The Most Delicious Apple Coffee Cake Recipe
This easy apple coffee cake recipe is the perfect combination of tender cake, fresh apples, warm cinnamon, and a delicious crumb topping. It’s simple enough for a weekend breakfast but special enough for brunch, holidays, or dessert.
Fresh apple pieces are baked right into the cake, while a sweet cinnamon crumb topping adds a delicious layer of texture and flavor to every bite.
And here’s the best part: you don’t need a mixer or a complicated list of ingredients to make it!
Serve a warm slice with a cup of coffee, tea, or apple cider for the perfect cozy treat.
This Apple Coffee Cake recipe is a spin on my Grandma’s Coffee Cake. I switched it up with cinnamon instead of nutmeg and adding apples. It is full of flavor and perfect to start your day paired with a warm drink.
Why You’ll Love This Apple Coffee Cake
There’s something extra special about a homemade coffee cake, especially when it’s packed with fresh apples and cinnamon.
Here’s why this recipe deserves a spot in your baking rotation:
- Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.
- Fresh apples add moisture and natural sweetness.
- Buttermilk helps create a tender, flavorful cake.
- The cinnamon crumb topping adds a sweet, slightly crunchy finish.
- You don’t need a mixer.
- It’s delicious for breakfast, brunch, snacking, or dessert.
- It’s especially wonderful during apple season and the fall months.
And because it makes 12 servings, it’s a great recipe when you’re feeding a group.
What Is Apple Coffee Cake?
Despite the name, there’s actually no coffee in coffee cake.
Coffee cake is generally a sweet cake designed to be served alongside coffee or another hot drink. Many versions feature a crumb or streusel topping, cinnamon, fruit, or nuts.
This apple version combines a tender cinnamon cake with fresh diced apples and a sweet crumb topping.
The result is somewhere between a classic coffee cake and an apple dessert—and it’s absolutely delicious with a hot cup of coffee.
Ingredients for Apple Coffee Cake
- sugar
- brown sugar
- flour
- ground cinnamon
- salt
- oil
- apple
- buttermilk
- egg
- baking powder
- baking soda
What Kind of Apple Should I Use?
I like using a tart apple such as Granny Smith for this recipe.
The slight tartness balances the sweetness of the cake and crumb topping beautifully.
You can also use a firm sweet-tart apple such as Honeycrisp.
Other good baking apples include:
Granny Smith Honeycrisp Pink Lady Fuji Gala
Choose an apple that will hold its shape when baked rather than becoming completely mushy.
How to Make Apple Coffee Cake
Combine the Dry Ingredients
I start by combining my dry ingredients. In a large bowl I start to add the sugar. I use both granulated sugar and dark brown sugar.
Then add the all purpose flour, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and salt.
Whisk those dry ingredients together.
Add the Oil
Add the oil. I use a canola oil. You can use melted butter instead if you prefer.
Mix the oil into the dry ingredients until it’s mix evenly. It’s creating almost a crumb-like mixture.
Save Some of the Mixture for the Topping
Then you want to take 1 cup of the crumbly dry ingredients and set it aside, this will be the crumb topping.
Add the Apples
Then add a peeled, cored, and chopped apple to the rest of the dry ingredients still in the bowl. I like to use a tart apples when baking, so I used a Granny Smith apple, but a honeycrisp apple would be delicious too.
Mix the Buttermilk and Egg
In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the buttermilk and egg.
Don’t Have Buttermilk? TIP: If you don’t have buttermilk you can create some with milk and white vinegar. Pour just a couple tablespoons less than a cup of milk into the measuring cup. Then add white vinegar to get to that 1 cup measurement. Let the milk sit for 10-15 minutes. You will see that it’s thickened. Pretty cool!
Add the Baking Powder and Baking Soda
Add the baking powder and baking soda to the buttermilk and egg. Whisk to combined.
Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients
Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together until combined.
Add the Batter to the Pan
Pour the batter into an 8″x10″ baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.
Add the Cinnamon Crumb Topping
Then take the crumble topping that you set aside and sprinkle it on top of the cake batter.
Bake
Bake in your preheated oven for about 45 minutes. Then let your coffee cake cool to room temperature before slicing and enjoying with a hot cup of coffee.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container on your counter or in your refrigerator. If your family is like mine you won’t have too many leftover slices to store.
Apple Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup oil or melted butter
- 1 apple peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray an 8"x10" pan with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the sugars, flour, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the oil to the dry ingredients.
- Mix together until combined. Once combined remove 1 cup of this mixture and set aside (topping).
- Then add the peeled, cored, and diced apple to the ingredients in the bowl. Toss the apples until evenly mixed and coated.
- In a separate bowl combine the buttermilk and egg.
- Add the baking powder and baking soda to the buttermilk mixture. Whisk until combined.
- Then add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredient bowl and mix to combine.
- Then pour the coffee cake batter into the spray baking pan.
- Then sprinkle the cup of topping that you set aside on top of the coffee cake batter.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 45 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Tips for Making the Best Apple Coffee Cake
Dice the Apples Small
Small apple pieces distribute more evenly throughout the cake and make every bite a little more apple-filled.
Use a Tart Apple
A tart apple such as Granny Smith provides a nice contrast to the sweet cinnamon crumb topping.
Don’t Overmix
Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, stop mixing.
Overmixing can result in a tougher cake.
Don’t Skip the Crumb Topping
That cinnamon crumb topping is one of the best parts of this recipe!
Be sure to reserve the full cup of the dry mixture before adding the apples and wet ingredients.
Let the Cake Cool
Give the cake at least 30 minutes to cool before cutting.
It will continue to set as it cools, making it easier to slice.
Can I Make Apple Coffee Cake Ahead of Time?
Yes.
Apple coffee cake is a great make-ahead breakfast or brunch recipe.
Bake the cake, let it cool completely, and store it in an airtight container.
When you’re ready to serve it, you can enjoy it at room temperature or warm individual slices slightly.
Can I Freeze Apple Coffee Cake?
Yes!
Allow the cake to cool completely before freezing.
Wrap individual slices or the entire cake tightly, then place it in a freezer-safe container or bag.
Individual slices are especially convenient because you can thaw just what you need.
How to Serve Apple Coffee Cake
This cake is delicious on its own, but there are plenty of ways to serve it.
Try it with:
- Hot coffee
- Tea
- Apple cider
- A glass of milk
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
- A drizzle of caramel sauce
For breakfast or brunch, simply serve a slice alongside your favorite hot drink.
For dessert, warm it slightly and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Apple Coffee Cake for Brunch
This recipe is an easy choice when you’re hosting brunch.
You can make it ahead of time and serve it alongside:
- Scrambled eggs
- Bacon or sausage
- Fresh fruit
- Yogurt
- Coffee
- Tea
- Apple cider
Cut the cake into squares and arrange them on a serving platter for an easy breakfast spread.
More Apple Recipes to Try
- Easy Apple Crescent Muffins
- Chocolate Caramel Apple Bark
- Apple Crisp Funnel Cake
- Apple Cinnamon Swirl Ice Cream
