnamon. Reserve.
4. In a large bowl (stand or hand-held electric mixer) beat butter with zest until creamy, about 1 minute.
5. Add sugars gradually and beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well to incorporate each one.
7. Add vanilla extract and mix.
8. Have dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and soda, and salt) measured and add them in 3 parts, sifting them, to the butter mixture.
9. Alternate between with the sour cream and milk in 2 parts, beginning and ending with flour.
10. Mix well but don’t over beat. The mixture will be thick.
11. Put half of this mixture in the prepared pan, spreading to cover it.
12. Top it with the apples, distributing them over the surface.
13. Top with half the crumble if you want, or add it all at the end.
14. Cover with the remaining half of batter, spreading carefully to cover the apples.
15. Top with the crumble topping and bake for 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Don’t over bake it.
16. Let cool on a wire rack.
17. Unmold it with the aid of the parchment paper and eat at room temperature.
18. Keep wrapped in film for a day or two at room tº. After that, keep refrigerated.

Notes

You can substitute firm pears for the apples.

 

• Category: Breakfast

Recipe adapted from an old Bon Appetit magazine.