Jump to RecipeSyrupy cinnamon apples baked over a rich and moist NY-style cake topped with brown sugar and cinnamon butter crumbs. A perfect breakfast treat on a brisk autumn morning alongside a hot cup of coffee.
And here I sit, bewitched by another October; my eyes awe-stricken with a palette of gentle warm colors, my olfactories filled with the nostalgic smells of cinnamon, fires, and fallen leaves. And yet, most predictably of all, the obligatory big brown paper bag of apples lurking in my cabinet where I keep root vegetables and other specimens akin to dry, cool storage.
Just like in years to come and ones that have gone, my autumnal saga to waste not-want not continue as I search for all the ways my juicy little autumn guests can make a star appearance in our meals. This year, I’m pleased to present my new apple-studded creation: Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake.
It’s a cake that can be enjoyed as a dessert, snack, and especially as a naughty little breakfast. The combination of a blanket of thinly sliced sweet, soft apples nestled under craggy crunchy cinnamon brown sugar crumbs is a perfect homage to my all-time favorite season.
A Picture Walk Through Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake
Peel and core apples. I am using a variety of kinds from the orchard. Always best to use an apple that is amenable to baking. Such as these: Best Baking Apples.
I’ve used a mandolin to slice my apples thinly and in uniform thickness. Toss sliced apples with lemon juice, then cinnamon and sugar, and set aside.
Make the cake. Be sure not to overmix once flour is added.
Make the Crumb topping
Scrape batter into prepared cake pan and smooth it flat. Arrange apples on the cake, slightly overlapped. Pour any cinnamon-apple juices into the bottom of the bowl over the apples. Sprinkle crumbs over apple slices.
Place pans on a baking sheet to catch any drippings. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out without any wet batter, you’ll see juices bubbling around some apples, about 50 to 55 minutes.
Cool to room temperature and then dust generously with powdered sugar
Cut into squares or wedges to serve.
Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Cinnamon Apples:
- 2 pound apples 6 medium/small or 3 large, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
Cake:
- 1 ½ cup canola oil or 12 tbsp of unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Crumb Topping:
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Heat oven: To 325°F. Lightly coat two 9-inch pie dishes or one 9×13 cake pan with butter or nonstick spray.
- Prepare apples: Toss sliced apples with lemon juice, then cinnamon and sugar, and set aside.
- Make crumbs: Whisk butter, sugars, cinnamon, and salt together until evenly mixed. Add flour and mix until it disappears. It will look like wet clumpy sand. Set aside.
- Make cake: Beat oil (or butter) with sugar until lightened and fluffy. Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla and beat until combined. Sprinkle surface of batter with baking powder and salt, and beat well to combine. Add flour and mix only until it disappears.
- Assemble: Scrape batter into prepared cake pan and smooth it flat. Arrange apples on cake, slightly overlapped. Pour any cinnamon-apple juices in bottom of bowl over apples. Sprinkle crumbs over apple slices.
- Bake: Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out without any wet batter, you’ll see juices bubbling around some apples, about 50 to 55 minutes.
- Serve: Cool to room temperature and then dust generously with powdered sugar. Cut into squares or wedges to serve.
