Name: Apple Coffee Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts and/or almonds); ⅓ cup white sugar; ⅓ cup brown sugar; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 3 tbsp unsalted butter (melted); ¼ tsp salt; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; ¾ tsp baking soda; ½ tsp fine sea salt; 1 cup white sugar; ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature); 2 large eggs; 1 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream); 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract; 2 Honeycrisp apples (diced into small pieces); ¾ cup powdered sugar; 1 - 2 tbsp milk; splash vanilla extract

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This Apple Coffee Cake is a soft, cinnamon-spiced cake layered with diced Honeycrisp apples, a nutty crumble, and a simple vanilla icing.

A slice of apple crumb cake on a peach plate, next to a whole apple and a glass baking dish filled with the remaining cake, topped with icing and crumbs.

What Is Apple Coffee Cake?

Apple coffee cake is a tender cake made with apples, cinnamon, and a crumb or crumble topping. Despite the name, coffee cake usually does not have coffee in the batter. It is called coffee cake because it is commonly served with coffee or tea.

This version uses diced Honeycrisp apples folded into the batter, then layers the cake with a buttery nut crumble made with chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds. The icing goes on after baking, once the cake has had a little time to cool.

The main parts are simple:

A soft cake batter made with butter, eggs, flour, yogurt or sour cream, and vanilla
Diced apples folded into the batter
A cinnamon nut crumble layered inside and on top
A powdered sugar icing drizzled over the finished cake

Bowl of flour, whole apple, apple half, stick of butter, two eggs, and bowl of chopped nuts on a marble surface.

Best Apples For Apple Coffee Cake

Honeycrisp apples work well in apple coffee cake because they stay pleasant after baking and bring enough natural sweetness without turning mushy. Dice them small so they spread evenly through the batter and soften in the oven.

A white bowl filled with chopped walnuts and slivered almonds sits on a marble surface next to a whole apple and a sliced apple half.

Other good apples for baking include:

Granny Smith
Fuji
Pink Lady
Braeburn
Jonagold
Gala

You can peel the apples or leave the skin on. Peeling gives the cake a softer bite, while leaving the skin on adds a little more texture. Either way, small pieces work better than large chunks.

A whisk sits in a glass bowl filled with a thick, yellow batter being mixed.

Why Yogurt Or Sour Cream Works Well

Plain yogurt or sour cream helps keep apple coffee cake tender. It also gives the batter enough moisture to hold up to the apples and crumble without becoming heavy.

The key is to mix gently once the flour goes in. Overmixing can make the cake dense, especially in a recipe that already has apples and crumble layered through it.

A few small things help the texture:

Use room temperature butter so it mixes smoothly with the sugar.
Add the eggs one at a time.
Fold in the flour mixture gently.
Stop mixing as soon as the batter comes together.
Fold the apples in at the end.

A glass bowl filled with thick cake batter containing apple chunks, being stirred with a spatula.

The Crumble Layer

The crumble is what gives this apple coffee cake its bakery-style feel. It is made with chopped nuts, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, and salt.

Instead of only putting crumble on top, this recipe uses it in two places. Half goes between the layers of batter, and the rest goes over the top before baking. That gives you a little crunch in the middle and a golden, sweet topping.

Pecans and walnuts are the most natural choices here, but almonds can work too. If the nuts are large, chop them before mixing so the crumble spreads evenly over the cake.

A glass baking dish holds apple crumble cake with icing drizzled on top. An apple and a bowl of icing sit on a marble countertop nearby, with a white towel partially visible underneath the dish.

How To Tell When Apple Coffee Cake Is Done

Apple coffee cake is done when the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Try not to test directly through a piece of apple, since that can make the toothpick look wetter than the cake actually is.

At 350°F, this recipe bakes for about 40 minutes, but ovens can vary. The top should look set, the crumble should be lightly browned, and the cake should not jiggle in the center.

Let it cool for about 15 minutes before adding the icing. If the cake is too hot, the icing will melt straight in instead of sitting nicely on top.

A glass baking dish with a large apple cake partially cut, topped with icing and crumbs. A square slice is on a pink plate nearby, with a fresh apple beside it on a marble surface.

When To Serve Apple Coffee Cake

Apple coffee cake fits into a lot of moments because it is not too formal. You can serve it warm, room temperature, or slightly chilled.

It works well for:

Weekend breakfast
Brunch
Holiday mornings
Afternoon coffee
Potlucks
Fall baking
Dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
Make-ahead breakfast for guests

Can Apple Coffee Cake Be Made Ahead?

Yes, apple coffee cake can be made ahead. It holds up well because the apples and yogurt or sour cream help keep the cake moist.

For the best result, bake the cake, let it cool, and store it covered. Add the icing after the cake has cooled, or wait and drizzle it closer to serving if you want it to look fresher.

You can also make the crumble ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.

A slice of apple crumb cake with icing drizzle on a peach-colored plate, next to a whole apple and part of a baking dish.

Storage Instructions

Let the apple coffee cake cool completely before storing.

Room Temperature: Store covered for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Freeze slices for up to 3 months.
Best Freezing Tip: Freeze without icing if you can, then add fresh icing after thawing.
Reheating: Warm individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds, or place them in a low oven until warmed through.

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