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5 from 9 ratings

Apple Crumb Cake

Yield: 16 slices
Prep: 45 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total: 2 hours
This apple crumb cake is made extra delicious with a layer of caramelized spiced apples and a thick layer of buttery, brown sugar crumble all over an extra soft and moist apple cake. It's ultra decadent- autumn crumb cake perfection!
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Ingredients

For the Crumble Topping

  • 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp allspice
  • pinch of salt

For the Spiced Apples

  • 2 cups (268 g) apples peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces, about 2 apples
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • pinch of allspice
  • 2 tbsp (28 g) brown sugar

For the Apple Cake

  • 1 3/4 cups (219 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup (244 g) unsweetened apple butter
  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

For the Cream Cheese Frosting Drizzle

  • 2 oz (56 g) cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) pure maple syrup
  • 3-4 tbsp (25-32 g) powdered sugar add to your sweetness preference
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk

Instructions
 

For the Crumble Topping

  • Add the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt to a medium bowl.
    1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, packed, 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp allspice, pinch of salt
  • Mix everything together until you have thick, coarse crumbs. Pop the crumble in the fridge while working on the rest of the crumb cake.

For the Spiced Apples

  • Add the chopped apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and brown sugar to a medium pan.
    2 cups (268 g) apples peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces, about 2 apples, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, pinch of allspice, 2 tbsp (28 g) brown sugar
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the juices have thickened and the apples are slightly tender. Remove from the heat and let cool while working on the batter.

For the Apple Cake

  • Preheat the oven to  350°F. Grease a 9x9 inch light metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.
    1 3/4 cups (219 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt
  • Add the softened butter and granulated white sugar to a large bowl. Cream together for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on high speed.
    1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
  • Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.
    2 eggs, at room temperature, 1 tsp vanilla
  • Add in the unsweetened apple butter and buttermilk and mix on medium low speed until combined.
    (The batter will look curdled at this point but don't worry. It will pull together once the dry ingredients are added.)
    1 cup (244 g) unsweetened apple butter, 3/4 cup (180 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on medium low speed just until the batter is combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the apples on top of the batter, then sprinkle the chilled streusel on top of the apples, making sure to cover the entire top in an even layer.
  • Bake the coffee cake for 65-80 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center with only a few moist crumbs.
    (If the top is getting too brown towards the end of the baking time, loosely cover with aluminum foil.)
  • Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then pull up on the parchment paper to release it from the pan. Let the crumb cake continue cooling on the cooling rack until completely cooled.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting Drizzle

  • While the cake cools, make the cream cheese drizzle by adding the cream cheese and maple syrup to a small bowl. Mix with an electric mixer on medium high speed until smooth.
    2 oz (56 g) cream cheese, softened, 2 tbsp (30 ml) pure maple syrup
  • Then sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time, mixing on low speed, until all is combined. Lastly, mix in the milk.
    3-4 tbsp (25-32 g) powdered sugar add to your sweetness preference, 1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk
  • Once cooled, cut the crumb cake into 16 slices. Drizzle the cream cheese frosting on top of the cake, then serve!
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple, apple coffee cake, apple crumb cake, coffee cake, crumb cake
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