Apple Coffee Cake Recipe

This apple coffee cake is moist and dense, topped with a brown sugar crumble, and packed with tart apples and walnuts. Sour cream gives it a lovely richness, making it an easy breakfast recipe.

Made with traditional ingredients like sour cream, this recipe is so good! I had to stop myself from eating the entire pan – seriously. Moist apples with walnuts take it to the next level!

If you like coffee cake recipes, you’ll also enjoy this coffee cake with cream cheese filling, which is also moist and delicious. Other favorites include this apple pie filling coffee cake and sour cream coffee cake.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Classic Flavors: This coffee cake recipe combines the classic flavors of apple and cinnamon in a moist, tender coffee cake, making it a timeless favorite.
• Family Favorite: This apple coffee cake is a hit with the whole family. It’s great with a hot cup of coffee for the adults or a cold glass of milk for the kids!
• Surprisingly Easy: Despite its impressive looks, this coffee cake is actually quite simple to make. It’s a great recipe for beginner bakers!
• Comfort Food: There’s something so comforting about a warm slice of coffee cake and a cup of coffee. This recipe is a guaranteed way to lift your spirits.

Key Ingredients

• Shortening: This will give our coffee cake a tender and moist texture, and a rich buttery flavor.
• Granulated Sugar: It will add sweetness to the cake, and also help to give it a golden brown color when baked.
• Eggs: When beaten well, eggs act as a binding agent in the cake, holding all the ingredients together.
• Vanilla Extract: This will enhance the flavor of the other ingredients, giving the cake a delicious, aromatic twist.
• All-Purpose Flour: It is the base of our cake, providing structure and stability.
• Salt: A pinch of salt will help to balance the sweetness of the other ingredients, and also enhance their flavors.
• Apples: Finely chopped, these will add a natural sweetness and a moist, fruity texture to the cake.
• Walnuts: Chopped, they will add a bit of crunch to the cake and a nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the apples.
• Brown Sugar: This will add a rich, caramel-like sweetness to the topping, and also help it to caramelize and become crunchy when baked.
• Ground Cinnamon: It will add a warm, spicy flavor to the topping, which pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the sugar and the apples.
• Butter: When cold and cut into the topping, it will help to make it crumbly and give it a buttery flavor.

Equipment

• Mixers – You’ll need a stand or hand mixer to cream the shortening and sugar, and to mix the cake batter.
• 9×13 Baking Pan – We’ll use this to bake our coffee cake. It’s the perfect size for this recipe.

How to Make Apple Coffee Cake Recipe

Preparation

To start, preheat your oven to 350˚F and butter a 9×13 inch pan. This will make sure that your apple coffee cake doesn’t stick to the pan and bakes evenly.

Step 1 – Prepare the Wet Ingredients

In a mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar. This will help to sweeten the cake and give it a moist, tender crumb. Next, add 2 well-beaten eggs and vanilla for flavor.

Step 2 – Combine with Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the wet batter along with the sour cream. Mix until well incorporated.

Step 3 – Fold in Apples and Walnuts

Next, fold in the chopped apples and walnuts. Spread this batter in your greased 9×13 pan.

Step 4 – Make the Crumble

Now, let’s make the crumble topping. In a small bowl, cut in butter to the cinnamon and brown sugar. This will give the crumble a buttery, sweet, and spicy flavor. Sprinkle the crumble over the prepared batter in the 9×13 inch pan.

Step 5 – Bake the Cake

Pop your cake into the preheated oven and bake at 350˚F for 35-40 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Step 6 – Serve

Once your apple coffee cake is baked to perfection, serve it warm and enjoy the delicious, comforting flavors of apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar in every bite.

Expert Tip

To ensure a tender and moist apple coffee cake, don’t overmix the batter once you add the dry ingredients. Overmixing can result in a tough cake, so just mix until the ingredients are incorporated.

Recipe Variations

• Different Nuts: The recipe calls for walnuts, but feel free to use your favorite nuts. Pecans or almonds would be a great alternative in this apple coffee cake.
• Spices: While this recipe uses cinnamon in the crumble topping, you can also add a dash of nutmeg or allspice for a more complex flavor.
• Add Raisins: If you’re a fan of raisins, you can add a cup of them to the batter along with the apples. This will add a natural sweetness to the coffee cake.

What to Serve With

• For a delicious breakfast treat, serve this apple coffee cake with a hot cup of coffee or a glass of cold milk. The combination of the sweet cake and the bitter coffee is a perfect way to start your day.
• If you’re hosting a brunch, this coffee cake is a must-have. You can pair it with other brunch classics like eggs, bacon, and fresh fruit for a well-rounded meal that your guests will love.
• This coffee cake with apples is also a great afternoon snack. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for an extra special treat.

Recipe FAQs

Storing and Reheating

• Storing: You can store any leftover cake in an airttight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freezing: This coffee cake freezes well. Once it has cooled, you can freeze it in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
• Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy your apple coffee cake, simply let it thaw at room temperature.
• Reheat: You can reheat it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or in the oven at 350˚F for 10 minutes.

Serving Size

• What to Expect: This apple coffee cake recipe yields a deliciously moist cake that’s enough to serve 12 people.
• How to Scale: If you’re planning to serve a larger crowd, you can easily double the recipe and follow the instructions as directed. You may need to adjust the baking time, so keep an eye on it as it bakes.