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    Home » Recipes » Cakes & Cupcakes

    Published: Oct 17, 2021 · Modified: Jan 20, 2022 by Sloane · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Apple Streusel Coffee Cake

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    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    This apple streusel coffee cake is made with fresh apples baked right into the cake, a gooey cinnamon swirl center, and a sweet & crunchy streusel topping!

    one piece of apple streusel coffee cake with glaze on white plate.

    Freshly picked hoenycrisp apples, warm spices, and comforting flavors are the epitome of fall - and they're all rolled into this one simple coffee cake. You'll find soft baked apples throughout the soft spiced cake, with a buttery cinnamon swirl filling running through the middle. Oh and the streusel topping - it's nothing like you've ever had before. Made with quick cooking oats, the streusel is almost like a brown sugar oatmeal cookie that truly sets this coffee cake apart from the rest. 

    For more autumn apple recipes, try Easy Apple Frangipane Tart with Shortcrust Pastry, Spiced Apple Pie Cookies, Salted Caramel Apple Pie, and Apple Cider Bundt Cake.

    one piece of apple sour cream cake on white plate.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Expert Baking Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Baking in Grams
    • Other fall recipes you'll love
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Ingredient Notes

    ingredients for apple streusel coffee cake recipe.
    • All-Purpose Flour: Be sure to weigh your flour carefully, as it can dramatically effect the outcome of the cake. 
    • Leaveners: You'll need both baking soda and baking powder for the cake. 
    • Spices: I used a combination of several warm spices, but feel free to change them up to your liking. 
    • Whole Milk: Use whole milk for optimum flavor and overall result. 
    • Yogurt: Yogurt is added to the cake for moisture and texture, and to the glaze to make it thick. 
    • Applesauce: Applesauce adds moisture and amplifies the apple flavor.
    • Oil: Use a neutral oil such as vegetable, canola, or light tasting extra virgin olive oil.
    • Unsalted Butter: Use room temp butter for the cake, and cold, cubed butter for the cinnamon swirl and the streusel. 
    • Sugars: In every element of this cake, you will need brown sugar and granulated sugar. 
    • Eggs: You will need 3 eggs for the cake.
    • Apples: I recommend using either honeycrisp or granny smith apples.
    • Oats: My secret ingredient for the best streusel topping is quick cooking oats!
    • Powdered Sugar: If making the glaze, you'll mix the powdered sugar with milk and yogurt (which makes the glaze thicker!)

    See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

    Step by Step Instructions

    Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this apple streusel coffee cake recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

    ingredients for cinnamon swirl in white bowl.
    STEP 1
    cinnamon swirl mixture in white bowl.
    STEP 2

    STEP 1: Make the cinnamon swirl. In a small bowl, combine the cold, cubed butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

    STEP 2: Mix and chill. Cut the butter into the sugar and cinnamon by squishing the pieces with your fingers. Mix until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles wet sand. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

    ingredients for oat streusel in white bowl.
    STEP 3
    brown sugar oat streusel in white bowl.
    STEP 4

    STEP 3: Make the streusel topping. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, sugars, and spices.

    STEP 4: Mix and chill. Add in the cubed cold butter and squish the pieces together with your fingers until it is fully incorporated. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

    coffee cake batter in glass bowl of stand mixer.
    STEP 5
    fully mixed coffee cake batter in glass bowl.
    STEP 6

    STEP 5: Make the cake batter. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients and set aside. In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the whole milk, yogurt, applesauce, and oil. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes.

    STEP 6: Fold in the apples. Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time, and then alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients until everything is fully combined. Lastly, fold in the apples until fully combined.

    first layer of apple cake batter added to square pan.
    STEP 7
    cinnamon swirl mixture added on top of first layer of cake batter.
    STEP 8

    STEP 7: Layer. Pour half of the batter into the prepared square pan. 

    STEP 8: Fill with cinnamon swirl. Top with all of the cinnamon swirl mixture.

    second layer of cake batter added to square pan.
    STEP 9
    brown sugar oat streusel added on top of batter in square pan.
    STEP 10

    STEP 9: More batter. Gently pour the rest of the batter on top.

    STEP 10: Top and bake. Add the streusel on top and bake for about 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cake to cool before removing from pan and adding the glaze.

    apple streusel cake cut into squares with glaze drizzled on top.

    Expert Baking Tips

    • I recommend making the cinnamon swirl and streusel before making the cake batter, so they'll be ready to go when you're ready to bake the cake. Just store them in fridge while you're making the cake batter.
    • You can use just about any baking apple - I prefer honeycrisp apples for this recipe.
    • Store this cake at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze individual pieces for up to 3 months.
    close up of apple coffee cake with buttermilk cut into squares.
    glazed coffee cake on round wire rack cut into squares.

    Recipe FAQs

    How to make streusel topping:

    No one likes a streusel topping that immediately melts into the baked good when it's put in the oven. My secret is to take out the flour and add in quick cooking oats. The oats ensure that the streusel doesn't melt, but instead bakes up into a sweet & crunchy oat topping that resembles an insanely good brown sugar oatmeal cookie.

    What type of apples are best for baking?

    I prefer baking with honeycrisp apples, granny smith apples, or a combination of the two! I love sweetness of honeycrisp apples and the way that they hold firm rather than cooking down into mush. Granny smith apples bake similarly but are more tart, so they're a good choice to pair with honeycrisp to balance out the sweetness.

    Ingredient substitutions:

    - Whole Milk: You can use an equal amount of buttermilk in the cake batter.
    - Yogurt: You can use an equal amount of sour cream for the cake.

    Storage Tips

    Store this cake at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze individual pieces for up to 3 months.

    apple coffee cake cut into squares with center piece turned up to show inside texture and cinnamon swirl.
    cinnamon apple crumb cake cut into squares with on turned to show inside texture and cinnamon swirl.

    Baking in Grams

    All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

    If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

    But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

    Happy baking! x

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    If you tried this recipe, I'd love to know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating & review below and post a picture (or video!) on Instagram and tag me so I can see your bakes! Not ready to make this recipe yet? Click the heart button on the right of your screen to save it for later 🙂

    📖 Recipe

    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save for LaterSaved!

    Apple Streusel Coffee Cake

    This apple streusel coffee cake is made with fresh apples baked right into the cake, a gooey cinnamon swirl center, and a sweet & crunchy streusel topping.
    Prep Time 45 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
    Servings16 squares
    Coursecake
    CuisineAmerican
    AuthorSloane
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    Kitchen Scale
    Electric Mixer
    Square Pan

    Ingredients

    For the Cinnamon Swirl:

    • 28 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
    • 106 g brown sugar
    • 8 g cinnamon

    For the Streusel:

    • 100 g quick cooking oats
    • 106 brown sugar
    • 30 g granulated sugar
    • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon allspice
    • ¼ teaspoon cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon ginger
    • 113 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed

    For the Apple Cake:

    • 330 g all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon allspice
    • ¼ teaspoon cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon ginger
    • 150 g whole milk, room temp (or buttermilk)
    • 56 g plain whole milk yogurt, room temp (or sour cream)
    • 130 g applesauce
    • 110 g oil
    • 85 g unsalted butter, room temp
    • 142 g brown sugar
    • 132 g granulated sugar
    • 3 eggs, room temp
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 200 g honeycrisp apples, peeled and diced into very small pieces

    For the Glaze:

    • 100 g powdered sugar
    • 30 g plain whole milk yogurt
    • 10 g whole milk

    Instructions

    For the Cinnamon Swirl:

    • In a small bowl, combine the cold, cubed butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
    • Cut the butter into the sugar and cinnamon by squishing the pieces with your fingers. Mix until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles wet sand.
    • Place in the fridge until ready to use.

    For the Streusel:

    • In a medium bowl, combine the oats, sugars, and spices.
    • Add in the cubed cold butter and squish the pieces together with your fingers until it is fully incorporated.
    • Place in the fridge until ready to use.

    For the Apple Cake:

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
    • Line a 9"x9" pan with parchment paper long enough to hang over the sides for easy removal.
    • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and ginger. Set aside.
    • In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the whole milk, yogurt, applesauce, and oil. Set aside.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add in vanilla and eggs one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next.
    • In about 3 additions, alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients until everything is fully combined. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl frequently.
    • Lastly, fold in the honeycrisp apples.
    • Pour half of the batter into the prepared square pan. Top with all of the cinnamon swirl mixture, then gently pour the rest of the batter on top. And the streusel on top and bake for about 1 hour to until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
    • Allow cake to cool before removing from pan and adding the glaze.

    For the Glaze:

    • In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, yogurt, and milk until smooth.
    • Drizzle on top of cooled cake and serve!

    Notes

    • I recommend making the cinnamon swirl and streusel before making the cake batter, so they'll be ready to go when you're ready to bake the cake. Just store them in fridge while you're making the cake batter.
    • You can use just about any baking apple - I prefer honeycrisp apples for this recipe.
    • Store this cake at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze individual pieces for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition Facts

    Serving: 1square | Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 432IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @sloanes.table on Instagram and write a star review below!

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    Hi, I'm Sloane! Welcome to Sloane’s Table! I am a Dartmouth College alumna, professional baker, recipe developer, and food photographer. Here, you will find tried & true bakery-worthy recipes ranging from simple sweets to technical pastries.

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