If you’re an apple fan, you’ll also want to try this Apple Cinnamon Bread. With a cinnamon sugar coating sprinkled on top, it’s just as stunning as it tastes! Try this Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bake for a breakfast option. It’s so warm and satisfying, a perfect way to start the day.

A slice of apple crumble cake on a white plate with two cinnamon sticks. Apples and a towel in the background.

The Best Fall Apple Crumble Cake

This apple cake is one of those cozy treats that make you long for the cool, crisp fall days and a hot cup of coffee. It will fill your kitchen with the aromas of baked apples and spiced cinnamon, seriously dreamy.

This cake is like an apple crumble and a coffee cake joined together to create the most magical little baby crumble cake. But, it’s anything but small, this thing is enough to feed everyone at the table. If you have extra apples use them in this cinnamon apple blondies recipe.

It is just the perfect mix of juicy apples, sugar, and spices to make a moist cake adorned with a heavenly crumbly topping. It’s going to become a fall favorite recipe!

A forkful of apple cake next to a piece of cake with an apple slice. Apples and a striped towel in the background.

Recipe Ingredients

Flour: All purpose flour is what you want to use.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Just make sure they aren’t expired.
Spices: Salt, cinnamon, and ground ginger help bring extra flavor.
Sugar: Both light brown sugar and granulated sugar will be used. The brown sugar goes in the topping.

All the ingredients needed to make apple crumb cake.

Oil: A little vegetable oil helps add moisture to the cake.
Apple Sauce: Using unsweetened applesauce cuts down on some calories. You could use 1/4 cup more oil if you do not have apple sauce on hand.
Eggs: You want the eggs at room temperature, so pull them out of the fridge ahead of time.
Vanilla Extract: Use real extract and not imitation for best flavor.
Apples: Use two large apples or 3-4 small apples. You want about 2 pounds.
Butter: Unsalted butter is what goes into the crumble topping, make sure it stays as cold as possible so don’t pull it out of the fridge until you need it.

How to Make Apple Crumble Cake

Here are the basic instructions for making this great fall cake. For the full recipe ingredients and instructions, check out the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step one to make this cake is to mix all of the dry ingredients — **STEP 1:** Preheat the oven. Butter a baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and baking soda, set aside.

Step two is a bowl of all of the wet ingredients, plus the sugar. — **STEP 2:** In a large mixing bowl, mix the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, oil, apple sauce, eggs, and vanilla.

Step 3 is to add the dry ingredients into the wet. — **STEP 3:** Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Next mix the cut up apples into the cake. — **STEP 4:** Fold in the apples.

Step 5 is a white dish filled with the cake mixture. — **STEP 5:** Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out if needed.

A small bowl of the dry ingredients for the topping. — **STEP 6:** In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Step 7 is the butter being cut into the crumble dry ingredients. — **STEP 7:** Cut in the butter and combine until small chunks form.

The final step is the crumble sprinkled on the top of the wet batter in the rectangular cake pan. — **STEP 8:** Spread across the top of the batter.
Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before serving.

Cooking Tips and Tricks

You want to use apples that are firm and tart. Some good ones are Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honey Crisp, or Pink Lady (that’s what I used). You can also use a combination of apples.
Keep the butter for the crumble as cold as possible so that it will stay in clumps and not melt when baked.

Recipe Variations

Top the cake with a drizzle of caramel or a powdered sugar glaze.
Make it gluten free by substituting in gluten free flour for a 1:1 ratio.
Add more spice flavor by adding a little cardamom or nutmeg.

Above the pan of cooked apple cake with slices cut and some removed. A knife rests in the pan. Two apples and a towel are next to the pan.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many servings can you get out of this cake? This all depends on how big you make the pieces. But, If you cut it 4×5 you will get 20 pieces.

Do the apples have to be peeled? You don’t technically have to peel the apples, if you prefer having peels in your cake.

Can other fruit be used? Yes, try this cake with peaches or pears for a twist!

How to Store & Reheat

How to store it? Let the cake cool and put in an airtight container. It should last about 4-5 days in the fridge.

How do you reheat it? Pop a slice into the microwave for 30 second increments until heated through.

How to freeze it? Let the cake cool completely before wrapping each square individually with plastic wrap and put into an air tight, freezer safe container. The apple cake can be frozen for 3 months, just be sure to label with the recipe and date. Thaw frozen cake cooked on a plate in the refrigerator overnight until defrosted.