This apple coffee cake is moist and tender with the perfect flavors for fall. The cake is warm and buttery. Then there's a layer of sweet, cinnamon apples and crunchy streusel topping.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Apple Coffee Cake
½cuplight brown sugar (100 grams) or ¼ cup dark brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar
1 and ½teaspoonscinnamon
¼teaspoonsalt
¼cupunsalted butter (56 grams)melted
Coffee Cake Batter
2cupsall purpose flour (250 grams) spooned and levelled
¾teaspoonsbaking powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
¼teaspoonsalt
½cupunsalted butter (112 grams) softened to room temperature
¾cupgranulated sugar (150 grams)
¼cupbrown sugar (50 grams)
2largeeggstemperature
1 and ½teaspoonsvanilla extract
½cupsour cream (120 ml) room temperature
¼cupmilk (60 ml) I recommend 2%
½cupsalted caramel sauce for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C or 160C fan-forced) degrees.
Grease and lightly flour a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan. I recommend wrapping the outside in tin foil in case the seal of the pan isn't tight.
Cinnamon Apples
Peal the apples and slice into thin slices.
Toss the apples with the brown sugar and cinnamon until they're evenly covered. Place in the fridge until you're ready to use them.
Streusel Topping
Stir together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.
Stir in the melted butter until the mixture forms crumbles. Set aside.
Coffee Cake Batter
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, beat together the butter, granulated sugar and brown until fluffy (about 2-4 minutes).
Add in the vanilla and beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
With the mixer on a low speed, beat in about ½ of the flour mixture, followed by the sour cream. Then mix in the rest of the flour mixture, followed by the milk. I typically do a few stirs after each addition by hand. Stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are combined.
Assembling & Baking
Pour/spoon the batter into your prepared pan. Place the apple slices on top of the batter. You want an even layer of apples with no cake showing through. If there's juice/liquid in the bottom of the bowl - do not pour it on top of the cake
Sprinkle the crumb topping on top of the apple layer so that it's completely covered. You do not want apples or cake batter showing through.
Bake in your preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Mine took exactly 55 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool for about 20-30 minutes in its pan. Trace around the edge of the pan with a thin, sharp knife. Then unclamp the outer ring of the springform pan.
Optionally, drizzle the cake with salted caramel slice.
Notes
Pan Options: If you don't have a springform pan, this recipe can be made in a 9-inch pan with high sides (about 2 - 2.5 inches).
Apples: The apples will sweeten and soften as they bake. I therefore recommend choosing a very crispy and flavorful apple. Granny Smith works very well, or for a sweeter option, something like Gala or Honey Crisp.
Room Temperature Ingredients: For the cake batter, the butter, eggs, sour cream and milk should be room temperature before getting started. This helps everything mix together evenly.
Sour Cream: I highly recommend using full-fat sour cream, something around 14% MF.