Amazing Apple Crumb Cake
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Whether you call it a Crumb Cake or a Crumble Cake, this recipe for Apple Double Crumb Cake is beckoning and unabashedly the best! Using sweet-tart apples, sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg, layered between a buttery cake with two layers of brown sugar oat crumb streusel!
What is it about fall that drives us all to our ovens? Perhaps it’s the smell of warm fall spices wafting through our home, mixed with autumn crisp apples is almost too much to resist! And this apple crumble coffee cake will satisfy all those things!
We love coffee cakes in our house, this apple crumb cake is the perfect addition, you might also try our Blueberry Crumble Cake, the “You Can’t Mess it Up” Coffee Cake, or our Starbucks Copycat Coffee Cake.
What’s the Difference between a Crumb & Crumble Cake?
Crumble is a derived term of crumb. As verbs the difference between crumble and crumb is that crumble is to fall apart; to disintegrate while crumb is to cover with crumbs. As nouns the difference between crumble and crumb is a derived term of crumb. A crumble is a dessert of british origin containing stewed fruit topped with a crumbly mixture of fat, flour, and sugar while crumb is a small piece which breaks off from baked food (such as cake, biscuit or bread).
Is Coffee Cake the Same as a Crumb Cake?
My understanding is that any cake that goes well with coffee (hello, all cakes, scones, quickbreads and muffins) is officially a coffee cake!
Ingredients for Apple Crumb Cake
While the list might seem long, this cake comes together so quickly and is so simple to make! Full recipe in the printable recipe card below.
For the Crumb Topping
- All-purpose Flour | I typically use organic AP Unbleached flour, but regular is fine, I also added oat flour to add a bit of chewy-nutty factor
- Brown Sugar | light or dark, your preference, I used a bit of both!
- Granulated Sugar | I always use all natural cane sugar.
- Ground Cinnamon | Salt | Nutmeg | Can you smell them now!
- Vanilla Extract | again, I’m going to go with real, not imitation here
- Real Butter | remember my mantra, if it is soft coming out of the fridge, it’s not real butter!
For the Crumble Cake
- Apples | a sweet-tart apple is best for this, like a Granny Smith, but I used a Honeycrisp, because that’s what I had on hand!
- Butter | More of the real stuff.
- Granulated Sugar | up all natural for me, but regular is fine.
- Egg | I bake with large eggs
- Vanilla Extract | read all about how to make your own and never run out again for just pennies a month!
- Greek Yogurt | or sour cream, either is delicious, I make mine with yogurt.
- All-purpose flour | In recipes like this, you can usually do ½ white and ½ whole wheat flour. I used Light Whole Wheat, but regular all-purpose flour works too!
- Baking Soda, baking Powder, salt | make sure it’s fresh!
- (Optional) Milk or Buttermilk | sometimes depending on the type of whole wheat flour you use if you choose to use it, it can soak up a lot more liquid, so counter that by adding a touch of milk or buttermilk.
HOW TO MAKE APPLE CRUMB CAKE
- Make your Crumb Topping First! | Mix together crumb ingredients; flour, brown sugar granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg. Whisk or use fork to combine, then pour in melted butter and vanilla extract and mix until a wet crumb forms. Place in fridge while making cake.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 8 or 9 inch springform pan (see notes below) plus place round of parchment for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl (my favorite) cream together butter, sugar until light and creamy, add egg and beat one minute. Add Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and vanilla extract, beat until just combined.
- In a smaller bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, use a whisk or fork to combine. With mixer on low slowly add flour into creamed butter mixture just until combined.
- Spread ½ the batter in bottom of pan, it will be a thin layer. Layer apple chunks evenly over batter and sprinkle with cinnamon, then sprinkle 1 cup cinnamon streusel crumbs over apples. Finishing by spreading remaining batter over the crumbs, spreading to mostly cover. Add rest of cinnamon crumb topping on top of batter.
- Bake 35-40 minutes until toothpick or tester come out clean when inserted in center of cake. Allow to cool 15-20 minutes on wire cooling rack.
- Run a knife around the ring of the springform, then remove the collar.
- For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and maple syrup (or apple cider) and drizzle over cake or by the slice.
Can I Make Apple Cinnamon Crumble Gluten Free?
While I have not tried it, my experience has been that subbing out the all purpose flour for gluten free all-purpose flour in a recipe such as this, (almost) always works great! So give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Can I Freeze my Cinnamon Crumb Cake?
You betcha! Be sure to wrap or store in an airtight container, use within 3-6 months. To warm, remove from packaging, cover with foil and place in 300 degree oven for 30 minutes (frozen) or 15-20 minutes thawed.
Can I Substitute Other Fruit for the Apples?
Absolutely! Try these replacements:
Use pears, nectarines, plums or peaches in place of apples. Cup for cup! You may also add berries of any kind, you can even mix and match. Keep the total amount to about 1-½ cups.
Can I use a Cake Pan in place of a Springform pan?
- Use a 9″ cake pan (deep is better) or an 8-9 inch square pan and cut into squares instead of slices.
- You may also use two small 6 or 7″ springform pans, eat a crumb cake and freeze one, or eat one and give to a neighbor!
Crisps, Strudels, Cobblers – oh my!
There are also Crisps, Brown Betty’s, Strudels and Cobbler’s; all delicious and the one thing they all have in common is fruit! Here are a few of my favorite bloggers recipes!
Try these other fan favorite apple recipes:
- Gluten-Free Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
- Easy Old Fashioned Apple Crisp {Gluten-Free Option}
- Maple Apple Sausage Stuffing Recipe
- Pear Bundt Cake
- Apple Cinnamon Bread from my friend Tristin at Home Cooked Harvest.
Like this recipe?
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Equipment
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour I subbed out ½ cup flour for oat flour
- ½ cup brown sugar packed (light or dark)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar I use all natural cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup butter melted
For the Cake
- 1 large or 2 small tart apples peeled and chopped (I used Honeycrisp)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons ½ stick butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar I used cane sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
- 1 cup all purpose flour I used ½ cup light whole wheat and ½ regular
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoons milk or buttermilk OPTIONAL if using whole wheat flour and it’s too thick
Maple Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons maple syrup or apple cider I used maple syrup
Instructions
- Grease an 8-9 inch springform pan* and line the bottom with parchment paper round, or grease really well. Preheat oven to 350°.
- Make your cinnamon crumb topping by whisking together all the dry ingredients, then add the melted butter and vanilla, stirring with a fork or spoon until mixture is evenly moist and presses together when squeezed in hand. Place in fridge while making the cake.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together butter with sugar until light and creamy, add egg, beating well for about 1 minute. Add vanilla and sour cream, beat until incorporated.
- In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the creamed butter mixture, just until combined.
- Spread half the batter on the bottom of the pan, it will be thin. Spread the apples evenly over the batter, sprinkle with cinnamon. Sprinkle one cup cinnamon crumb mixture over the apples. Spread remaining batter over the crumbs, it doesn’t have to be perfect! Spread remaining crumb mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake on middle rack of oven, for 35-40 minutes, checking at 35 minutes using a cake tester or toothpick. If it comes out clean it’s done. Remove from oven, cooling 15-20 minutes on wire rack.
- Before removing the springform sleeve, run a knife around the edges of the cake.
- If desired, whisk together powdered sugar and maple syrup (or apple cider) and drizzle over cake.
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About Kathleen Pope
Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer
Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen. Read more about Kathleen here.
I made this for a group of my friends at a barb bq and they said it was great. A lot of compliments.
I made the Apple Crumb Cake. It was absolutely delicious. I used Jonathan apples in this recipe. Last week I made the Bourbon Vanilla Caramel Sauce. It is a 5 star for sure. I used it over Brownie bites and vanilla ice cream. I used a tablespoon and half of the sauce and a little milk in the glaze for the Apple Crumb Cake instead of Maple syrup.
Thank you so much for sharing this Cookie! Makes my heart sing to know you loved it! And I love your modifications, that’s my motto, “make it yours!” Have a fabulous week!
Kathleen
I absolutely loved this crumb cake. The directions were easy to follow. I used 2 Jonathan apples. For the drizzle I substitute a tablespoon of your Bourbon Vanilla Caramel sauce and a little bit of milk to thin the drizzle. The Bourbon Vanilla Caramel sauce is a 5 stars also.