Description

This Apple Crumb Cake is a deliciously moist coffee cake layered with tart apples and topped with a crunchy cinnamon-spiced crumb topping. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, this recipe combines tender sour cream batter with a sweet apple layer and a buttery crumb crust that bakes to golden perfection. Finished with a simple apple cider glaze, it’s a cozy treat bursting with warm fall flavors.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Crumb Topping:

2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 1/2 sticks)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Coffee Cake:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup full fat sour cream
4 cups peeled and chopped tart apples (about 3 medium apples, such as Granny Smith or Pink Lady)

For the Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider (or milk)
1 tablespoon melted butter
Pinch kosher salt

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish thoroughly to prevent sticking.
Make Crumb Topping: In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the melted butter and vanilla extract. Stir with a spatula until the mixture is evenly moist, then pinch with your fingers to form crumbs of varying sizes. Set aside.
Mix Dry Ingredients for Batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes on medium speed.
Add Eggs and Flavorings: Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then add vanilla extract and sour cream, continuing to mix until smooth.
Combine Batter Ingredients: Add the dry flour mixture to the batter in the mixer bowl. Beat on low speed until just combined. The batter will be very thick.
Assemble the Cake: Spread half of the batter evenly in a thin layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. If the batter is difficult to spread, wet your hands slightly and use them to gently pat and spread the batter. Evenly distribute the chopped apples over the batter, then sprinkle half of the crumb topping on the apples.
Top with Remaining Batter and Crumbs: Place dollops of the remaining batter over the crumb layer. Use wet hands again to spread it as evenly as possible; some thin or bare spots are fine. Finally, sprinkle the remaining crumb topping evenly over the top.
Bake the Cake: Bake for 38-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too quickly around 30 minutes, cover loosely with foil and continue baking until done.
Prepare the Glaze: While the cake bakes, whisk together powdered sugar, apple cider (or milk), melted butter, and a pinch of kosher salt until the glaze is thick but pourable.
Serve: Allow the cake to cool slightly. Serve warm with the apple cider glaze drizzled on top for added sweetness and moisture.

Notes

Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples work particularly well for this recipe due to their tartness and firmness.
Store the cake covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 5 days; note that the crumb topping may lose some crunch over time.
To reheat slices and bring back some crunch, warm them in the microwave briefly or use an air fryer for a few minutes.
For freezing, omit the glaze and freeze individual slices or the whole cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature and add glaze before serving.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/15th of cake)
Calories: 320
Sugar: 22g
Sodium: 190mg
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0.2g
Carbohydrates: 44g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 60mg