Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake

This warm and cozy cinnamon apple coffee cake, topped with a crunchy crumb topping, is the best way to kick off a crisp fall day. It’s soft and moist with the classic combination of apple and cinnamon.

Coffee cake is my excuse to eat cake in the morning because, hello, coffee is a morning drink, so therefore coffee cake is a breakfast treat. Having a slice of apple-kissed cake topped with a crunchy brown sugar butter topping alongside a hot cup of coffee is an excellent start to the day, and, friends, I encourage you to do the same.

Applesauce Coffee Cake

And speaking of apples, this recipe has applesauce instead of fresh apples, so you don’t need to worry about peeling and dicing. I’m not a fan of big chunks of fruit in cake, so the applesauce infuses the whole coffee cake with apple goodness while maintaining the tender cake crumb.

And while the moist and cinnamon-spiced apple cake can stand on its own, the topping takes it over the top. It’s a brown sugar crumble topping that adds the perfect lightly crunchy texture complementing the soft apple coffee cake underneath.

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Ingredients

There are three parts to this recipe: the coffee cake batter, the crumble topping, and the icing. Here are all of the ingredients you’ll – some are used multiple times in the recipe.

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Ground cinnamon
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Large eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Whole milk
• Applesauce
• Brown sugar
• Powdered sugar

How to Make the Batter

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for three minutes or until fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time and then mix in the vanilla and applesauce. Don’t worry if the batter looks a little weird at this point – once you add the dry ingredients, it will come together.

Alternate folding in the milk and flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the ingredient just until the flour is absorbed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

How to Make the Crumb Topping

Mix the melted butter, sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl until the mixture is crumbly like coarse sand.

Sprinkle the topping over the top of the batter in the pan. 

Bake the coffee cake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack so the cake can cool.

While the coffee cake cools, make the icing. Mix the powdered sugar and vanilla in a small bowl. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time, mixing between each addition. Add enough so the icing is thick but still pourable.

Drizzle the icing over the top of the coffee cake and then slice and serve it.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Preparing the baking pan: Lining the pan with parchment paper so it over hangs the edges makes it easy to lift the cake out in one piece so you can slice it. You don’t have to do this – you can coat the pan with cooking spray.

Measuring the flour: For the coffee cake batter, be sure to use the spoon and level method when you measure the flour. I like to stir the flour in the container first and then lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup. Use a dinner knife to level off the flour. This ensures you don’t add too much flour which will make your cake denser.

Mixing tips: Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar for the cake. Once you add the flour mixture, switch to a silicone spatula so you can gently fold it into the wet ingredients. This makes it easier to not overmix the batter which will make your cake tough. Fold just until the flour is absorbed into the batter.

Storage: You can wrap the coffee cake in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for a few days. You can also freeze coffee cake with crumb topping – wrap it in a few layers of plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It will keep well for up to three months. Leave it at room temperature thaw before serving it.

So get the coffee brewing and try this cinnamon apple coffee cake recipe. It’s the perfect way to fill your kitchen with a warm fall aroma of cinnamon and apples. And it’s a cake that we get to eat for breakfast. Yes, please.

Happy baking,

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More Breakfast Recipe Ideas

• Baked French Toast
• Lemon Bread
• Banana Pancakes
• Pumpkin Pecan Bread

📣 Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe along with your recipe star rating.

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The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.

Post, recipe, and photos updated from the archives. First published in October 2016.