A soft apple crumb cake topped off with a crisp cinnamon streusel and drizzled with a vanilla glaze. A great recipe to use up any surplus of apples you might have accumulated from apple picking!
Zach and I went apple picking not once, but twice this month. Each time we made our way out of the orchard precariously balancing a crate piled with no less than 15 lbs of apples each time (and when I say “we”, I really mean Zach, he did all the heavy lifting).
That’s… a lot of apples.
I already shared my apple butter recipe that uses nearly 6 lbs of apples alone, but I still had a mountain of apples on my counter that I didn’t want to go bad, and so the baking continued. I made some freezer friendly apple crisp, to be cooked at a later date, my favorite apple pie, and my apple crumb muffins, and then I still had enough apples to make this apple crumb cake over and over (and over) again until I was 100% happy with it.
After my pumpkin coffee cake recipe was such a hit with everyone who tried it, I’d been determined to try to make an apple version and decided a slight variation of that recipe would make a great base for this apple crumb cake.
The apples add a nice touch of moisture, but I included sour cream and melted butter for added moisture, as well. It makes the cake extremely soft.
The streusel is the same one that I used there, as well as on my favorite coffee cake recipe, it’s easy and is made with melted butter, which makes for the most flavorful and easy-to-mix-together streusel that you may have ever tried.
Enjoy!!
Apple Crumb Cake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter melted
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar tightly packed
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream
- 1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (165 g) diced, peeled apples (this was about 1 ½ apples for me)
Streusel Topping
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar tightly packed
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons butter melted
Vanilla Glaze
- ½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and lightly grease and flour a 9" springform pan.
- Combine melted butter and sugars in a large bowl and stir until well-combined¾ cup butter, ½ cup (100 g) sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- Add eggs and vanilla extract, stir well2 large eggs, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in sour cream.½ cup (120 g) sour cream
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Using a spatula, gradually add dry ingredients and wet and stir until just combined-- do not over-mix!
- Fold in apple pieces and pour batter evenly into prepared pan. Set aside and prepare your streusel.1 ½ cups (165 g) diced, peeled apples
Streusel
- Prepare the crumble by whisking together flour, sugars and cinnamon.1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pour the melted butter into the mixture and, using a fork, stir until crumbles form. Evenly sprinkle streusel over batter.6 Tablespoons butter
- Transfer pan to oven and bake on 350F (175C) for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before adding vanilla glaze.
Vanilla Glaze
- If desired, make glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Start with 2 teaspoons of milk and add a third if it isn't thin enough to drizzle.½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar, 2-3 teaspoons milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Drizzle over cooled cake. Allow glaze to harden, slice, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Megan Mollett
Sam! Help!! My hub wants this but with a cream cheese filling in between. Is this possible?
Sam
Hmmm I’m not sure how it could be accomplished without having tried it.
Ann
I was printing your Streusel Topping recipe and came across this one. I made it over the weekend and it was a hit. It was moist with just the right amount of apples. I loved the fact that the streusel was more than enough to cover the cake. Sometimes recipes just don’t have enough streusel. Thanks for such a great recipe.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
So glad you liked it, Ann! We’re firm believers that there’s no such thing as too much streusel 😊
Bruce
This one gets 5 stars just for the delicious batter! I have one in the oven now. I doubled the recipe and put it in a 9×13 pan. I only did 1 1/2 of the streusel, and, trust me, it’s enough, even for you, Sam! If I had doubled the streusel, I’m sure there would be problems with getting it all baked correctly. The streusel was exactly the right degree of crumbliness, too. From the looks of the batter, the amount of apple is just right, too – plenty, but not too much. I used Granny Smith, as I usually do for baking.
Bruce
55 minutes for a double batch in a metal 9×13 pan, with 1 1/2 times the streusel.
Sam
Thank you so much, Bruce! I hope you’ll love the final product just as much. 🙂
Chris
Does the melted butter need to be cooled in both the cake and struesel?
Sam
It is best that it isn’t very hot for both. Enjoy!
Christine
What is the best way to store the apple crumb cake?
Sam
Hi Chritine! I store it in an air tight container at room temperature. 🙂
hynes jim
So, my wife and I both bring home 4 pound bags of apples. What to do? Check w/Sam@SSR. Apple crumb cake caught my eye. Made it last night for breakfast this morning. As my wife was finishing her first bite she said “This is wonderful”.
Thank you Sam.
Sam
You’re very welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Chekena M
This recipe was fantastic I made this 3 different ways as a apple cake, muffins and I made it with Graham crust as pie and tweeked it alittle and it was a hit at church and with my family. I made the glaze and poured caramel sauce you use on top of ice cream and it was to die for. Thank you for helping people like me that are not bakers but are beginners.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Chekena! I lovvvee the caramel addition. 🙂
Anna
Wow , the cake came out absolutely delicious!! I shredded my apples instead of chopping and omitted the crumble , since I’m not a big fan. Definitely a keeper.Thank you for sharing! 🥰
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you enjoyed the cake, Anna! Thanks so much for trying our recipe ❤
Bev Phillips
I made this cake twice so far and have a couple of questions/comments.
First, it is delicious and a real hit. I use a spring form pan and the apples seem to leak and make a mess in the oven. This has happened both times I make the cake. Can I make this in an 8×8 pan instead?
Also, it takes at least an hour to bake. Should I up the temperature in my oven?
Your recipes are usually so on the mark, so I am thinking I am doing something wrong.
Congratulations on your latest addition. He is precious!!
Sam
Hi Bev! A leaking springform pan can be a real pain! You could bake it in an 8 x 8 pan, but it will likely alter your bake time. If I find I have a leaky springform pan I will typically just bake the cake on a cookie sheet. For the bake time, do you have an oven thermometer? Your oven may not be as hot as it says it is. If that’s not the case I would just let it go. Increasing the temperature could cook the outside while not baking the inside. I hope this helps! 🙂
sonia
From a flavor/texture point of view how is it different than the apple cake on your website ?
Sam
Hi Sonia! This one is a little bit more denser and rich, but you really can’t go wrong either way. 🙂
Elizabeth Tomory
This coffee cake is absolutely delicious!!! I didn’t make the glaze because I didn’t think it needed it but I did sift powdered sugar on the top. The cake is moist, flavorful and easy to make. I added 1/2 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!!