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Apple Crisp Coffee Cake

Apple crisp coffee cake with a moist spiced cake base and a cinnamon apple layer, topped with a golden oat crumble. Bakes until the crumble turns crisp-golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.75 cup sour cream
  • 2 cup apples peeled and diced
Apple crisp topping
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter cold, cubed

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and dish
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 baking dish so the cake releases cleanly.
Make the apple crisp topping
  1. Combine rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl, then cut in cold butter until clumpy with visible oat-butter clusters.
  2. Refrigerate the topping while you mix the cake so it stays cold and forms a crisp crumble.
Mix the cake batter
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined.
  2. Beat softened butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, then beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Mix in sour cream until the batter looks creamy and cohesive.
  4. Fold the dry mixture into the wet just until no dry streaks remain.
  5. Fold in diced apples so they’re evenly distributed through the batter.
Assemble and bake
  1. Spread batter in the prepared pan in an even layer.
  2. Scatter the oat crumble generously over the top, covering the surface so edges toast and crisp.
  3. Bake 50-55 minutes at 350F until a toothpick comes out clean and the crumble is golden, with a visibly set center.
  4. Let cool briefly, then dust with powdered sugar if desired before slicing.

Notes

Key pro tip: refrigerate the crumble while you make the batter so it stays clumpy; that texture is what turns into crisp golden edges. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat individual slices in the microwave or warm in a 300F oven. Freezing: yes—freeze slices airtight up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Dietary swap: for a lightly lower-fat option, use reduced-fat sour cream (texture may be slightly softer, but it still bakes well).