There is something super cozy about an apple cake and even though it is the fall right now and apples are having their moment, an apple cake is something that I crave and bake year round.
I have lots of other great apple cake recipes, from my apple fritter cake and this apple fritter focaccia to my sbriciolata di mele and of course my grandmas classic apple cake. If you search apples on this blog, you will be rewarded with lots of great recipe options, but I just have to say that this cinnamon crunch apple cake has become my personal favorite.
A moist, tender, warmly spiced apple cake packed with thinly sliced apples (lots of them!) and topped with a crunchy cinnamon topping that is shatteringly crisp in some spots and gooey in others and thats a part of this cakes wonderful charm. It boldly celebrates apples, its easy to bring together and stays tender for days, so you can make it ahead of time or slowly enjoy it all week long.
Let’s get started…
Start by whisking a cup of brown sugar with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of a neutral oil, a large egg and 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract until fully combined.
Next, we are adding a cup of buttermilk into the batter. I did not have buttermilk in my refrigerator, so I added a tablespoon of lemon juice into a cup of whole milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes and voila… we have buttermilk!
Whisk the buttermilk into the batter and then add 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix the dry ingredients in until they are mostly incorporated. We still have to add the apples, so there is no need to mix everything in perfectly at this point.
Many apple recipes call for peeled and diced apples, but today we are not peeling the apples (its never fun anyways) and we are thinly slicing them, so they have a better chance of evenly distributing throughout the batter and actually kind of melting into it a bit… depending on how thin you slice them.
I sliced my apples as thin as I could using my favorite sharp kitchen knife, but if you have a mandolin handy and want your apples sliced really thin, go for it!
After adding 3 large thinly sliced apples into the batter and mixing until they are evenly distributed, pour the batter into a greased and parchment lined baking dish.
You can bake this cake in a 7″x11″ baking dish, like I am doing today, but you can also use a 9″x13″. Using the larger baking dish will result in a slightly thinner cake that will bake a little quicker, but either option will turn out great!
Now it’s time to create that cinnamon crunch topping…
In a small dish, combine 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar with a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Use a fork to work a tablespoon of melted butter into the mix until it is evenly worked in. Your mixture should feel like damp sand.
Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the enter surface of the batter and bake the cake in a 325 degree oven for about an hour (or slightly less if you are using a 9″x13″ baking dish).
If the top of your cake appears to be browning too much, lightly cover it with foil until it is fully baked. The cake is ready to come out when a toothpick will come out of the middle of the cake mostly clean.
I also like to pay attention to what the center of the cake feels like. Now be carefully testing this because that sugar on the top is HOT, but I like to gently touch it with a paper towel wrapped finger to see if it feels set. If there is any wobble in the middle, let it bake longer, because that middle is still unbaked and it will collapse when you pull the cake out of the oven. Wait until the middle feels firmly set before taking the cake out of the oven.
Just look at that crust. So crunchy, buttery and crisp. It is absolutely perfect and we haven’t even gotten into the actual cake yet…
This cake is beautifully moist with a tender crumb and the absolute best flavors. Those apples, even though they weren’t peeled, are soft, sweet and juicy and they are all over this cake, so every bite is fantastic and full of flavor.
If you are a lover of apples and apple cakes… or apple desserts of any kind, I would love for you to give this cinnamon crunch apple cake a try, because it is very special and perfectly delicious. You are going to love this cake…
Cinnamon Crunch Apple Cake
Ingredients
The Apple Cake
- 1 cup of brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup of a neutral oil
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup of buttermilk (full fat works best)
- 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 3 cups of apples, thinly sliced
Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°
- Grease a 7”x11” or 9”x13” baking dish, line the bottom with parchment paper and set aside for now
Make the cake…
- In a large bowl, whisk 1 cup of brown sugar with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of a neutral oil, a large egg and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until fully combined
- Add a cup of buttermilk and mix until fully incorporated
- Add 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and mix until just combined
- Fold in 3 cups of peeled and diced apples until evenly distributed
Make the cinnamon crunch topping…
- Combine 1/2 cups of brown sugar with a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and use a fork to work in a tablespoon of melted butter
Assemble and bake the cake…
- Spread the batter evenly in your prepared caking dish
- Sprinkle the cinnamon crunch topping evenly over the batter
- Bake in a 325° oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick will come out of the center of the cake mostly clean and middle feels fully set
- Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing
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