This classic Apple Crumb Cakes recipe combines juicy apples and a crunchy cinnamon crumb, perfect warmed as a dessert or with a cup of coffee.
You can’t beat a classic dessert like these delicious Apple Crumb Cakes. Moise cake with tender apples and a crunchy cinnamon crumb topping drizzled with cream cheese icing! It doesn’t get much better than that. I’m so happy to share this recipe with you.
I absolutely, love crumb cake. I have to say that my favorite recipes are New Jersey Crumb Cake and Pumpkin Spiced Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze.
What apples for apple cake
Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples are the best choices for cakes as they tend to hold up best under heat. granny smith apples are perfect if you like a tart flavor, and golden delicious are best for a sweeter choice.
To incorporate the apples into the cake, I simply shredded them and mixed them in the batter. Nothing fancy, no messing around – just chopped apples in a cake that’s already pretty perfect!
Why This Recipe Works
- The cinnamon crumb topping adds texture to the cake.
- Buttermilk makes the cake tender and moist.
- Cream cheese icing complements the sweetness of the cake without making it too sweet.
- The classic combination of apple and cinnamon gives these cakes a flavor profile that can’t be beat!
To make your own buttermilk at home, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Full-fat milk is best, low-fat or skimmed milk will still work. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes. The mixture may look a little curdled, but that’s fine.
How to Make apple Crumb Cake
- Make the crumb topping.
- Prepare the cake batter.
- Shred or chop the apples, mix them into the batter.
- Divide the cake batter into the cake pan.
- Top each well of batter with crumb topping.
- Bake until the cakes are golden.
- Drizzle the cakes with icing.
- Serve and enjoy!!
Step by Step Instructions
Start with making the topping by mixing white and brown sugar with cinnamon, and a little salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the warm melted butter and stir to blend. Add flour and mix with a fork until moist clumps form. Set aside.
Next prepare the cake batter and shredded apples. Combine.
Separate the cake batter evenly in the pan. Then, top with the crumb topping and bake for 20-30 minutes.
To make these cakes, I used a mini loaf pan which you can buy here on Amazon (#paidlink). You can use a muffin pan or bake as one cake using a 9×13-inch pan.
Let cool on a wire rack completely before drizzling with the amazing cream cheese icing!
Serve and enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Ensure all your ingredients are at room temperature before you begin mixing your batter, it ensures they combine more evenly.
- If cream cheese icing isn’t your thing you can replace it with maple glaze or caramel icing. The choice is yours.
- To make ahead: prepare and bake the cakes, allow them to cool then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to two days. Make the icing when they ready to serve.
- These cakes can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Defrost them thoroughly and ice when ready to eat.
Other Apple Recipes You’ll Love
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Let’s Make Apple Crumb Cakes
Ingredients
For the topping:
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter melted
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (this keeps the topping from sinking too much into the cake)
For the cake:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ sticks butter softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1¼ cups Buttermilk
- 1½ teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 4-6 small apples
For the icing:
- 6 tablespoons softened cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons warm milk
Instructions
For the topping:
- Mix both sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the warm melted butter and stir to blend.
- Add flour and mix with a fork until moist clumps form. Set aside.
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven 350F/170c.
- Grease 12 section mini loaf or brownie baking pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat the softened butter in a large bowl until light.
- Combine sugar with butter and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition.
- Mix buttermilk and vanilla until blended thoroughly.
- Add flour mixture in 3 stages, beating just until blended after each addition.
- Peel, core, and chop/shred the apples and fold them into the batter.
- Transfer the cake batter evenly to the prepared baking pan.
- Hand squeeze small handfuls of topping together to form small clumps. Drop topping clumps evenly over each cake, covering with a layer of topping.
- Bake 20-30 minutes or until the tester comes out clean and topping is deep golden brown and a little crisp.
- Cool cake in dish on rack at least 30 minutes.
For the icing:
- Mix the cream cheese butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add warm milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches the desired consistency.
- Drizzle each cake with icing and enjoy!
- Makes 12 – 15 cakes
Tips + Notes
- Ensure all your ingredients are at room temperature before you begin mixing your batter, it ensures they combine more evenly.
- If cream cheese icing isn’t your thing you can replace it with maple glaze or caramel icing. The choice is yours.
- To make ahead: prepare and bake the cake, allow to cool then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to two days. Make icing when ready to serve.
- These cakes can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly and ice when ready to eat.
- To make your own buttermilk at home, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Full-fat milk is best, low-fat or skimmed milk will still work. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes. The mixture may look a little curdled, but that’s fine.
Nutrition Information:
Are you making this recipe? I love to see your creations so please tag @ErrensKitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #ErrensKitchen
Vicktoria says
Great recipe. I have made this 3 times, the first two I followed us customary measurements perfectly and the batches were amazing. The third time I followed metric and the recipe flopped. The topping dissolved into the batch. I am not new to baking and am certain I followed metrics precisely. I recommend following US Customary measurement for this recipe
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you for sharing your experience, and I appreciate your feedback. Baking can sometimes be sensitive to variations in measurements, and it’s interesting to hear that the metric measurements affected the outcome.
I’m glad to hear that the recipe worked well for you using US Customary measurements. It’s possible that certain ingredients or the way they interact can be influenced by the specific measurements used. Your suggestion to stick with US Customary measurements is valuable for others trying the recipe.
If you have any more insights or questions, feel free to share.
Elaine Lockoski says
I love this recipe so much! Although I’m having lots of trouble with the crumbs. I tired melted butter and cold butter so many times and they arent turning into crumbs. Any tips?
Erren's Kitchen says
We’re glad to hear that you love the recipe! Here are a few tips to try: In a medium mixing bowl, combine both sugars, cinnamon, and salt.
Try adding cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients.
Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you have coarse crumbs.
Add the melted butter and stir until moist clumps form.
Give these steps a try, and hopefully, you’ll achieve the perfect crumb texture for your apple crumb cakes! Please let me know how it comes out on your next try!❤️
Lynn Dufrene says
I made these in 2 loaf pans. I love that the tops and sides came out so crunchy and yet the inside of the cake was super moist. Delicious!
Erren Hart says
Thank you for your amazing review, Lynn! We’re so happy to hear that you loved our Apple Crumb Cake. It sounds like you made it just how it’s meant to be, and it came out perfectly. Thank you for choosing Erren’s Kitchen, and we hope to see you again soon!