Apple coffee cake (with crumb topping)

This is a  super amazing apple coffee cake recipe, with a crunchy crumb topping full of walnuts and cinnamon. You can make the topping ahead of time.

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). 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.

Ingredients in this recipe.

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.

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 a 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!

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.

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

Let me know if you make this recipe! I’d love to hear what you think about it.
Thank you for being here, I appreciate it! Let’s connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

APPLE COFFEE CAKE WITH CRUMBLE TOPPING

• 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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Scale 1x2x3x

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.

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Notes

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

Recipe adapted from an old Bon Appetit magazine.

Paula Montenegro

A baker for more than 30 years, I love testing recipes and sharing the best of what I find. I'm mostly self-taught with some time spent in baking school. I believe we can all be bakers and cooks with the right instructions and simple ingredients. If you're craving easy recipes with amazing results, you're in the right place. Let's get into the kitchen!