caramel apple crumb cake

Apple Crumb Cake is made with a fluffy layer of spice cake, a layer of caramelized cinnamon apples, and a generous amount of crumb topping. Finish it off with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce for true fall bliss!

this recipe

Why you’ll love this Apple Crumb Cake:

• Caramelized Cinnamon Apples – The star of this crumb cake is the layer of gently caramelized, perfectly spiced apples. This is a great way to use up all those orchard apples you’ve been picking!
• Fluffy Spice Cake – A tender & fluffy spice cake serves as the base for our apples & crumb layer.
• Generous Crumb Topping – A super generous layer of deeply flavorful crumb tops this apple cake.
• Salted Caramel Sauce – Top the whole cake off with salted caramel sauce for a delicious and stunning finishing touch. (This is optional but highly recommended.)

Ingredient Overview:

As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).

• All-purpose flour – Be sure to use all-purpose flour, not cake flour in this recipe. Cake flour is too delicate and the batter won’t be able to support the apple & crumb layer. Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
• Apples – Don’t use soft apples like McIntosh as they’ll become soggy. Use any good baking apple like Honeycrisp, pink lady, golden delicious, or granny smith apples.
• Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
• Eggs – Use a large egg, at room temperature.
• Milk – Be sure to bring this to room temperature before beginning.
• Sour Cream – Use full fat sour cream, at room temperature.

Recipe Variations:

• Sour Cream – You can swap greek yogurt in a pinch for sour cream.
• Apples – Like I mentioned above, use whatever firm baking apples you like best.
• Dairy-free – Use your favorite dairy-free milk, sour cream, and butter to make this cake dairy-free.
• Powdered sugar – Feel free to finish this cake with a simple dusting of powdered sugar if you don’t want to make salted caramel sauce.
• Oats & Nuts– If you want a little bit of an apple crisp vibe, add 1/2 cup whole rolled oats and/or 1/2 cup crushed walnuts or pecans to the crumb mixture.

How to Make this Apple Crumb Cake:

Step 1: Make the Salted Caramel Sauce. Cook sugar until it melts, then whisk in butter and heavy cream. This caramel comes together in just 10 minutes! Set aside to cool while you make everything else. This can be made up to 1 week ahead.

Step 2: Make the Caramelized Apples. Peel and slice your apples, then cook them in a sauce pan over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes, with butter, brown sugar, and spices. Set aside to cool while you make the cake batter.

Step 3: Make the Cake Batter. Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients – egg, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients last, mixing just until the flour disappears.

Step 4: Make the Crumb Topping. Whisk together melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add flour and spices and gently stir until large crumbs form.

Step 5: Assemble. Spread half the cake batter in your prepared pan. Sprinkle on a brown sugar and cinnamon mixture to make a cinnamon sugar ripple. Add the remaining cake batter, then the apples, then the crumb topping.

Step 6: Bake. Bake as directed in the recipe card below. Cool on a wire rack, drizzle on the caramel sauce, and serve with a cup of coffee!

Serving + Storing:

This cake is best served fresh from the oven. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Refrigerating helps keep the crumb from going soft.

Rolling in apples? Make my Homemade Apple Fritters or my Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls, next!

Expert Success Tips:

• Don’t Over Mix – Don’t over mix the cake batter as this can create a denser cake.
• Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
• Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.

FAQs:

Special Tools:

• Mixing Bowls – I love using a stackable set of glass mixing bowls for almost everything I bake.
• 9-inch Round Cake Pan – I’ve had my OXO Cake pans for ages and they are still in great condition.

More Apple Recipes to Love:

• Caramel Apple Cider Cookies
• Salted Caramel Apple Galette
• Cranberry Apple Crisp
• Homemade Apple Fritters
• Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers
• Apple Cider Old Fashioned Cocktails
• The Best Recipes to Make During Apple Season

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