Ultra soft apple crumb cake is loaded with warm cinnamon apples and extra crumb topping. A homemade version of classic New York-style crumb cake, this breakfast cake is buttery and moist, deliciously tender, and drizzled with sweet maple icing.
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos and more success tips.
If crumb topping is your love language, you’ve come to the right place. And if warm cinnamon apples make your mouth water, today’s your day. Finally, if soft buttery cake is your ideal indulgence, I’m your baker.
Today’s homemade apple crumb cake is like my apple cinnamon crumb muffins, apple cake, and apple cinnamon bread… but in breakfast/coffee cake form. Those are favorite seasonal recipes to make (along with pumpkin crumb cake muffins), so a cake version is a no-brainer. Readers have loved it:
One reader, Jean, commented: “One of the best crumb cakes I have ever made. The crumb topping adhered beautifully and made the cake. I also like the addition of sour cream to the cake which helped to make the cake moist, not dry like so many crumb cakes. ★★★★★“
One reader, Les, commented: “There is no other word to describe this cake than PERFECT! Tried many recipes from your site and this one is now in our top 3 best cakes… ★★★★★“
One reader, Martha, commented: “There are not enough superlatives to adequately describe this cake. Perfection. This is a keeper recipe. ★★★★★“
One reader, Sarah, commented: “THIS CAKE DESERVES WAY MORE THAN 5 STARS. Absolutely marvelous recipe… this will forever be my ‘go-to’ coffee cake recipe… the crumb topping is delightfully crunchy and is easily the best streusel I have ever had. ★★★★★“
Ingredients You Need & Why
Like my traditional coffee cake recipe, this is a butter- and sour cream-based cake, AKA the best kind of cake, and here’s what you need to make it:
- Flour: All-purpose flour provides the structure of this cake. It’s sturdy enough to support the thick batter and multiple layers of this crumb cake.
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder: Baking soda and baking powder help the cake rise.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cake, and you need brown sugar for the crumb topping.
- Butter: Butter adds flavor and creates structure in the creaming process.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream gives us an extremely moist crumb cake that’s a little denser than, say, a fluffy vanilla cake. Tight crumbs, like pound cake, but with a much softer texture. Don’t remove the fat from this cake by using a lower-fat alternative. Fat = flavor! We don’t want to skimp there. This is cake!
- Eggs: 3 eggs add richness and bind the ingredients together.
- Salt + Vanilla Extract: Use both for flavor.
- Cinnamon: We can’t have crumb cake without cinnamon!
- Apples: The star of apple crumb cake, of course.
Best Apples for This Cake
Use any variety of apples you enjoy! You need about 2-3 large apples for this recipe. Personally, I love tart Granny Smith apples paired with the sweet crumb cake. If you enjoy a certain type of apple in your apple pie or apple cinnamon scones, you’ll love it here, too.
- Tart apples I love: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, and Pacific Rose
- Sweet apples I love: Jazz, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Gala, and Fuji
And here’s a full list of the best apples for baking.
Overview: How to Make Apple Crumb Cake
When I first tested this recipe, I mixed the apples into the cake batter (just like we do in my apple cinnamon muffins recipe). This was tasty, of course, but the pieces of apples each held a soggy outline inside the baked cake. It just… didn’t look appetizing. I found that layering the apples on top of the cake batter was best.
This gives us 3 delectable layers: a soft and buttery cake, topped with tender cinnamon-spiced apples, and then a TRUCK LOAD of crumb topping.
This apple crumb cake comes together easily.
Make the crumb topping first. Place that in the refrigerator or freezer until you need it. The colder the crumbs, the more they will hold shape in the oven.
Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until combined—the mixture may look curdled, and that’s perfectly fine. Gently mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
Toss the apple chunks with cinnamon, then spread the thick batter into a 9×13-inch pan (this size is just right for the amount of batter). I am using this pan in the photos. Scatter the apples and crumb topping evenly over the batter, pressing the crumbs down firmly so they stick.
Bake until golden and set. If the top or edges begin browning too quickly, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent over-baking.
Crumb Cake with Extra Crumbs
You’ll notice A LOT of ingredients in the crumb topping. Not in the number of ingredients, but in terms of the volume of ingredients… like more butter, sugar, and just as much flour as in the cake itself. Why? Because the crumb topping is the BEST PART of a CRUMB CAKE!
You’re using the same ingredients in the crumb topping as you are in the cake, so it’s an extremely convenient recipe. The gang’s all here: granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, melted butter, and flour, plus brown sugar. Make sure some crumbles stay in larger chunks because those are the best bites.
The crumb layer is literally half the cake and I see zero problem with this! Otherwise, you might as well just make a regular apple cake (also delicious, by the way)!
Icing Options
This apple crumb cake truly doesn’t need anything on top, but if the opportunity for sweet maple icing presents itself, we’d be fools to say no. Here are some wonderful icing options for this cake:
- Maple icing from my maple cinnamon rolls (what I use)
- Vanilla icing (my go-to topping for classic coffee cake and crumb cake muffins)
- Caramel icing from my apple cinnamon rolls
- Brown butter icing from my brown butter apple blondies
And if you are looking for more fall dessert inspiration, here is a list of 30+ fall cake recipes.
Apple Crumb Cake
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Crumb Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Delicious New York-style crumb cake with warm cinnamon apples and DOUBLE the buttery crumb topping! Make the crumb topping first, and then place it in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Cold crumbs hold their shape in the oven.
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 (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
Cake
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375g) peeled chopped apples (about 2–3 large apples, see Note)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- optional: maple icing, vanilla icing, or caramel icing from apple cinnamon rolls
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a glass or metal 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Make the crumb topping: Mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter. Using a fork, lightly mix in the flour until crumbles form. Don’t over-mix. Place in the refrigerator or freezer until you need it in step 6. Cold crumbs hold their shape in the oven.
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the eggs, sour cream, and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. The mixture will look curdled; that’s ok. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients until smooth. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick.
- Toss the chopped apples and cinnamon together.
- Spread the batter evenly into prepared baking pan. Top evenly with cinnamon-coated apples. Top with crumb topping. Using a silicone spatula or the back of a large spoon, press the crumb topping tightly down into the cake so it sticks.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top or edges of the cake is/are browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set on a cooling rack. Allow to slightly cool for at least 30-45 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Drizzle with optional icing, if desired.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Prepare cake through step 8. Cover the cake tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature, add icing if desired, and serve.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Apple Peeler | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Sour Cream: Sour cream is a key ingredient in this cake. I don’t suggest subbing the sour cream with a liquid—plain full-fat yogurt would work though. But don’t remove the fat from this cake by using a lower fat yogurt or sour cream alternative.
- Apples: For depth of flavor, it’s best to bake with a mix of sweet and tart apples. For this cake, I usually use about 2 large Honeycrisp apples and 1/2 of a large Granny Smith apple. For slicing, it’s best to chop the apple into thin pieces. Slice the apple, then cut each of those slices in half so you have smaller, thinner, easy-to-eat pieces. See photo above.
- Room Temperature: All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about the importance of room temperature ingredients.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This recipe took time, but was so beyond worth it in the end. I took it to a party and it was all anyone could talk about! Everyone not only loved how much crumble there was on top (the best part, obviously) but how moist the cake was. Fantastic recipe!
This is a fabulous recipe! My husband put it in his “hall of famers!” The only thing that I didn’t 100% love was that my crumb topping was a bit more crispy than I’m use to. I’m not sure what I did wrong. Any suggestions?
Hi Samantha! Did the top seem over-baked? You can tent the cake with foil if the crumb topping appears to be getting overly toasty during baking next time.
Can I make this in muffin tin instead of a cake pan?
Hi Jen, you certainly could, or you can try our apple crumb muffins instead. Those are a bit lighter/fluffier, but same great flavors!
Flour is in the crumb ingredients, but not listed in step 2. Can you clarify the correct ingredients for the crumb topping? Thanks!
Hi Colleen, in the middle of step 2, using a fork, lightly mix in the flour until crumbles form.
Do you have a recipe for a honey glaze to go with this cake?
Hi Emily! You could substitute honey for maple syrup in this maple icing recipe.
Awesome cake! Wayyy too much crumble. Makes a big mess. Can easily be halved and still have a good amount of crumb topping. Delicious!
hi! I love this cake. I was wondering if you think it can convert into a 9 inch tube pan? thanks
Hi Rebeccah! We haven’t tested this specific one in a Bundt or tube pan, but you may enjoy our apple Bundt cake instead!
Wondering if I can substitute apples for pears.
Hi Karen! Yes, absolutely! We recommend cutting the pears into 1-inch chunks, as explained in Sally’s pear pie recipe.
We just finished a batch of ur Apple Spice Caramel Thumbprints, fabulous. I used the left over Spice from those for the cinnamon in this and the caramel drizzled on top. I did do a 25 min bake without the crumble then added and baked another 30. Turned out fantastic. Sliced my apples like urs. U DO need all of the crumble. It is devine. Cake is strong enough to gold the apples but comes out soft and moist. So dang good. Thx again to u and ur staff for making me look like I know what I’m doing in the kitchen.
I wish you could downsize the recipe to fit a 9×9 or 8×8 cake pan as I only cook/bake for two nowadays and my freezer is already full
Hi Susan, You can halve this recipe for a smaller cake. We would use a 9×9 square pan, but we’re unsure of the exact bake time. Enjoy!
Can I use greek yogurt instead of sour cream? Or cream cheese?
Hi Christina, full fat greek yogurt (plain) would be a great substitute.
I just made this, and it was delicious! The cake is tender, the apples were yummy, and the Perfect Vanilla Icing on top was literally perfect. 🙂 I absolutely love the double amount of crumb topping! I followed the recipe exactly.
I love that you always put the weight measurements. Thank you so much for that! Never stop doing that! Amazing recipe!
When making a crumb cake like this, does it matter if you a glass or metal baking pan? If so, which is best?
It doesn’t matter; either are fine for this. I would avoid a ceramic pan though.
Hi, I saw your reply reply about avoiding using a ceramic baking pan too late. I guess it’s because it took almost double the time to bake?
Hi, this looks wonderful.!Is it possible to halve the recipe and bake in an 8 inch square pan?
It would be perfect for my husband’s Sat. morning men’s group. Thank you.
Hi Eleanor, do you have a 9-inch square pan available? That would be best for halving this recipe. We’re unsure of the exact bake time. Hope it’s a hit!
Last year someone gave my mom A LOT of APPLES. She peeled, sliced then froze some. Could I use them (thawed of course) in this recipe?
Hi Kathy, we haven’t tested making this recipe using thawed sliced apples, so are unsure of the results. They may be a bit too wet and make the cake a little soggy, but we aren’t sure. If you decide to give it a go, please let us know how it turns out!
I am so excited to continue making all your recipes!
Hi! This cake looks delicious. If I wanted to split it into two cakes, what size pans do you think I should use?
Thanks
Hi Sara, this post on cake pan sizes and conversions should help!
I am going to make soon! I have been following Sally’s recipe for years. Would you please print a recipe for your fabulous Chicken Pot Pie wth biscuits? Thank you
Can I use canned apples for this recipe?
Hi William, if it’s canned apple pie filling, then I would avoid it. Otherwise, I’m sure canned in juice (and drained) would be fine!
How do you think this would work with gluten free flour?
Hi Janet! We haven’t tested it, so let us know if you do!
Oh my. Oh my. No this is incredible. Genuinely the greatest thing I have ever baked. I subbed the sour cream for vanilla yogurt and it was perfect. So fluffy and tender and THAT CRUMB!!! The crunchy little chunks are everything and the apple pieces have a bit of tartness to cut through the layers. Highly recommend. I’m making another batch for my mum’s friends tomorrow
This recipe is just wonderful. The only thing I am going to try is to increase the cake portion by 50%. I’d like to see a bit more cake since the topping is so heavy. Just want to see a little more balance. But my goodness this really good.
It looks SO good! I’m definiely going to try it.
Hi there, would it be okay to fold the apples into the batter so they’re distributed throughout rather than just on the top?
Hi Aty, you could, but the apples might sink a bit and end up on the bottom of the cake.
I made this, or should I say tried. I’ve never had any cake do what this one did. I followed your measurements and even weighed my ingredients, put it altogether and baked it for 55 minutes. I did the toothpick test in several areas to make sure it was done and each time it came out clean. I let it cool for well over an hour however, when I went to cut a piece for myself and my husband I noticed it looked like it had collapsed in the middle. When I went to cut into was just mush! Looked like it was half baked! I have never ever had this happen in all my years of baking. Not sure I will try this again as it was a long process making this cake to have this disappointment.
Sounds like it definitely needed to bake longer. Sometimes the toothpick test can be tricky with a crumb topping, because the harder crumb topping will wipe the moisture off the toothpick as you pull it out. We would try twisting the toothpick around a little to make a larger hole, so that you can actually see if the center is done next time. Does that make sense? Hard to explain. Sorry it didn’t work out for you this time!
Testing for doneness, I use the long wood skewers or use a cake tester or even a paring knife by making a small incision right in the center of the cake.
Another way to check for doneness; gently press on the center of the cake with a 2 fingers to see if it springs back.
If your fingers leave little indents, your cake isn’t done baking. Return it to the oven for at least 5 minutes before checking it again.
Hi Sally! I just harvested a bunch of rhubarb from my garden(!!) and I’m tempted to use them with this recipe (instead of the apples). Do you think it’d be a simple swap, or are there any adjustments I should make?
Hi Dani, we haven’t tested this recipe with rhubarb, so we’re unsure of the exact changes—but keep in mind that it’s a bit more tart than apples. Perhaps you could try half apples and half rhubarb? Let us know what you try!
Beautiful recipe, turned out perfectly! I followed it exactly – except that I, ahem, tripled the apples…
Served with cream. Delicious.
This cake is the bomb!! I have made the whole thing (huge) and I have also made it divided into 2 smaller pans when I want to give one away and keep one (must keep one for yourself)! I made exactly as written except used a few more apples which I would suggest. Soooo good thanks for this delicious recipe!
What size pans did you use when you divided it??? I was thinking 8×8 pans should work.
Amazing! It tasted so good!
Wow! One of the best crumb cakes I have ever made. The crumb topping adhered beautifully and made the cake. I also like the addition of sour cream to the cake which helped to make the cake moist, not dry like so many crumb cakes. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
This looks delicious! I want to make this in a 9inch round springform pan. Would I need to adjust baking time or temp?
If you have a 10-inch springform pan, this cake would definitely fit. The bake time will be about the same or a little longer. A 9 inch pan will be a little too small.