Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Recipe

This Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Recipe is a moist and tender recipe, which uses sour cream and diced apples. It’s a classic, foolproof recipe, ready in about 1 hour 45 minutes (including cooling).

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Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Ingredients

For the Streusel Topping:

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

For the Cake:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 teaspoons milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

How To Make Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

1. Prep Oven and Make Streusel: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, and cinnamon for the streusel. Add the cold butter cubes and use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the optional nuts.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
5. Assemble and Bake: Gently fold in the diced apples with a spatula. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Cool and Glaze: Let the coffee cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons of milk, and vanilla to create a thick glaze. (Add the 3rd teaspoon of milk only if needed). Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake.

Recipe Tips

• How do I get the best crumbly streusel? The secret is using cold butter. Your fingertips will warm the butter, so work quickly. You want to rub the butter into the flour to create pea-sized, sandy clumps, not a smooth paste.
• What are the best apples for baking? Use a firm, tart apple that will hold its shape, like a Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Dicing them finely, as the recipe directs, ensures they cook through and distribute evenly.
• Why use room temperature ingredients? Using room temperature butter, eggs, and sour cream is essential. It allows the ingredients to emulsify, creating a smooth batter that traps air, which results in a lighter, fluffier cake.
• How can I keep my apples from sinking? Dicing them finely helps, but you can also take 1 tablespoon of the dry flour mixture and toss it with the diced apples in a small bowl before you fold them into the batter. This light coating helps them stay suspended.

What To Serve With Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This cake is the star of any breakfast, brunch, or snack time. It’s perfect on its own or with:

• A hot cup of coffee or a latte
• A cup of spiced tea
• A cold glass of milk
• A scoop of vanilla ice cream (to turn it into a dessert)

How To Store Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

• Room Temperature: This cake is best stored at room temperature. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or foil, or store slices in an airtight container. It will stay moist for 3-4 days.
• Freeze: This cake freezes beautifully. You can freeze the entire un-glazed cake or individual, wrapped slices for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Nutrition Facts

(Per serving, assuming 15 servings)

• Calories: ~460 kcal
• Total Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 13g
• Cholesterol: 75mg
• Sodium: 280mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 63g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugars: 40g
• Protein: 5g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

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