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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!
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:
I don’t recommend making the whole cake ahead, as the crumb topping won’t be as crisp the next day. You can make the salted caramel sauce up to a week ahead and store in the fridge, however.
I think you could double it and bake in a 9×13 pan! Keep the bake time similar, and add time from there as needed.
If you wanted to make this as a small batch dessert, I’d recommend using a 6-inch cake pan.
Don’t use any soft apples like McIntosh as they’ll become soggy when baked. Use any good baking apple like honeycrisp, pink lady, golden delicious, or granny smith apples. Anything firmer will work well, and a mix of tart and sweet apples is often recommended!
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
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
Click the little stars in the header of the recipe card below to leave a comment & star rating, letting me know how you liked the recipe. I take all feedback seriously, & leaving a rating helps my small business immensely!
Caramel Apple Crumb Cake
Ingredients
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar, 210 grams
- 6 tbsp salted butter, cubed, 85 grams
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream, 135 grams
- pinch of flaky sea salt
For the Caramelized Apples
- 3 tbsp salted butter, 42 grams
- 2 large apples, sliced into 1/2" slices, honeycrisp or golden delicious work well
- 3 tbsp brown sugar , 40 grams
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- pinch of salt
For the Cake
- 1/4 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature , 4 tbsp or 57 grams
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar , 105 grams
- 1/4 cup brown sugar , 55 grams
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup milk, at room temperature , 80 grams
- 3 tbsp full fat sour cream, at room temperature , 45 grams
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 173 grams
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- pinch of allspice
- pinch of ground cloves
- 3 tbsp brown sugar, packed – for the cinnamon sugar layer, 40 grams
- 1 tbsp cinnamon – for the cinnamon sugar layer
For the Crumb Layer
- 1/2 cup salted butter, 113 grams
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, 110 grams
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar , 38 grams
- 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour , 173 grams
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Make the Salted Caramel Sauce: Optional but amazing!Make the salted caramel sauce according to my 10-Minute Salted Caramel Sauce recipe. Set aside to cool, or make up to 1 week ahead and store in the fridge.1 cup granulated sugar, 6 tbsp salted butter, cubed, 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream, pinch of flaky sea salt
- Prepare the Apples: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. (Let it go a few extra minutes if you want browned butter.) Add the apples and remaining apple filling ingredients. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring lazily, until apples are slightly softened but still have a bit of a crunch. Set aside to cool slightly.3 tbsp salted butter, 2 large apples, sliced into 1/2" slices, 3 tbsp brown sugar , 3/4 tsp cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of salt
- Make the Cake Batter: Cream butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high speed. Add the sugars and mix until well creamed with the butter. Add the egg, milk, vanilla, & sour cream and mix until just combined. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices and mix just until the last streaks of flour disappear. The batter will be fairly thick. Set aside. Stir together the extra brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.1/4 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature , 1/2 cup granulated sugar , 1/4 cup brown sugar , 1 large egg, at room temperature , 1/3 cup milk, at room temperature , 3 tbsp full fat sour cream, at room temperature , 1 tsp vanilla extract , 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, pinch of allspice, pinch of ground cloves
- Make the Crumb Layer: Melt the butter in a medium bowl. Whisk in the sugars. Stir in the remaining crumb ingredients until you have large crumbs.1/2 cup salted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, 3 tbsp granulated sugar , 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour , 1/2 tsp cinnamon, pinch of salt
- Assemble & Bake: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Spray a 9-inch round (or square) pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper for easy removal. Spread half of the batter in the pan (it will seem like too little batter, but don't fret). Sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture, then add the remaining batter. (An offset spatula is helpful here.) Spoon the apples over the top of the batter in an even layer, leaving the excess liquid behind (I'll drizzle a spoonful or two over, but not all of it). Sprinkle on the crumble topping, then gently press them down a bit so they stick. Bake for 36 to 42 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should have a small amount of moist crumbs, not wet batter. The crumbs will appear baked and will be slightly browned.3 tbsp brown sugar, packed – for the cinnamon sugar layer, 1 tbsp cinnamon – for the cinnamon sugar layer
- Serve + Store: Let cake cool to your liking or enjoy warm! Slice and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or salted caramel sauce. This is best on the first day (the crumb will lose its crisp ness after that), but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for a few days. Be sure to keep in the fridge if the slices have salted caramel on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this recipe recently for my sister’s birthday, and it was AMAZING. Everyone made me compliments, for it would definitely recommend it for everyone who loves a good apple fall cake!!
Every recipe I ever made from you turned out so good and yummy. Thanks so much
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Marie, and thanks for your kind words! Please be sure to leave reviews on the other recipes you’ve tried as well. 🙂 Happy baking!
I must not only compliment you on delish recipes but also the way you presented ALL the info necessary to make these! Explanations and pictures are top notch. Thank you for helping me be a better baker!!!
Thanks so much for your kind words, Gail! Glad you enjoyed this one!
Hey I really liked the recipe the cake was delicious but one thing I failed on was the crumble first try it came out liquid like and second time it was very sticky and didn’t come out as crumbs
May I supposed to let the melted butter cool before I put in the ingredients?
Hi Imani! Glad you enjoyed this cake! Hmm, that’s odd I haven’t experienced that in any of the times I’ve made this recipe. My best recommendation would be to let the butter cool for 10-15 minutes or so, as you suggested. You could also try adding 1-2 tbsp of flour to the crumble to help it thicken up. You can also let the crumble rest (make it first, then let it just rest on the counter while you make everything else) and it should thicken up as the butter cools within the crumble. Hope that helps!
Served this as dessert for a brunch and it was a hit! A few notes: it does require some effort, but it’s worth it. Yes you can buy the caramel sauce, but if you have time it’s totally worth it. I’ve made lots of different caramel sauces over the years, with varying success, and this one is actually pretty easy. Follow the directions exactly, though! The apples are a treat and would be delicious on their own. I added some crumbled graham cracker crumbs to the topping, as it seemed too wet when I mixed it up. I will definitely make this again!
Thanks so much for the rave review, Annette!
This recipe is absolutely delicious. I have made it twice now! It’s the perfect fall dessert. You won’t be disappointed!
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Alicia!
This crumb cake is so so good! I get so many compliments every time I make it
Thank you so much, Emily!
This Carmel apple crumb cake is amazing!!!! I made it twice now and probably one of the best cakes I have made. Enjoyed by everyone !!!
I did make the Carmel sauce which is excellent but the cake alone is sweet enough without it.
Well thank you so much for your kind words, Tina!
PERSONALLY the cake was sweet enough so the caramel was a little too excessive. the cake was DELICIOUS! all my family enjoyed it so much and will definitely be making this cake again without the caramel🥰
Glad to hear it was a hit, Jessica!
J’ai adoré cette recette!!
J’avais enregistré le post sur instagram !! J’ai réalisé mon premier caramel 🥰 Merci Stéphanie, je ne manquerai pas d’en essayer d’autres!
Thanks so much, Elodie!
This recipe was pretty involved so it’s something you want to set aside a good amount of time for. In fact, it was taking so long, I omitted the extra step of making the caramel sauce and just dusted the top with powdered sugar which was fine because there was plenty of sugar in the recipe to begin with so the caramel sauce may have been a bit much. I also added walnuts and oatmeal to the crumb layer per one of the suggested variations but it made it too dry so I had to add more butter. Overall, it was tasty, but the crumb layer was much too thick in relation to the rest of the cake. If I had the time to make it again, I’d cut that layer in half to balance it out. I’d also add a bit more apples.
Glad you found the cake tasty, Theres! I’m sorry you found the crumb layer too thick, but that is the idea with a crumb cake, and that extra thick layer is part of what differentiates a crumb cake from a coffee cake. Happy baking!