This Apple Coffee Cake Recipe has a moist and tender crumb layered with sweet apples and cinnamon sugar, then topped with a simple glaze. It’s the perfect seasonal recipe to get you in the mood for fall baking.
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Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
As apple season approaches, this Apple Coffee Cake is one of my go-to recipes. It’s buttery, moist and filled with little chunks of sweet and tart apples. A ribbon of cinnamon and brown sugar runs throughout the coffee cake, just reinforcing that fall flavor.
Topped off with a simple glaze, this Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake can be served as a sweet breakfast, afternoon snack or even with a scoop of ice cream for a light dessert. If you prefer coffee cake with a little crumb topping, feel free to add the simple topping from this Apple Cinnamon French Toast Bake.
Ingredients in Apple Coffee Cake
- Butter - your butter should be at room temperature so that it will mix properly with the sugar. You can either pull it out to room temperature for at least 1 hour ahead of time, or warm it for about 5-10 seconds at a time in a microwave just until soft.
- Sugar - this recipe calls for white granulated sugar.
- Eggs - any large eggs will work. It's best if your egg is at room temperature, which you can do by either pulling it from the fridge ahead of time or running the whole egg under warm water.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract has the best flavor.
- Cinnamon - any ground cinnamon will work.
- Flour - all-purpose flour is great for this recipe.
- Baking Powder - the baking powder helps the batter rise and keeps the cake nice and fluffy.
- Salt - sea salt works great.
- Buttermilk - the buttermilk adds a little tanginess and keeps the cake moist and soft. You could substitute sour cream if you’d like.
- Apples - I like to use a tart and crisp apple such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for this coffee cake.
- Cinnamon Sugar - you’ll need light or dark brown sugar and cinnamon to make this mixture. You could substitute granulated sugar if you want.
- Glaze - the glaze is made from powdered sugar and milk. Feel free to add a touch of vanilla extract if you’d like.
How to Make This Apple Coffee Cake Recipe
- Mix the coffee cake batter. Add the room-temperature butter and sugar in the stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, beat until light and fluffy - about 3 minutes. Slowly add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing on low speed until smooth. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until almost combined. Finally, add the buttermilk and mix on low speed until the ingredients are combined.
- Transfer the batter to your baking dish. Spray a 9" by 9" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, or lightly grease it with melted butter. Transfer half of the batter to the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Sprinkle ½ of the diced apples evenly over the batter. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half of this cinnamon sugar over the apples. Add the remaining cake batter to the baking pan, spread evenly, then finish with the remaining apples and cinnamon sugar.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool, glaze, and serve. Remove the apple cake from the oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack. While the cake is cooling, combine the powdered sugar and milk in a small mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the Apple Coffee Cake before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this Apple Coffee Cake would taste amazing with a crumb topping. The crumb topping for this Apple Cinnamon French Toast Bake would work perfectly. Just mix the topping and sprinkle over the top before baking as directed in this recipe.
I like to use a tart, sturdy apple that will hold up to baking and retain a strong flavor. My favorite apples to use for this coffee cake are Granny Smith, Honeycrisp and Gala. Fuji is a good choice, too. Avoid an apple like a Red Delicious that turns mushy rather quickly when heated.
Absolutely! This coffee cake freezes really well for up to 3 months. Just make sure to cool completely, then wrap well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight or pull out to room temperature for a few hours. You can warm up slightly in a 325 degree oven if you want.
You should let your cake cool for at least 30 minutes before glazing. If you add it too soon, the warm cake will just soak up all of the glaze.
Storing and Freezing
- Storing - your coffee cake should be covered and stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer - you can also wrap your cake and store frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight or room temperature for a few hours.
- To warm: if you want to eat the leftover Apple Coffee Cake warm, place in a preheated 325 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until just warmed.
Apple Coffee Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter room temperature
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Buttermilk
- 2 medium Granny Smith Apples peeled and diced into ¼" pieces(about 1½ cups)
Cinnamon Sugar
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Glaze for Coffee Cake
- ⅔ cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 9" by 9" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, or lightly grease with melted butter, and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature butter and sugar. Using the paddle attachment, beat until light and fluffy - about 3 minutes.
- Slowly add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing on low speed until smooth. In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until almost combined. Finally, add the buttermilk and continue to mix on low speed until ingredients are combined.
- Transfer half of the batter to the prepared baking dish, using an offset spatula to spread evenly. Sprinkle ½ of the diced apples evenly over the batter. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle half of this cinnamon sugar over the apples.
- Add the remaining cake batter to the baking pan, spread evenly, then finish with the remaining apples and cinnamon sugar.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the apple cake from the oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack. While the cake is cooling, combine the powdered sugar and milk in a small mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the Apple Coffee Cake before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Of Our Favorite Breakfast Quick Bread Recipes
- Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Cake
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- Mini Blueberry Bread
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- Triple Berry Muffins
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This Apple Coffee Cake recipe is one of my favorite fall breakfasts. It's moist, tender, full of apples and cinnamon and topped with a sweet glaze.
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