Description
Apple Crumb Cake with a thick, buttery crumb, soft cinnamon apples, and a moist sour-cream cake base. Cozy, simple, and perfect for holidays or coffee time.
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour
Cake
2 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (250g) peeled chopped apples (about 2 medium apples)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Optional
Maple icing, vanilla icing, or caramel icing
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease or line a 9×13 inch pan.
2. Make crumb topping: Stir brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add melted butter. Gently mix in flour until large crumbles form.
3. Whisk dry cake ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. Beat softened butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix until combined. The mixture may look curdled.
5. Mix in dry ingredients until just smooth. Batter will be thick.
6. Toss apples with cinnamon.
7. Spread batter into pan. Layer apples on top. Cover with crumb topping and press crumbs lightly into the batter.
8. Bake 45-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
9. Cool on a wire rack 30-45 minutes before slicing. Drizzle icing if desired.
Notes
Make ahead: Assemble and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Use room-temperature ingredients for best mixing and texture.
Do not replace sour cream with a liquid substitute. Full-fat yogurt may work; avoid lower-fat options.
Pan size: 9×13 inch. Bake time: 45-55 minutes.
Storage: Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 5 days.
Best apples: Tart (Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pacific Rose) or sweet (Jazz, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Gala, Fuji).
Texture: Soft, moist cake with spiced apples and a thick crumb layer.
- Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
- Category: Dinner Recipes
- Method: Baking