This Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake is the perfect cake for crumb lovers. The ratio of crumbs to cake is almost equal and that's my type of coffee cake. A river of cinnamon apples runs through a sour cream coffee cake that stays softly delicious for days under a cake cover.
One batch of crumbs is divided into the filling and the topping. The cake itself is easily and quickly put together. The hardest thing is waiting the hour plus to be able to eat it.
Other Coffee cakes equally as tempting include: Easier "Danish Pastry Recipe", Irish Apple Cake, Cuccidati Coffee Cake, and the Pina Colada Coffeecake.
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What's With the Pretzels?
There is one unusual ingredient in the crumbs and filling - pretzels. If you saw my post on the (Almost) No Bake Pumpkin Pie, which I hope you have, you'll see the pretzels and pecans used in the crust. Then it was used for flavor. In this instance, the pretzels are used to balance the sweetness of the crumb mixture. Every once in a while you might taste them but they add a depth of flavor that otherwise would not be there.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's quick to put together.
- The sour cream keeps this coffee cake soft, tender and full of flavor.
- The crumbs are over the top.
- Crumb lovers will make this their go to recipe.
- It cuts beautifully.
Recipe Ingredients
Apple Filling
FRONT ROW: Vanilla, salt, cinnamon
MIDDLE ROW: Unsalted butter, pretzels, pecans
BACK ROW: Granny Smith Apples, all-purpose flour, brown sugar
Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
FRONT ROW: Baking powder, salt, baking soda
MIDDLE ROW: Eggs, unsalted butter, milk
BACK ROW: Sour Cream, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar
Important Ingredients
- My cinnamon of choice is Korinje cinnamon for its bold but mellow flavor.
- I used waffle pretzels. If you use a different pretzel make sure to weigh them as there will, most likely, be more or less in a cup.
- Granny Smith Apples are used for their tart flavor.
- The milk can be whole or 2%.
- Sour Cream is used not only for flavor but because it acts to soften the final prodoct and give it a longer shelf life.
- Either dark or light brown sugar can be used but dark adds more flavor.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & Instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
The Filling
Step 1. Add the pretzels to the processor bowl. Step 2. Process until very finely ground. Step 3. Add the pecans to the processor. Step 4. Pulse to break them up into coarse pieces.
Step 5. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the brown sugar and pretzel/pecan mixture from the processor. Combine completely. Remove ¾ cup, add 2 tablespoons flour from the measured amount. Step 6. Add the vanilla. Step 7. Stir with a fork to moisten everything. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Step 8. To the remaining toping, add the rest of the flour and salt, stirring until evenly combined. Melt the butter and set both aside.
Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Step 9. Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Step 10. Mix the sour cream and milk together. Set aside. Step 11. Add the granulated sugar and softened butter (72 to 75°F) to a mixing bowl fitted with the scraper or paddle attachment. Step 12. Cream them together until very light and fluffy.
Step 13. Add the eggs to the batter. Step 14. Beat on medium and them on high to incorporate them. If they curdle, beat a bit longer. See my post on How to Avoid Curdled Batter. Step 15. Add half the flour. Step 16. Beat on low until all is mixed.
Step 17. Add the sour cream mixture. Step 18. Beat until totally mixed. Step 19. Add the remainder of the flour and blend in to make a smooth, very thick batter.
Step 21. Spray the pan with a non-stick baking spray. Spread half the batter over the bottom of the pan. Step 22. Add the shredded apples to the reserved filling mixture. Step 23. Spread the filling almost to the edges of the pan. Step 24. The batter is very thick so first dollop it over the apple filling.
Step 25. Spread the batter carefully over the filling. Step 26. Add 14 tablesponns of the melted butter to the remaining crumb mixture and toss with a fork until crumbs form. If it is dry, add the remaining butter a little at a time. Do not add more than is needed. Step 27. Place the unbaked coffee cake on a parchment lined half sheet pan. Step 28. After it has baked and cooled, remove the cake from the pan. Transfer to a serving plate.
Recipe FAQS
The main differences are the topping, texture and size. Coffee cakes are usually a bit denser and are topped with crumbs, streusel or powdered sugar as opposed to a frosting. If they are filled, the filling is baked within the cake and they are one layer cakes.
Germany is given credit for the coffee cake where they are called kaffeekuchen.
Originally the were served with coffee in Germany. They are often served with coffee or tea in America or as snack cakes.
Expert Tips
- Granny Smith apples are the apples of choice for this cake. They are more tart and juice less.
- Add the apples to the reserved crumb topping just before spreading them over the batter to prevent them from over juicing.
- For the lightest cake, make sure the butter is softened to about 72° to 74°F in order for it to mix well with the sugar and form the necessary air pockets to aid in the rising of the batter. Under creamed or creaming with too cold butter will make a denser cake with a heavy texture resulting in less batter.
- Flours can be more or less dry which is why the recipes gives a range of butter needed to make the crumbs for the topping.
- Use a fork to incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients for the crumbs. A spoon will not yield crumbs as much as mix the ingredients together.
- A cheesecake or springform pan is necessary to remove the cake as it shouldn't be turned upside down to release it or the crumbs can be damaged.
- Add ¾ of the butter for the top crumbs initially. If they are dry or don't form crumbs, add additional butter a little at a time. Use only enough butter to make the crumbs. More will make a paste.
Other Interesting Coffee Cakes
If you love this Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake, it would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating. Thank you.
Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9" x 3" Cheesecake or springform mold
Ingredients
Apple Filling and Crumb Topping
- 1 cup waffle pretzels (50 grams)
- ½ cup pecans (60 grams)
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar, packed (250 grams)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided (210 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 14 - 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (200 to 225 grams)
Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
- 1 ½ cups peeled and shredded apples, packed
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (245 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¾ cup sour cream (170 grams)
- ¼ cup milk
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick or 114 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
Apple Filling and Crumb Topping - Each step is shown in the Step by Step Photos.
- Place the pretzels in the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground.
- Add the pecans to the processor and pulse to chop coarsely.
- Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and the pretzel/pecan mixture.
- Set aside ¾ cup of this mixture to use as the middle layer of the coffee cake. Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour from the measured amount. Add the vanilla. Set aside.
- To the remaining mixture, add the rest of the flour and salt and stir until evenly combined. Add 14 tablespoons of the the melted butter to the flour mixture, tossing with a fork until everything is moistened and crumbs form. If crumbs do not form, add the remainder of the butter a bit at a time. Cover with plastic wrap. This crumb topping will be used on top of the batter. Set aside.
Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
- It is very important the butter be softened to about 72 to 74°F for the creaming to be effective. If the butter is too cold, the mixture won't be light and fluffy and the cake can be more dense.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 3” round cheese cake or springform pan with a non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Peel and shred the apples. Measure 1 ½ cups, packed. Cover them directly with plastic wrap. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk together the sour cream and milk. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until completely combined. If they curdle, beat on high. See my post on How to Avoid Curdled Batter.
- Add ½ of the flour mixture, beating until completely mixed. followed by the sour cream mixture and last add the remainder of the flour mixture, beating each time until completely combined.
- Pour half the batter into the pan and smooth flat.
- Add the shredded apples to the ¾ cup brown sugar mix, stirring well. Distribute evenly over the batter.
- Dollop small bits of the remaining batter over the entire apple filling and carefully spread it out.
- Cover the batter with the crumbs.
- Bake 65 to 75 minutes until a tester or toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan.
- Release from the pan and place on a cake board or serving plate.
- The Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake will last for at least 4 days covered. It can also be frozen then well wrapped for several months. Thaw at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
David says
Hey Helen!
This recipe is great! I knew it was going to be great when I was making the batter. It's so rich and creamy and satisfying to mix. I didn't have access to waffle pretzels, so used regular pretzels. They worked well, and the pretzel flavour wasn't individually detectable. Makes a great gimmick when you ask your friends to guess the weird ingredient.
One of my friends told me "This one's gonna be tough to beat", so thought to pass that one on to you.
Helen S Fletcher says
This is one of my favorites. So happy you friends like it.
robin ross says
I meet with friends twice a month to eat out. I always try and bring a new recipe that Google sends me in my news sections. I decided to try this recipe and could not be happier. It is delicious. Since I don't use salt in my every day cooking, I might try and decrease the salt since the pretzels have salt already. Can't wait to try the Irish apple cake. Thanks. I'll be baking many other things I found at your site. Robin
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Robin - what a wonderful idea and what lucky friends. Thanks for your kind words.
Barbara says
I didn't make it until today, and didn't realize my springform pan was 8" not 9". I have a much larger one 10-1/2", but didn't think I could use it. I didn't use all of the crumbs, but it didn't run over the edge of the pan and I baked it about 5 minutes longer. I am trying to figure out how to make the cake slightly smaller, do you know how to do that? Since I prefer using the gram measurements, would a quarter less of the flour, sugar, and liquids work?
Look forward to having it for breakfast tomorrow!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Barbara - There is a post on pan size conversionsthat should help. I'd try reducing it by 25% and that should get you close.
Sally Kolilis says
Helen I look forward to making the Apple Cinnamon Coffee cake. I often encounter a spur of the moment necessity to make something and don’t have all of the necessary ingredients , like the waffle pretzels , can something else be used as
a substitute?
Helen S Fletcher says
Just add the same amount of flour as the pretzels.
Nimfa Estrella says
Hello Ms Helen,
Am just wondering why is it there's no coffee in the list of the ingredients? Am planning to replace PRETZELS to grounded graham.
Thank you and take care...
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Nimfa - just use an equal amount of flour for the pretzels.
Kim Harnagel says
Helen, this looks like a coffee cake I could really enjoy. Some are so dry but this one appears to have multiple layers to add flavor and keep it moist. Thanks for all the reminders about the butter and photos. They are appreciated! :-)
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Kim, you are more than welcome.
Barbara says
Your picture shows only two apples, so coring, peeling, and shredding them makes 1-1/2 packed cups? Do you know approximately how many grams that would be? I want to make sure that two is enough.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Barbara - no idea. I used 1 1/2 of the apples so there should be plenty.
Barbara says
Thank you! That answer works too! Plan to make it today.
Helen S Fletcher says
You're welcome.
Mary Magdelane says
What on EARTH are waffle pretzels? I don't make recipes that contain pre-made products not available in the rest of the entire World.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Mary, they are pictured in the crumb ingredients. I primarily write for the US and we love our pretzels....all kinds.
Minke says
So, I just wanted to know, if a recipe says "coffee cake" it doesn't necessarily mean there's actual coffee inside, but it's a cake to eat WITH coffee? Otherwise this recipe looks great and I'll surely try it✌️
Helen S Fletcher says
Yes, if you read the FAQS you will see it was originally thought up in Germany to accompany coffee (or in my house tea).
Mark says
Can this recipe be made using cake flour instead of AP FLOUR.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Mark - It's fine as long as you the weights given for the all-purpose. Do not use volume.
Mark says
Thank you
Helen S Fletcher says
You're welcome.
Debra Schilling says
You are still awesome Helen! Love this recipe!
Deb Schilling
Helen S Fletcher says
And you are wonderful to send me this note Deb. Thank you,