This Apple Crumb Cake starts with a soft, buttery cake, gets topped with warm cinnamon apples, and finishes with a thick, buttery crumb on top. It comes together with simple ingredients and no mixer, so it's easy enough to bake on a weeknight.
Just like my Fresh Fig Cake, it works for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert with a scoop of ice cream.
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The crumb topping stays crisp and buttery even after the cake cools, the apples stay tender without turning mushy, and the sponge underneath is soft enough to fall apart with a fork.
It keeps well for days, so it's an easy make-ahead treat for a weekend brunch or a lunchbox snack.
If you enjoy apple dessert recipes, you might want to check out my other simple yet delicious recipes such as Apple and Blueberry Crumble, Apple Crisp without Oats, and Apple and Blackberry Pie.
If you'd rather watch than read, here's a quick video that walks through the whole process.
Why This Recipe Works?
- The crumb topping uses melted butter instead of cold, cubed butter, so it holds together in big, buttery clumps instead of turning into fine, sandy crumbs.
- The apples don't need any pre-cooking. Just peel them, slice them thin, and scatter them over the batter before baking.
- It is versatile. You can use other fruits or berries if you don't have any apples available. Or you can replace the walnuts with other nuts such as almonds, pistachio nuts, pecans, or hazelnuts.
- The leftovers freeze beautifully. Slice any leftover Apple Crumb Cake, wrap them individually, and keep them in the freezer for up to three months.
- The apples get scattered on top of the batter instead of mixed in, so you get a distinct apple layer instead of soggy pockets throughout the cake.
- It all bakes in one pan, so there's no extra layering step and minimal cleanup.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Apples - I like using slightly sour, firm apples for this cake, such as Braeburn, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Bramley, or Cox's. If you want more sweetness, Gala works well too.
- Sugar - I use caster sugar but granulated sugar, light brown sugar, or dark brown sugar would be great too. The amount of sugar given in the recipe works perfectly for the apples I used in this recipe. Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste and the apples you are using.
- Eggs - Use fresh free-range eggs at room temperature.
- Unsalted butter - This Apple Crumb Cake recipe requires soft unsalted butter at room temperature.
- All Purpose Flour - Also known as plain flour. It is perfect for making cakes, cookies, pastries, and thickening sauces. You can use self-raising flour instead and leave the baking powder out.
- Vanilla - Adds warmth and rounds out the sweetness. Vanilla bean paste or plain extract both work.
- Baking Powder - This is the only leavener in the recipe, and it's what gives the cake its light rise.
- Salt - Just a small amount to balance the sweetness and bring out the other flavors.
Ingredients For Crunchy Cinnamon Crumb Topping
- Walnuts - Baking with nuts is a great way to add flavor and texture to your crumb topping. Use pecan nuts, hazelnuts, or almonds if you prefer. Lightly toast them for a more intense flavor before adding them to your baked goods.
- Cinnamon - I love adding cinnamon to apples to intensify the flavor. You can omit it or use vanilla instead.
- Butter - Melted butter works better for the crumb topping mixture with this Apple Crumb Cake recipe.
How To Make Apple Crumb Cake
Prepare the Sponge
Preheat the oven to 175° C (350° F) and lightly coat a 23 cm (9") springform pan with butter or nonstick spray.
Beat softened butter with sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, for about 4 to 5 minutes.
Lower the speed to medium-low, add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract, and keep whisking until fully incorporated.
Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder and gently fold them with a spatula into the wet ingredients until nicely combined, without overmixing them.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared springform cake pan.
Peel and core the apples using an apple corer to make the job easier! Cut the apples in half, then slice them thinly.
Evenly distribute thinly sliced apples on top of the batter. Set it aside and start preparing the crumb mixture to cover the top of the cake.
Prepare the Crumb Topping
Melt the butter in a microwave or on the stove and let it cool down for a few minutes. Combine the melted butter with sugar, cinnamon, and flour, and mix until it forms a crumbly mixture.
Add the chopped walnuts into the crumble mixture and mix until combined.
Cover the top of the apples with the buttery crumb topping.
Bake it for 45-50 minutes or until the crumb topping looks golden brown and the cake is fully cooked.
Let it rest for an hour to cool down before serving.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Make sure your eggs and butter are at room temperature before using them for making the cake.
- When adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, do not use an electric whisk as it will cause the cake to be denser and less spongy.
- Make sure to measure the flour correctly using an electronic scale. However, if you don’t have a scale, be sure to fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife to avoid overfilling the measuring cup.
- Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste, and the type of apples you are using for your cake.
- Every oven is different, so you may need to adjust the cooking time and let it cook a bit longer if needed.
- If your crumb topping turns out sandy instead of clumpy, your melted butter was probably still warm. Let it cool to room temperature before mixing it into the flour and sugar so it forms bigger, buttery clumps.
- If the center comes out gooey, your pan may be too small or the cake needs more time. This recipe is written for a 9 inch springform pan; a smaller pan means a taller cake that needs extra baking time.
How to Serve Apple Crumb Cake
Just as Easy Puff Pastry Apple Pie, you can serve this delightfully light and buttery apple cake with a scoop of Homemade Turkish Ice Cream - Maras Dondurma when it is still warm and fresh out of the oven.
Or you can drizzle on caramel or maple syrup if you fancy some extra sweetness.
Homemade vanilla custard, heavy cream, or a dollop of cream/Kaymak (clotted cream) is perfect if you want to serve this coffee cake as a dessert after dinner.
Icing Options for Apple Crumb Cake
This cake is delicious plain, but a light icing drizzled on top makes it feel a bit more special. Here are a few options:
- Maple icing - Whisk powdered sugar with a splash of maple syrup and milk until pourable. Warm, cozy, and pairs perfectly with the cinnamon.
- Vanilla icing - Whisk powdered sugar, a little milk, and vanilla extract together for a classic, simple drizzle.
- Caramel drizzle - A spoonful of caramel sauce over a warm slice turns this into more of a dessert than a breakfast cake.
Storage Instructions
To store the leftovers, allow them to cool down completely, then slice and wrap each individual portion with cling film.
They will remain fresh for up to two days at room temperature, for up to five days when refrigerated, or for up to three months in the freezer.
It's best to bake this cake fresh rather than assembling it ahead of time. Once the apples touch the batter and the baking powder gets wet, the leavening starts working right away, and the apples will start to brown while everything sits.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use other fruits or berries such as pears, plums, peaches, apricots, raspberries, or quince.
Insert a toothpick or a cake tester into the middle of the cake.
If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is ready. Overbaking can result in a dry cake.
This usually means the melted butter was still warm when you mixed it in. Let the butter cool to room temperature first so it forms bigger, buttery clumps instead of fine crumbs.
This recipe is written for a 9 inch springform pan. A smaller pan will give you a taller cake that needs extra baking time, and a larger pan will bake faster and give you a thinner cake.
Firm, slightly sour apples like Braeburn, Granny Smith, or Honeycrisp hold their shape best and balance the sweetness of the crumb topping. If you prefer a sweeter cake, Gala apples work well too, just expect a softer bite once baked.
Related Recipes
For more scrumptious fall desserts why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this easy Apple Crumb Cake as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Apple Crumb Cake
Ingredients
For the Sponge
- 1 ½ stick soft butter (165 grams)
- 1 ¼ cups caster or granulated sugar (240 grams)
- 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (180 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- 2 medium apples
For the Crumb Topping
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (180 grams)
- ¾ stick melted butter
- ¼ cup caster or granulated sugar (60 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts (75 grams)
Instructions
Prepare the Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 175° C (350° F) and lightly coat a 23 cm (9") springform cake tin with butter or nonstick spray.
- Beat softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy, for about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla, and keep whisking until fully incorporated.
- Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder and gently fold them into the wet ingredients until nicely combined, without overmixing them.
- Pour the cake batter into the pan.
- Peel and core the apples using an apple corer to make the job easier! Cut the apples in half, then slice them thinly.
- Evenly distribute sliced apples on top of the batter. Set it aside and start preparing the crumb topping to cover the cake.
Prepare the Crumb Topping
- Melt the butter in a microwave or on the stove and let it cool down for a few minutes.
- Combine the melted butter with sugar, cinnamon, and flour, and mix until it forms a crumbly mixture.
- Add the chopped walnuts into the crumb topping mixture and mix until combined.
- Cover the apples with the crumb topping and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the topping looks golden brown and the cake is fully cooked.
Video
Notes
- Make sure your eggs and butter are at room temperature before using them for making the cake.
- When adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, do not use an electric whisk as it will cause the cake to be denser and less spongy.
- Make sure to measure the flour correctly using an electronic scale. However, if you don't have a scale, be sure to fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife to avoid overfilling the measuring cup.
- Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste, and the type of apples you are using for your cake.
- Storage: leftovers keep at room temperature for up to two days, in the fridge for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to three months. Slice and wrap pieces individually before freezing.
- Make ahead: bake the cake fresh rather than assembling it in advance. Once the apples touch the batter, the leavening starts working right away and the apples will start to brown while it sits.
- Substitutions: swap in other fruits or berries if you don't have apples, or swap the walnuts for almonds, pistachios, pecans, or hazelnuts.
- If your crumb topping turns out sandy instead of clumpy, your melted butter was probably still warm. Let it cool to room temperature before mixing it in.
- This recipe is written for a 9 inch springform pan. A smaller pan means a taller cake that needs extra baking time; a larger pan bakes faster and gives a thinner cake.
ROBERT says
APPLE S ARE MY FAVORITE 🍎🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎😁
Claire says
This is the best apple crumb cake recipe ever! This is added to my recipe book. I followed the recipe to the letter. No modifications needed. It’s perfect.
Kkrathish says
Are the sugar used in this recipe powdered
Ayla Clulee says
It is caster or granulated sugar. Hope this helps!