Description
This Apple Crumble Coffee Cake is a delightful blend of tender crumb, tart apples, and a crunchy walnut crumble topping. Perfectly balanced with the tanginess of yogurt and warm cinnamon, this cake makes an ideal treat for breakfast or afternoon coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter for greasing:
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Crumble Mixture:
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped toasted walnuts
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, divided
- 1 cup plain yogurt (sheep’s milk yogurt or Greek yogurt recommended)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Honeycrisp apples
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather all ingredients needed for the recipe to ensure a smooth cooking process.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) placing a rack in the center. Generously butter a 9×12-inch baking dish with 2 teaspoons butter to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon sea salt until evenly combined, then set aside.
- Make Crumble Mixture: Combine finely chopped toasted walnuts, light brown sugar, white sugar, melted butter, ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until walnuts and sugars are coated with butter. Set aside.
- Cream Sugar and Butter: In a separate large bowl, beat together 1 cup white sugar and ½ cup butter (at room temperature) with a spatula until well blended and creamy.
- Add Eggs: Whisk in one large egg until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes, then add the second egg and mix thoroughly to incorporate.
- Incorporate Yogurt and Vanilla: Add 1 cup plain yogurt and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract to the egg mixture and whisk until combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gently add the dry flour mixture to the wet yogurt mixture, whisking just until the flour disappears. Avoid overmixing to maintain cake tenderness.
- Prepare Apples: Core the apples and discard the cores. Slice apples thinly into ⅛- to ¼-inch slices. Stack a few slices, cut lengthwise, then dice into small cubes to ensure even cooking.
- Fold Apples into Batter: Carefully fold the diced apples into the cake batter using a spatula until just combined, distributing the fruit evenly.
- Assemble the Cake: Spread half of the batter evenly into the prepared 9×12-inch baking dish. Sprinkle half of the crumble mixture evenly over the batter.
- Add Remaining Batter and Crumble: Dollop the remaining batter on top of the crumble layer, then gently spread to cover without disturbing the crumbs. Top with the remaining crumble mixture, pressing crumbs lightly into the batter to adhere.
- Bake: Bake the cake in the preheated oven on the center rack for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or bamboo skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving to enhance flavor and texture.
Notes
- Dark brown sugar can be used in place of light brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
- Sheep’s milk yogurt is preferred for its runny texture and tanginess, but regular plain Greek yogurt or sour cream are suitable alternatives.
- Use Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples. Cutting apples into small cubes ensures they cook fully and integrate well into the cake.
- Avoid overmixing batter after adding flour to keep the cake tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of cake)
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
