This delicious and moist apple coffee cake is loaded with fresh apples and topped with an easy streusel crumb topping. Perfect with a cup of hot coffee for breakfast or a glass of cold milk for a midnight snack.
With warm spices, this coffee cake makes every season feel like autumn. If you like the taste of fall, try apple crisp, pumpkin dump cake, or pumpkin cheesecake.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Butter: Unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, eliminate the added salt in the streusel topping, but don’t eliminate it in the cake batter.
- Spices: Other spices to add are 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground ginger, or cloves.
- Sour cream: Use full-fat sour cream for a creamy flavor and the best texture.
- Vanilla extra: Please use the pure stuff.
- Apples: Choose crisp, tart apples like Granny Smith apples or Honeycrisp apples. Other good choices are Braeburn or Pink Lady (Cripps Pink).
How to Make Apple Coffee Cake
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
Mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, salt, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Stir in the flour until crumbs form. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in another medium bowl. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar using a handheld or stand mixer on medium speed. Add the egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract, mixing on low speed just until combined.
Add the flour mixture in increments, mixing until incorporated. Using a spoon or spatula, fold in the apples. Spread the batter into a well-greased baking dish and sprinkle with the crumb topping. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Preparation Tips
- Grease the baking dish well. I like to use Baker’s Joy. It is baking spray with flour, and it works very well.
- You can make the crumb topping in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. There is no need to thaw; sprinkle it over the batter and bake.
- Letting the cake cool before cutting is best to prevent crumbling and ensure clean slices.
- To freeze, cool completely, cover with two layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter overnight.
More Apple Recipes
Apple Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
Apple Coffee Cake
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups peeled and diced apples see notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11×7 or 9×9-inch baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
- Mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, salt, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Stir in the flour until coarse crumbs form.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and allspice in another medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract, mixing on low speed or the stir setting just until combined.
- Add the flour mixture in a couple of increments, mixing on low speed or the stir setting until incorporated. Using a spoon or spatula, fold in the apples.
- Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the crumb topping. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Notes
- Use full-fat sour cream for a creamy flavor and the best texture.
- Store the cake covered tightly with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer-term storage, freeze the cake. Cover with two layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter overnight.
Kira
This is by far my favorite apple coffee cake. Thanks for the recipe. We love it!
Lisa
This apple coffee cake is so good! Try it with a cup of hot pumpkin coffee! Simply amazing.
Karen
I made this on Sunday and it was delicious, soooo good…Not too sweet, exactly how I like my coffee cakes. So good.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Karen! So glad that you liked it.
Sonia
This looks sooo cozy — like the kind of thing you’d bake on a slow Sunday morning and eat warm straight from the pan. I love anything with apples, and that crumb topping is calling my name, so I’m saving this for fall baking (or maybe just a random Tuesday, because why not?).
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sonia! Enjoy!
Clarice
Wow! This looks really delicious! I don’t usually use full-fat sour cream but I am going to take your advice and try it. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure. Clarice! Enjoy!
Anna Grunduls
Apples + coffee is such a perfect combo for fall 🥰 Thank you for sharing this recipe! I saved it to my personal favorites ❤️
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Anna! Enjoy!
Angie
This apple coffee cake recipe turned out amazing! It’s perfect for a fall brunch. Looking forward to making it again…YUM!!!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Angie! So glad that you like it.
Catalina
I baked this on a Sunday morning and it filled the house with the best smell. Soft, sweet, and full of apple flavor!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it, Catalina!
Kristin
This was so good. I used a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp for a nice blend of sweet and tart flavors in the cake.
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked the coffee cake, Kristin!
Maria
This is so cozy! I love apple recipes any time of year, but they really hit the spot in the fall.
Beth Pierce
Yes, indeed! I agree!