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The Ultimate Moist Apple Crumb Cake with Cinnamon Streusel

A close-up of a moist slice of apple crumb cake featuring tender apple chunks and a thick, brown sugar cinnamon crumb topping.
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Follow this easy recipe to create a moist apple cake base topped with tender, cinnamon-spiced apples and a generous, buttery crumb topping. This is the best apple crumb cake for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Cake: 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 medium apples (like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for apples)
  • For the Crumb Topping: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • For the Optional Drizzle: 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan or an 8-inch round cake pan.
  2. Prepare the apples: In a small bowl, toss the diced apples with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Set aside.
  3. Make the cake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
  7. Spread half of the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Scatter the cinnamon-diced apples over the batter. Top with the remaining cake batter, spreading gently.
  8. Make the crumb topping: In a separate bowl, combine the 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt for the topping.
  9. Cut in the cold butter pieces using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  10. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the cake batter.
  11. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  12. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.
  13. Make the optional drizzle: Whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until smooth. Drizzle over the warm or cooled cake.

Notes

  • For the best crumb texture, make sure the butter for the topping is very cold when you mix it in.
  • You can substitute sour cream for the milk in the cake batter for an even moister result.
  • Serve this apple crumb cake warm with vanilla ice cream for a satisfying dessert.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbyjade.com/apple-crumb-cake-recipe-moist-cinnamon-streusel/