Apple Crumble Coffee Cake

This is an amazing apple coffee cake recipe! Super moist, it has a crunchy crumble topping full of walnuts and cinnamon. It lasts for several days and you can make the topping ahead of time.

Originally posted in October 2018, it has been updated with text and images to serve you better. The recipe remains the same.

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 with raspberries.

Something inherited from my apple-loving family for sure, they prioritized anything apple over any other desserts (the only exception being lemon pie). 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 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 - super gorgeous blood orange 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.

Main ingredients 

As you can see in the image above, the ingredients for this homey apple coffee cake are everyday ones. You probably have most of them at home right now.

Apples - I swear by granny smith apples (the green ones, my absolute favorites for baking) for baking and I recommend you use them. The difference is that they bring some acid to the mix that complements the overall sweetness of the cake. And they hold their shape and don't turn mushy in the oven. If you have another favorite baking apple, by all means, use it.

Walnuts: I love the combination in this recipe exactly as it is, but you can use pecans and the cake will still be amazing. 

Spices: add another spice if you like. Maybe pinch of ginger or allspice to go with the ground cinnamon?

Crumble topping

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 (image above), 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!

• Make-ahead: crumble can be made ahead and frozen! Make a large batch and have it ready whenever you need it. 

Making the layers 

This coffee cake involves layering the batter and the apples (image above) to achieve that intricate pattern we all love in this type of cakes.

• Expert tip: when adding the batter layer on top of apples (or crumble filling) the best way is to add the cake batter in mounds so they'll be easier to spread. And aid yourself with the back of a spoon barely dipped in water when spreading. You will find that the batter glides easily and the apples don't stick as much. 

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 and that, I can guarantee.

Coffee cake 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.

For this cake using apple juice or apple cider as the liquid would be a great idea. 

I just chose not to today. No specific reason. The cake is amazing both ways.

Other recipes you might like:
Apple Berry Crumble
Raspberry Apple Pie
Apple Walnut Loaf Cake
Blueberry Pecan Applesauce Cake
Pumpkin Apple Crumble Cake
Raspberry Apple Crumb Bars

Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it, and also if you had issues, so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here, it's much appreciated.
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Apple Crumble Coffee Cake

• Author: Paula Montenegro
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 65 minutes
• Yield: 10 servings 1x
• Category: Cakes
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

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Description

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

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the crumble:

• 1 cup (100g) walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
• ½ 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
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup (180g) sour cream, at room tº
• ¼ cup (60ml) whole milk, at room tº
• 2 ¾ cups (370g) all-purpose or cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, at room t1
• Zest of ½ lemon (orange works well too)
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• ¾ cup (150g) brown sugar
• 3 eggs, at room t°
• 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 9x13-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.

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Notes

• Expert tip: when adding the batter layer on top of apples (or crumble filling) the best way is to add the cake batter in mounds so they'll be easier to spread. And aid yourself with the back of a spoon barely dipped in water when spreading. You will find that the batter glides easily and the apples don't stick as much.

Apples - I swear by granny smith apples (the green ones, my absolute favorites for baking) for baking and I recommend you use them. The difference is that they bring some acid to the mix that complements the overall sweetness of the cake. And they hold their shape and don't turn mushy in the oven. If you have another favorite baking apple, by all means, use it.

You can substitute firm pears for the apples.

Icing - a simple icing (1 cup powdered sugar and a few teaspoons of lemon juice or milk) goes wonderfully with this cake,  and you can certainly add it on top of the walnut crumble topping after the cake is baked.

Keywords: apple cake, apple crumb cake, apple coffee cake

Adapted from an old Bon Appetit magazine.

Paula Montenegro

I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones on this blog, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.