Apple Crumb Cake

Savor the irresistible allure of this delicious and easy Apple Crumb Cake. Made with tender apple slices nestled beneath a thick buttery crumb topping and layers of sweet cinnamon-spiced goodness.

This homemade apple crumb cake is like my Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Apple Crumble Muffins, and Cinnamon Apple Bread, made into a delicious breakfast cake.

What I Love About This Recipe

• Crowd-Pleaser: Share the love with family and friends; this cake is sure to impress at gatherings and celebrations and is perfect for fall brunch and entertaining.
• Buttery Crumb Perfection: Delight in the golden-brown, buttery crumb topping that adds a delightful crunch and richness to the cake. It’s the best part in my opinion!
• Easy to serve: No need for elaborate preparations or fancy plating; this cake’s simple, rustic charm is a joy on its own. Just place it on a plate and slice it up.

How to Make Apple Crumb Cake

1. Mix the crumb topping dry ingredients. In a medium bowl whisk the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until combined.
2. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the chilled butter into the flour mixture until it forms a crumb-like texture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until ready to use.

3. Coat the apples. In a small bowl mix the apples and 2 tablespoons of flour together and set aside (this keeps the apple pieces from turning brown as well as helps them mix into the batter easily.
4. Cream the butter and sugars. Cream the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together using a handheld mixer (or an electric mixer) until light and fluffy.

5. Whisk the cake dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder until combined.
6. Combine the batter mixtures. Add half of the dry ingredient mixture and half of the milk to the creamed butter and sugar mixture and mix using the handheld mixer until just combined. Repeat this process with the remaining flour and milk until the batter is smooth.

7. Fold the apples and sprinkle on the crumb topping. Using a rubber spatula, Carefully fold the apples into the batter and then pour the batter into a greased angel food cake pan or a 9×13-inch pan. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the batter using your hands to gently press some of it into the batter.
8. Bake. Bake at 375ºF for 55 to 65 minutes if using a bundt pan or angel food cake pan. If using a 9×13 inch pan then bake for 45 minutes.

Storage and Freezing Instructions:

• Leftover Storage: This cake is extremely moist and dense and because of this I recommend storing it or any leftovers you may have in an air-tight container in the fridge. It will last for up to 1 week.
• Freezer Storage: You can easily freeze this cake, however, you’ll need to let it cool completely and then slice it into individual servings. Wrap those slices in plastic wrap and place them in an air-tight freezer-safe bag. If stored in the freezer it will last for up to 1 month.

Recipe Variations

• Add some icing. Whisk the 1 cup Powdered Sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and 3 tablespoons milk together until smooth. Drizzle on top of the cake.
• Make Muffins. Prepare the crumb topping and batter as directed by the recipe and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Fill the liners with the batter and then sprinkle the crumb topping on top. Bake at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes. You could also just follow this recipe for Apple Crumble Muffins.
• Use your favorite apples. Feel free to choose your favorite apple variety! Approximately 2 medium-sized apples are required for this recipe. Personally, I find the sweetness of Honeycrisp apples beautifully complements the crumb cake.