Name: Apple Crumb Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 1 cup packed dark or light brown sugar; ½ cup granulated sugar; 1 tbsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp salt; 1 cup melted, unsalted butter; 2 ½ cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour; 2 ½ cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; ½ tsp baking powder; ½ tsp salt; ¾ cup softened, unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar; 3 eggs, room temperature; 1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature; 2 ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract; 2 cups chopped and peeled apples (about 2 apples); ⅓ tsp ground cinnamon; 1 ½ tsp icing (maple, vanilla, caramel, etc.)

Jump to Recipe

Okay, we all know apple pie is the poster child of American desserts. But there’s another way to pair up apples and bake! Trust me, folks have been gobbling up my warm apple crumb cakes like no tomorrow.

Some even say these cool cakes are better than apple pies, but you don’t have to take their word for it. Give it a shot yourself with my super basic recipe, and you’ll see what all the fuss is about!

Why Everyone Loves My Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake

The apple crumble cake is soft and moist, with juicy bursts of apple goodness in every bite. And as if that’s not enough, we have a crunchy topping on top of that! When the rich brown sugar caramelizes in the oven, you’ll immediately see why it’s a fan favorite.
Hungry yet? Get ready because you can tweak the recipe anytime. And don’t forget about the spices; you’re their boss! Plus, speaking of apples, different types bring their own game. Granny Smith for a tart kick, Gala, or Honeycrisp for a sweeter vibe – take your pick.
What’s a slice of moist crumb cake without pairing? I often enjoy it with a sip of my morning coffee or during a cozy tea time. If you feel extra, throw vanilla ice cream on there for a cool contrast, or whip up some fluffy cream that’s light and airy to the touch. Trust me, you can NEVER go wrong with any of these combos.

The Best Way To Make Apple Crumb Cake

Ingredients

Before starting, let’s gather up everything we need for our soft apple crumb cake:

Apples: Our star players!
Flour: We’re going with all-purpose flour to give our moist cake a solid base; it’s the backbone of this perfect dessert.
Baking Soda & baking powder: These two baking buddies help our cake puff up to golden perfection.
Granulated sugar: Sweetness is key, so don’t forget to add it!
Butter: Melted butter brings us a rich flavor and helps bind everything together.
Sour cream: Never skimp on the fat if you want our cake to turn out moist and dense.
Eggs: Who else can give our cake the right amount of moisture and structure besides these guys? We’ll need about three of them.
Salt & vanilla extract: Add salt and a dash of vanilla extract for an extra flavor boost.
Cinnamon: Because what’s a crumbly apple cake without warm cinnamon spice, right?

Instructions

Step 1.

Let’s get started!

Set your oven to 350°F (or 177°C) and prepare your 13×9 baking pan — either grease it or line it with parchment paper. Once that’s done, set it aside.

Step 2.

We’ll whip together our crumb topping!

Mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Then, pour in the unsalted butter and give it a good stir.

Once it’s all combined, lightly whisk in the all-purpose flour until you’ve got some nice, crumbly bits. Just remember, don’t go overboard with the mixing; we want those crumbles to stay, well, crumbly!

Step 3.

Onto the cake batter!

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a bit more salt in another bowl. Set that aside for a second.

Step 4.

Now, grab your trusty mixer — handheld or stand, whichever you have —and cream the unsalted butter and white sugar until smooth and creamy. That usually takes me around 2 minutes at high speed. If necessary, scrape the bowl’s bottom and sides so everything gets mixed properly!

Once that looks good, toss in the large eggs, a splash of vanilla, and sour cream. Keep mixing until it’s all well combined. Don’t worry if it looks a bit curdled at this stage – totally normal!

Step 5.

It’s time for some dry and wet mixing! With your mixer running low speed, gradually add those dry ingredients (from Step 3) to the wet stuff (Step 4). Mix it until everything’s smooth, but don’t go crazy. We’re aiming for a thick batter here.

Toss your chopped apples into a sprinkle of cinnamon and get ready to fold them into the batter in the next steps. We’re halfway there already; be patient!

Step 6.

Assembly time!

Spread your batter evenly into your baking pan, then layer on the delicious cinnamon apples and make sure to arrange them neatly across the top.

Step 7.

Sprinkle on our crumbly topping. Grab a spoon or a rubber spatula and gently press down on the topping so it will stick nicely to the cake.

Step 8.

Pop everything into the oven and let it bake for 45 to 55 minutes (give or take, depending on your oven, so keep a close eye on it!) You’ll know it’s done when you stick a small toothpick into the middle, and it comes out nicely clean. Cover the cake loosely with foil if the edges or top get too brown.

Step 9.

Once it’s perfectly baked in the oven, get it out and let it cool on a rack for 30 to 45 minutes (or even longer if you can wait). That gives it time to set, and serving and slicing will be a breeze.

Step 10.

Are you still craving more sweetness? Go ahead and drizzle on some icing. Enjoy your buttery cake!

Btw, check out my apple upside-down cake recipe if you want to play around with the apple flavors.

Notes

1. You can slice your fresh apples however you like. But I often slice mine thinly so they can cook as fast as my cake batter! About ¼ inch thick will be the sweet spot.

I tried thicker apple slices once or twice, and both times, they took so long to bake that my cake was perfectly done while the sweet apples still stayed raw in the center. Ugh.

2. Many apples start to brown as soon as they’re cut and exposed to air. That can be a real headache, I know, but let me tell you how to deal with it: toss them with lemon juice or a sprinkle of ascorbic acid (vitamin C powder).

Both of these slow down the enzymatic reaction (and the browning process as a result). You can now spend more time on the rest of the apple cake recipe without worrying your apples might (or might not) turn an ugly brown color!

FAQs

Can I Add Chopped Nuts To My Recipe?

Yes! Pecans or walnuts are my jam. And not just chopped nuts; you can even add a tablespoon of oats for all I care. Classic apple crumb cakes are easy to please.