Description

This Apple Crumb Cake is a moist and flavorful dessert featuring tender chopped apples layered with a buttery crumb topping. The cake itself is made with sour cream, which adds richness and keeps it wonderfully soft. A cinnamon-spiced crumb topping adds a delightful crunchy contrast. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a sweet treat, this cake is easy to prepare with common pantry ingredients and bakes to golden perfection in a single pan.

Ingredients

Scale

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 Batter:

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)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional:

maple icing, vanilla icing, or caramel icing from apple cinnamon rolls for drizzling

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Instructions

Prepare Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13-inch glass or metal baking pan or line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
Make Crumb Topping: In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in melted butter. Using a fork, lightly mix in flour until crumbles form. Avoid overmixing. Chill mixture in refrigerator or freezer until needed to help crumbs hold their shape during baking.
Mix Dry Cake Ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a mixer with paddle attachment, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down bowl as needed. Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract, mixing on medium-high until combined; the batter may look curdled, which is normal. Scrape sides again.
Add Dry Ingredients: With mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients until just smooth. Do not overmix. Batter will be thick.
Prepare Apples: Toss chopped apples with ground cinnamon to evenly coat.
Assemble Cake: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Evenly distribute the cinnamon-coated apples over the batter, then distribute the chilled crumb topping over the apples. Press the crumb topping gently with a spatula or spoon to make it stick.
Bake: Bake cake for 45-55 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean. If the top or edges brown too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil.
Cool: Remove cake from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool for 30-45 minutes before slicing and serving.
Optional Topping: Drizzle with your choice of maple, vanilla, or caramel icing if desired.
Storage: Cover leftover cake tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Notes

Use firm apples that hold their shape well, like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith, for best texture.
Full-fat sour cream contributes to moistness and rich flavor; do not substitute with low-fat versions.
To prevent topping from browning too fast, cover loosely with foil if needed during baking.
Allow cake to cool before slicing to ensure clean cuts and reduce crumbling.
Optional icings complement the apple and cinnamon flavors, enhancing the cake’s sweetness.