This incredible apple crumb cake is packed with fresh apples and warm spices, topped with a cinnamon crumble, and drizzled with a brown sugar toffee sauce.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Different: The addition of a cinnamon crumb topping AND brown sugar sauce set this recipe apart from more traditional apple cakes.
Flavorful: This cake is packed with fall flavors from fresh apples, applesauce, brown sugar, and the perfect mix of warm spices!
Versatile: Serve this cake for dessert, breakfast, or snacking. It’s great with a cup of coffee or tea.
Visual recipe overview
*Full recipe below in recipe card*
Crumb topping
Stir together the crumb topping and pop it in the fridge while you prepare the cake batter.
Cake batter
Prepare the cake batter using a hand mixer or stand. Stir in chopped apples.
Bake
Add the cake batter into a greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the batter. Bake!
Toffee sauce
Simmer butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla in a small saucepan on the stovetop. Set it aside for serving.
The best apples for baking
It’s best to use firm apples with a balance of sweet and tart flavors. These are my favorite varieties for this recipe:
- Honeycrisp
- Fuji
- Pink Lady
- Cosmic Crisp
Top Tip
Dice the apples into small pieces. This cake bakes in about 30 minutes and the apple pieces should soften during that time. If they’re too big they might stay crunchy.
Prefer an apple cake without chunks of fruit? Try this apple cider donut cake.
Free Baking Guide!
Become a BETTER BAKER with our RECIPES, TIPS, & TRICKS
More apple recipes
Recipe
Apple Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Crumb topping:
- ¼ cup (60g) brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (104g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (104g) all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- generous pinch of salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup (42g) finely chopped walnuts, optional but highly recommended
Cake:
- 2½ cups (313g) all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (205g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (115g) sour cream, room temperature
- scant ½ cup (113g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Apples:
- 2 cups (278g) finely diced peeled apple*
- ¼ teaspon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
Toffee sauce:
- ½ cup (120g) brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- ⅓ cup (80g) heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Crumb topping:
- Combine both sugars, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add melted butter and stir until well combined. Stir in walnuts, if using. Place in the refrigerator while you continue with the cake.
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until well combined, at least one full minute. Add eggs, sour cream, applesauce, and vanilla, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The mixture might look curdled, that's ok.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until almost fully combined. A few streaks of flour are fine, be careful not to overmix. In a separate bowl, combine apples, cinnamon and flour. Stir the apple mixture into the cake batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Remove the crumb topping from the refrigerator and sprinkle it over the top of the cake batter. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (mine took exactly 30 minutes, begin checking it at 25). Place the pan on a wire rack to cool.
Toffee sauce:
- Add brown sugar, butter, cream, and salt to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, and simmer for one full minute (the brown sugar should be fully dissolved). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow it to cool down at room temperature. It will thicken as it cools. Serve warm sauce over slices of cake.
Video
Notes
*Apples:
I recommend using apples with a balance of sweet and tart flavors. My favorites are: Honeycrisp, Fuji, Pink Lady, and Cosmic Crisp. Dice the apples into small pieces. This cake bakes in about 30 minutes and the apple pieces should soften during that time.Serving and storage:
This cake is best served warm or at room temperature within two days of baking. Leftovers of the cake and sauce should be refrigerated (separately). The sauce will thicken after chilling. Reheat in the microwave as needed. Recipe updated August 2025: I adjusted the spices, increased the crumb topping, swapped out the oil for butter, and added weight measurements.Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Lama says
What can I substitute apple butter with
Celebrating Sweets says
You can try swapping the apple butter for an equal amount of applesauce (this would be in addition to the other applesauce listed in the recipe). I haven’t tried this so I can’t say for sure, but it should work Good luck!
Terry says
Can I add golden raisins in this recipe?
If I can, when would I add them?
Thanks
Allison says
Sure. Stir them into the cake batter right after combining the wet and dry ingredients.
Sandi says
This cake looks wonderful for a brunch or fun get together.
Joyce says
I am a sucker for crumble too haha but omg you are brilliant – you tripled the apples with fresh apples, apple butter and apple sauce! haha Crazy flavour! My kind of recipe! 🙂
Nicole Lucido says
I don’t see apple butter in the recipe, please clarify for me. Thanks!
Celebrating Sweets says
Hi, Nicole. I had received several requests for substitutions for the apple butter so I recently re-tested and updated the recipe without the apple butter. If you’d prefer an apple cake WITH apple butter, I have another on the site: https://celebratingsweets.com/double-apple-bundt-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting/
Enjoy!
Danielle says
This is one of my favourite cakes. So comforting and perfect with a bit mug of coffee.
Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C says
First, I’m drooling over this cake! I love that drizzle of glaze on top. Second, my kids are young adults away at college…and I think about the good old days when they were little all the time!
Dana says
This. Looks. Heavenly. Anything with crumbs all over the top, please and thank you! And gorgeous photos!
Jessica Formicola says
I made this apple cake for dessert last night, and it was incredible! It’s the perfect fall cake and I can’t wait to make it again!
wilhelmina says
This cake is divine! So moist and delicious and perfect for Fall!
Deb says
OK….Just saw that the apple butter was removed before I saw this recipe. 🙂
Just came out of the oven…Looking forward to dessert!!!
I want to commend you for not overstating who you are like some others on their blogs (e.g.photographer, recipe developer).
Thanks…..I can feel very comfortable with an honest person.
Allison says
Hi, Deb. Yes, I changed around the recipe (and removed the apple butter) because several people were looking for substitutes. I hope you enjoy the cake. Thanks for stopping by.