Apple Coffee Cake

This delectable apple coffee cake recipe is packed full of real apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then finished with a crumbly, warm-spiced streusel topping and a sweet glaze. It’s my absolute favorite versatile breakfast and dessert to make in the fall since it warms me right up! Every bite of this moist cake tastes even better with a sip of coffee to wash it down!

Up-close side view of a piece of coffee cake on a plate.

I absolutely love coffee cake for breakfast and dessert year-round, but when fall rolls around, all I can think about is how to add apples to my favorite recipes. This homemade apple coffee cake is filled to the brim with real apples and fragrant cinnamon. The apples add a wonderful contrasting texture and freshness to the cake that warms my soul through the autumn chill.

What’s in This Apple Coffee Cake Recipe?

Butter: Unsalted butter adds moisture and richness to the cake and the topping.
Sugar: I used a combination of granulated and brown sugar to sweeten this cake. Powdered sugar helps sweeten the glaze without making it gritty.
Oil: Vegetable oil helps keep the cake moist and tender.
Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract enhances the sweetness of the cake.
Eggs: Add richness and moisture to the cake.
Sour Cream: My secret ingredient for a moist and tender coffee cake.
Flour: Gives the cake and topping structure.
Baking Powder: Helps the cake rise in the oven.
Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds warmth to the cake and topping.
Apples: I like Granny Smith apples for baking, but Honeycrisp, Gala, or Golden Delicious also work.
Milk: Helps thin the glaze to the correct consistency.

Pieces of apple cinnamon coffee cake on white plates, on a table top with forks, mugs of coffee, and a dish towel scattered around.

Tips for Success

Letting your butter, eggs, and sour cream come to room temperature ensures even creaming and a smooth batter. Cold ingredients can lead to a lumpy cake.
Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, resist the urge to overmix the batter. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to a tough and dense cake.
The streusel topping should be crumbly and coarse. If it becomes too sandy or powdery, pinch it together with your fingertips to create pea-sized crumbs.
Don’t be afraid to swirl the streusel topping into the batter a little bit to create pockets of streusel goodness throughout the cake.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover apple coffee cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Enjoy room temperature or reheated in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

Freeze apple coffee cake whole or in individual slices tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator or on the countertop overnight before serving.

An apple coffee cake topped with streusel and a glaze, cut into squares.

Serving Suggestions

This apple cinnamon coffee cake brings joy in every bite while an apple crisp macchiato will bring it in every sip. Balance the sweetness with a slice of this delicious Ham and Cheese Casserole or Biscuit Breakfast Casserole.

Apple Coffee Cake Recipe

This easy apple coffee cake is packed with brown sugar and cinnamon, then finished with a crumbly streusel topping!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1 5

Servings slices

Calories 429kcal

Author Krista Teigen

Ingredients

For the Cake

1 cup unsalted butter 226 grams, room temperature (2 sticks)
¾ cup granulated sugar 150 grams
¾ cup brown sugar 160 grams
¼ cup vegetable oil 50 grams
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 8 grams
3 large eggs 150 grams, room temperature
½ cup sour cream 114 grams, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour 360 grams
2 teaspoons baking powder 8 grams
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 medium apples 300 grams, sliced into thin 1-inch pieces

For the Topping and Glaze

½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, melted (1 stick)
1 cup all-purpose flour 120 grams
¾ cup brown sugar 160 grams
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup powdered sugar 113 grams
2 tablespoons milk 28 grams

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
Using a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugars, and oil together.

1 cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup vegetable oil
Beat in the vanilla, eggs, and sour cream.

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 3 large eggs, ½ cup sour cream
In a separate bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together.

3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Fold in the apple pieces.

2 medium apples
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan.
Combine the streusel topping ingredients (butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt) until the mixture is crumbly. Then, sprinkle the crumbs over the batter.

½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk to create a runny glaze.

1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk
Drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Video

Notes

You can change up this coffee cake recipe by using different kinds of apples, or swapping out the apples for pears, peaches, or fresh berries. Yum!

Storage: Store apple coffee cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

How to Make Apple Coffee Cake Step by Step

Make the Batter: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside. Using a hand mixer, beat 1 cup of room temperature unsalted butter, ¾ cup of granulated sugar, ¾ cup of brown sugar, and ¼ cup of vegetable oil together. Beat in 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract, 3 large room-temperature eggs, and ½ cup of room-temperature sour cream. In a separate bowl, whisk 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in 2 medium sliced apples.

Small pieces of apples are being folded into a thick batter in a mixing bowl.

Make the Streusel: Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Combine ½ cup of melted unsalted butter, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ¾ cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon of kosher salt until the mixture is crumbly. Then, sprinkle the crumbs over the batter.

A hand is sprinkling a streusel mixture on top of an unbaked cake.

Bake and Glaze: Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk to create a runny glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the cake.