Apple Coffee Cake

This easy Apple Coffee Cake is a fall favorite! Wonderfully buttery and moist, packed with apples and spiced with cinnamon, this apple coffee cake recipe is comfort food that everyone will love! Perfect with a cup of coffee or weekend brunch!

More delicious apple treats you’ll love: Apple Crumble, Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread and Apple Muffins!

Apple Coffee Cake Recipe

There are so many delicious apple recipes that we make every fall that really feel like tradition and this apple coffee cake recipe is one such recipe. It’s the perfect blend of traditional coffee cake and sweet and spiced apples. The hint of cinnamon and tart apples really turns the humble coffee cake into a magical fall treat.

This easy coffee cake recipe features layers of tender apples (we used Granny Smith) that have been sweetened and spiced. Truly a mouth watering blend of sweetness, spice and everything nice. Whether you’re serving it up for a weekend brunch, enjoying with a cup of coffee or as a delightful addition to holiday entertaining, this cake is sure to impress!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fall Flavor. This coffee cake has wonderfully tart and sweet Granny Smith apples and is spiced with ground cinnamon for fabulous fall flavor.
• Versatility. Coffee cake is one of those versatile treats that can be served for breakfast, dessert, or as a tasty snack at coffee time!
• Apple Layer. The crisp apples add freshness, autumnal flavor and spices that will remind you of the flavors you would find in an apple pie.

What You’ll Need

This delicious coffee cake is so easy to make and comes together quickly with the help of pantry staples and fresh apples. As always, you can find the full printable recipe with complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need…

Coffee Cake

• butter – A full cup of softened, unsalted butter gives this cake unbelievable moistness and a buttery flavor.
• granulated sugar and brown sugar – Sweetens the cake so beautifully! Feel free to play with the ratio of granulated sugar and brown sugar to suit your taste preferences.
• eggs – Room temperature eggs help the batter to come together beautifully. The eggs provide structure as well as act as a binding agent.
• vanilla extract – A full tablespoon of vanilla gives this coffee cake amazing warmth and flavor.
• all purpose flour – Make sure to spoon and level the flour so you get an accurate measurement and the cake doesn’t turn out dry.
• baking powder – Gives this cake a nice lift and fluffy texture.
• salt – To balance the sweetness and enhance the other flavors in this cake.
• milk – I used whole milk in this recipe but 2% will also work.

Apple Mixture

• apples  – You’ll need about 2 apples, peeled and diced, I used Granny Smith. The apples add so much freshness and juicy flavor to the cake.
• brown sugar – I love dark brown sugar in this recipe because it adds even more molasses flavor but light brown sugar also works.
• unsalted butter – Melted butter here. It combines quickly and easily with the other crumble ingredients.
• all purpose flour – The flour helps acts as a bit of a binder for the crumble.
• ground cinnamon – Adds warmth and flavor to the crumble. You can also use apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice for even more flavor.
• salt – Enhances and balances the flavor.

Optional Glaze

• powdered sugar – The base of the simple glaze.
• milk – You need one to two tablespoons of milk. Start with one tablespoon and add more if needed.
• vanilla extract – Adds a note of warmth and adds flavor to the glaze.

How To Make Apple Coffee Cake

1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter.
2. Coffee Cake Batter.
   • Cream together butter and sugars until creamy and light, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time and then mix in vanilla extract.
   • Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
   • Add one-third of the flour mixture, combine, then one-third of the milk and stir to combine. Repeat twice.
3. Apple Mixture. Combine diced apples, brown sugar, melted butter, flour, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

4. Assembly. Transfer half of the cake batter to the prepared baking dish and then top with half of the apple crumble. Spoon the remaining batter on top of the apples and finish with remaining apple crumble mixture.
5. Bake. Transfer the coffee cake to the oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or, until an inserted toothpick, comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool to room temperature.
6. Glaze. Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until nice and smooth. Drizzle over the coffee cake and let set up for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Storage Information

Leftover coffee cake should be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

To freeze, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Place in a freezer safe ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.

Variations To Try

• Add chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds to the apple mixture for some added crunch.
• Try different apple varieties like Honeycrisp or Fuji.
• A caramel drizzle would be a delicious finish instead of the glaze.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Apple Recipes

1. Apple Crumble
2. Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
3. Apple Pie Tacos
4. Apple Muffin
5. Caramel Apple Cupcakes