Who doesn’t like to start their day off with a cool fall day with a hot cup of coffee paired with a slice of delicious warm homemade apple coffee cake?! I know I do!
This apple coffee cake recipe is easy to whip up as well as so fluffy and moist. With the perfect combination of cinnamon and fresh, tart apples, this apple coffee cake makes the most heavenly addition to breakfast, brunch or even dessert! It serves as a great way to use up extra apples during the harvest season.
You can mix this recipe up and use different fruits depending on what is in season. I have made this recipe with fresh blueberries and it turns out amazing. I’ve also occasionally substituted the chopped pecans for walnuts! Feel free to be creative, as this recipe is very adaptable.
The best part about this apple coffee cake is that it is completely ready to serve 10 minutes after you pop it out of the oven! All you need to do is mix it up, bake it, and let it rest for 10 minutes! I do recommend serving it warm, so be sure to heat up leftovers in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
Let’s get baking this heavenly homemade apple coffee cake!
Supplies
- 8×8 Square Baking Dish– You can also substitute a 9 inch round cake pan or even a springform pan.
- Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons
- Large Mixing Bowl and 2 Small Mixing Bowls
- Mixer– I use my KitchenAid stand mixer, but a handheld mixer works great as well.
- Peeler, Cutting Board, Knife
- Apple Corer and Slicer* – This is optional, as you can accomplish preparing the apples with a knife alone, but it makes coring the apples really easy and slices them into very workable slices.
- Wooden Spoon and/or Spatula
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Fresh Apples– This coffee cake recipe calls for two fresh apples that you will prepare by peeling, coring and then dicing. The apples really help to keep the cake nice and moist when baking. I recommend using Granny Smith apples, as I really like the tart flavor that they add. You can substitute any apple you heart desires, but I go tart every time I make this recipe!
- Butter– You will need butter to grease your baking pan, make the cake and to make the brown sugar pecan crumble topping. You can use a butter substitute if you want, but in my house, there is no substitute for good ole’ butter.
- Brown Sugar– You’re going to have to sweeten the apple coffee cake up and brown sugar adds a great sweetness and flavor. I use brown sugar for both the coffee cake batter as well as the brown sugar pecan crumble to top it off.
- Eggs– You will need two fresh eggs for this recipe. I do allow the eggs to sit on the counter for a few minutes while I prep the apples to allow them to come to room temperature a little.
- Vanilla Extract– The vanilla extract adds a great flavoring to this recipe. You will beat it in with the rest of the wet ingredients when mixing up the batter.
- Flour– Flour is another ingredient that will be used in both the apple coffee cake batter as well as in the brown sugar pecan crumble. I use all purpose flour when making this recipe.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda– Both of these ingredients are needed to make the cake the right fluffy consistency.
- Salt– For this recipe, you will need about 1/2 teaspoon salt. I typically use sea salt when baking.
- Cinnamon– It just would not be a proper apple coffee cake without some delicious ground cinnamon flavoring!
- Vanilla Greek Yogurt– For this apple coffee cake, you will need 1 cup of Greek yogurt. I love using Greek Gods Honey Vanilla Greek yogurt. I love the texture as well as the taste and I always have it on hand to add to smoothies. You can use just a vanilla yogurt or even plain Greek yogurt for this recipe. If you don’t have yogurt on hand, sour cream is a great substitute.
- Pecans– Pecans make for the best, crunchy brown sugar pecan crumble to top off your apple coffee cake with. I typically use 1/4 cup of pecans, but feel free to add up to 1/2 cup of pecans in your crumble if you want more of a crunch!
- Lemon Juice* (Optional)- This is optional but I highly recommend if you are like me and prep your fresh ingredients first when baking or cooking. Apples brown very quickly after cutting into them. If you sprinkle or spritz a little bit of lemon juice on you diced apple bits and gently toss, it will prevent them from browning. It also adds a great little bit of zest to the recipe.
How to Make the Apple Coffee Cake
Start by Prepping
Start by preheating your oven and gathering your ingredients and supplies.
Prepare the baking dish by buttering it with a thin layer all over to prevent the coffee cake from sticking.
Wash and dry the fresh apples. Then, prepare the apples by peeling, coring and dicing the apple into slices. Since I do this as one of the first steps, I sprinkle the diced apple with just a little bit of lemon juice and gently toss to prevent the apples from browning while I mix up the rest of the apple coffee cake batter. Set the apples aside.
Making the Apple Coffee Cake Batter
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the melted butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Then, add in eggs one at a time. Remember to beat well after adding in each egg. Next, beat in the vanilla extract.
In a small mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. To sift and mix the dry ingredients well, I simply stir them with a fork.
Then, with the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and the greek yogurt to the wet ingredient mixture by adding the dry ingredients a little bit at a time, alternating with a little of the Greek yogurt until fully mixed.
Then, gently mix the apples in the coffee cake batter using a wooden spoon. Please don’t mix the apples in with the mixer or you will beat them up!
Pour the apple coffee cake batter into the prepared pan.
For the Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble Topping
Add the melted 4 tablespoons of butter, flour and brown sugar to a small mixing bowl. Gently mix a little. Then, add in the pecans and continue stirring until all ingredients are mixed well. It should appear crumbly.
Then, Evenly sprinkle the pecan crumble topping over the apple coffee cake batter in the pan.
Pop the Apple Coffee Cake it the Oven
To bake the apple coffee cake, you will want to place it in the oven for 40-50 minutes. It should be golden brown in color and set in the middle. A tooth pick in the middle should come out clean. Be careful not to over-bake the apple coffee cake, as you do want it moist!
Once the coffee cake is done, remove it from the oven and allow to set for 10 minutes. It’s then ready to serve!
This apple coffee cake is best enjoyed warm with a cup of coffee in my opinion! I hope you love this recipe as much as my family does!
Some Other Great Apple Recipes to Check Out!
Easy Homemade Cinnamon Apple Bread
Delicious Caramel Apple Crumble
Still hungry for more? Then discover our other fruit recipes to stock up your kitchen with nature’s healthy and tasty goodies!
Heavenly Homemade Apple Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- Coffee Cake
- 2 Granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 2 cups of Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Butter (1 stick), melted
- 1 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt
- Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble Topping
- 4 TBSP butter, melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ cup crushed pecans
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 8x8 square pan by greasing with
butter.
Peel, core and dice the apples. You can add a spritz of lemon juice to keep the apples from browning. This also adds
a little zest to the apple spice cake! Set aside.
To make the coffee cake:
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the melted butter and
brown sugar until fluffy. Then, add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Beat in the vanilla extract.
In a small mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder,
baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture a little
bit at a time, alternating with a little of the Greek yogurt until fully mixed.
Then, gently mix the apples in the coffee cake batter.
Pour the apple coffee cake batter into the prepared pan.
To make the brown sugar pecan crumble topping:
Add the melted 4 tablespoons of butter, flour and brown
sugar to a small mixing bowl. Gently mix a little. Then, add in the pecans and continue stirring until all ingredients are mixed well. It should appear crumbly.
Then, Evenly sprinkle the pecan crumble topping over the
apple coffee cake batter in the pan.
Place in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, until the center is set and a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Notes
To store the coffee cake, wrap tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. It will remain fresh for 3-4 days.
Best served warm!
