Join the club! Subscribe Here

  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Fresh Cooky new logo.

The Fresh Cooky

Real Food with a Healthy Twist

  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • By Course
      • Apps & Snacks
      • Breads
      • Drinks
      • Main Dishes
      • Salads & Dressings
      • Sandwiches
      • Sauces & Condiments
      • Side Dishes
      • Soups & Stews
      • Sweets
    • By Cuisine
      • Asian
      • German
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
    • By Diet
      • Egg-Free
      • Gluten-Free
      • Low Carb
      • Vegetarian
    • By Meal Type
      • 30 Minute Meals
      • Breakfast
      • Brunch
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Easy Weeknight
      • Freezer Friendly
      • Kid-Friendly
      • Make Ahead
      • Copycat
    • By Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Crockpot
      • Grilled
      • Instant Pot
      • One Pot
      • Sheet Pan
      • Stovetop
  • Holidays
    • Patriotic Recipes
  • Most Popular
  • For Subscribers
Recipes โ€บ Meals โ€บ Breakfast โ€บ Sweet Breakfast
4 Comments

Amazing Apple Crumb Cake

Kathleen

by Kathleen Pope Aug 1, 2023

Jump to Recipe

Pin for Apple Double Crumb cake a great fall dessert recipe, with image of wedge of apple crumb cake, drizzled with brown butter glaze.
Pin for easy fall dessert recipes with top image of shot of slice of apple double crumb cake and bottom image of slice of double crumb cake looking from the side with an apple in background.
Pinterest Image for Apple Crumb cake with text saying Double Crumb, with arrow pointing to large crumbs on a slice of apple crumb cake, sitting on a white plate with a red apple on a pink napkin in the background.

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.

Wedge of Apple Double Crumb Coffee cake on plate with fork, apple behind.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure & privacy policy.

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).

Top down shot of slice of apple crumb cake with fork laying on a white plate atop a pink napkin with a red apple and wooden cake plate in background.

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.

Partial Ingredients image for Apple Crumb Cake left to right oat flour, regular flour, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, apples.

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.
Streusel Crumb mixture with melted butter and vanilla in glass mixing bowl with wooden mixing spoon
Add Butter to Dry Crumb Ingredients
Crumb mixture mixed and sticking into large crumbs with wooden spoon in glass mixing bowl
Stir well to mix
glass mixing bowl with creamed butter and sugar with added greek yogurt to bowl
Cake batter with Greek yogurt
Small glass bowl pouring in flour mixture into creamed butter and sugar mixture in a large bowl.
Adding flour mixture to wet ingredients

HOW TO MAKE APPLE CRUMB CAKE

  1. 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.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 8 or 9 inch springform pan (see notes below) plus place round of parchment for easy removal.
  3. 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.
  4. 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 thin layer batter in pan
Spread ½ batter in pan
Layer apples, cinnamon and crumbs
Add apples, cinnamon and 1 cup crumbs
Add remaining batter on top
Add rest of batter and smooth
Add rest of crumb topping
Pour remaining crumbs on top
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Run a knife around the ring of the springform, then remove the collar.
  4. 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!

Wedge of apple crumb cake on a white plate sitting on a pink napkin with a wooden cake plate and the rest of the apple crumb cake in the background.

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.

Apple Double Crumb cake slice on a plate with a pink napkin behind and an apple.

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:

Mini Caramel Apple Pie Recipe

  • 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?

Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!

Recipe Card

Apple Crumb Cake

5 from 2 readers
Author: Kathleen Pope
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 12 servings
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Apples and cinnamon, a light, buttery cake, with not one but two layers of crumb streusel topping! Perfect for a fall or chilly morning, delicious with a cup of coffee or tea.

Video

Equipment

  • Anchor Hocking 2 Quart Glass Batter Bowl With Lid 
  • 7-Speed Digital Hand Mixer with Turbo Beater II Accessories and Pro Whisk – Contour Silver
  • JAMIE OLIVER Round Springform Cake Tin, 9 Inches, Nonstick

Ingredients 
US Customary – Metric

Crumb Topping

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour Unbleached, 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 apple Or 2 small apples, Honeycrisp or other tart apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons butter ยฝ stick of 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 cup unbleached regular flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk OPTIONAL if using whole wheat flour and it's too thick. May use buttermilk instead.

Maple Glaze

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons maple syrup Sub with apple cider
Get Recipe Ingredients

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.
Last step! Leave a RatingRate this recipe here. This helps other readers and helps support this website.

Notes

If you do not have a springform pan, you can certainly make this cake in a 8-9" square pan or round cake pan.
Apple Crumb Cake keeps best in fridge in airtight container for 3-5 days, may be frozen up to 3 months.
Adapted from OMG Chocolate Desserts

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 320mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 563IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you make my Apple Crumb Cake?Show it off! Share on Instagram, tag @thefreshcooky, and use the hashtag #thefreshcooky!
Tag on Insta Leave a Rating

Share This!

569 shares
  • Share
  • Flipboard
  • Email
  • SMS

My Signature Recipes!

The recipes everyone asks for (plus a few I can't stop making)

Kathleen Pope

Meet Kathleen

Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, Iโ€™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

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter / X
  • Mastadon

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Rate & Comment Cancel reply

    Have a question, comment, or suggestions about this recipe? If you had any trouble, I would love a chance to help you troubleshoot before you rate. Constructive criticism is welcome, but please be respectful. Rude or inappropriate comments will not be approved. Your email address will not be published.

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Mary Ann Hagan

    Fri, Sep 18, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for a group of my friends at a barb bq and they said it was great. A lot of compliments.

    Reply
  2. Cookie Little

    Mon, Sep 14, 2020 at 4:28 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen

      Tue, Sep 15, 2020 at 9:13 am

      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

      Reply
  3. Cookie Little

    Sat, Sep 12, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Kathleen Pope

Meet Kathleen

Hey there! I'm Kathleen Pope, a proud wife, mom of two awesome college boys, and recipe nerd. Welcome to my world of easy recipes with a healthy twist! Join thousands who trust The Fresh Cooky as their go-to recipe source. Let's cook up some magic!

Read More

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter / X
  • Mastadon

My Signature Recipes!

The recipes everyone asks for (plus a few I can't stop making)

Trending Now

  • Crumbl cookie with milk chocolate chips.Copycat Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookie
  • Square image of whole easy key lime pie with dollops of whipped cream and decorated with wedges of key limes.Award Winning Recipe for Key Lime Pie
  • Easy and Quick Pizza Dough Recipe with dough on floured surface square.Easy No Rise Pizza Dough Recipe
  • Best shaved steak recipes, round up picture with Philly cheesesteak, steak bomb, steak fajitas and stuffed peppers.39 Best Shaved Steak Recipes (Easy Steak Meals)
  • Philly cheese steak sandwich on a tray with french fries surrounding it.Best Philly Cheesesteak Recipe
  • Classic Carol chicken salad in bowl and scooped onto lettuce on plates with crackers and dill pickle spears.Chicken Salad Chick Classic Carol
The Fresh Cooky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter / X
  • Mastadon

Subscribe Now

by Course

  • Appetizers & Snacks
  • Breads
  • Drinks
  • Main Dishes
  • Salads & Dressings
  • Sauces & Condiments
  • Side Dishes
  • Sweets

Holidays

  • Thanksgiving
  • Holiday Appetizers
  • Holiday Breakfast
  • Holiday Drinks
  • Holiday Main Dish
  • Holiday Side Dish
  • Holiday Sweets
  • Game Day Recipes

By Cuisine

  • Asian
  • German
  • Italian
  • Mexican

By Diet

  • Gluten-Free
  • Low Carb
  • Vegetarian

By Meal Type

  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Easy Weeknight Meals
  • Freezer Meals
  • Kid-Friendly
  • Make Ahead

By Method

  • Air Fryer
  • Crockpot
  • Grilled
  • Instant Pot
  • One Pot
  • Sheet Pan
  • Stovetop
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Subscribe

Copyright © 2025 ยท The Fresh Cooky ยท Privacy & Disclosure Policy

569 shares
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Flipboard
  • Email

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe.

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required