So, Have You Ever Needed Cake and Apples Together?

Alright, let me set the scene: It was a rainy Saturday, my kids were moaning about having "nothing sweet" in the house (as if toast with jam doesn't count), and I was staring at a bowl of apples that looked a bit past their prime. Enter: my Apple Crumble Coffee Cake with Streusel. It's basically my way of combining dessert with a pretend healthy breakfast. Honestly, I first made this when I was out of ideas, but now it’s practically tradition. Oh, and once I made it with pears by mistake... let’s just say, stick with apples if you can.

Why You'll Love This (Or at Least Why I Do!)

I make this when I've got friends coming over for tea, or when the family's on a cinnamon kick (which is most of the time, if I’m honest). My kids go absolutely nuts for the crumbly topping; my partner says it tastes "like autumn wrapped in a hug" which, well, is a bit dramatic but he’s not wrong. And if you’ve ever tried juggling breakfast and dessert, you’ll get why I appreciate a cake that’s just as good with coffee at 10am as it is for pudding after dinner. Oh, and the streusel? Once drove me mad trying to get the texture right, but now I’ve made peace with a bit of messiness.

What You’ll Need – With My Usual Swaps

2 medium apples (Granny Smith is classic, but honestly, I use whatever’s knocking about—Pink Lady works too)
1.5 cups (about 190g) plain flour (I’ve subbed half whole wheat before, nobody noticed)
0.5 cup sugar (granulated, but brown sugar gives it a richer flavor—my gran always insisted on light brown)
⅓ cup softened butter (margarine in a pinch, though it’s not quite the same)
2 eggs
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup milk (I’ve used oat milk, works a treat)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (sometimes I go a bit heavy handed—no regrets)

For the Streusel:

½ cup flour
⅓ cup brown sugar (white works if that’s all you’ve got)
½ teaspoon cinnamon (totally optional, but why wouldn’t you?)
3 tablespoon cold butter, cubed
A pinch of salt

Alright, Here’s How You Make It

First things first, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F), and line an 8x8 inch pan (or whatever you’ve got—once used a loaf tin, took longer but worked out fine) with baking paper.
Peel, core, and chop your apples into little bits—think diced, not sliced. If you’re feeling lazy, leave the skins on; nobody’s coming round to judge (at least not in my house!).
For the cake batter, whisk flour, baking powder, and cinnamon together in a bowl. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each (I usually do this by hand—electric mixer’s in the cupboard behind too many tins).
Stir in vanilla. Then, add dry ingredients to the wet mix alternately with milk—start and finish with the flour. Mix just until it’s all combined. Don’t overthink it if it looks a bit lumpy at this stage; it always smooths out in the oven.
Gently fold in the chopped apples. This is where I sneak a piece or two—testing for freshness, obviously.
Pour the batter into your prepared tin. Now, onto the streusel.
In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Rub in the butter with your fingertips (or use a fork if you hate sticky hands) until it looks like chunky breadcrumbs—don’t stress if it’s not perfectly uniform.
Sprinkle the streusel liberally over the cake batter. It may look like too much, but trust me, it bakes down perfectly.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. The top should be golden and a skewer in the middle comes out clean. If it’s still gooey, give it another 5 minutes. This is the stage where my oven timer inevitably beeps when I’ve just sat down.
Cool in the tin for ten minutes (if you can wait), then lift out and let it cool on a rack. Or just eat it warm—sometimes I can’t resist.

Notes from Way Too Many Attempts

Once tried using self-raising flour—made it weirdly puffy. Stick with plain, add your baking powder.
If your streusel feels too dry, add a teaspoon of melted butter. Too wet? Chuck in a bit more flour.
The cake tastes even better the next day, I swear, though it rarely makes it that long (unless I hide it, which I sometimes do).

Variations I’ve Given a Go

Pear instead of apple: sounds clever, but turned out a bit mushy; apples win every time.
Walnuts in the streusel: gives a nice crunch. Pecans work too, or skip nuts entirely if that’s not your thing.
For a gluten-free version, I’ve tried this gluten-free flour blend—tastes fine, but texture’s a bit different.

What If You Don’t Have All the Gear?

I use a stand mixer when I’m feeling fancy, but honestly, a bowl and a wooden spoon always do the trick. No baking paper? Grease the pan really well, maybe dust with a bit of flour. I once used a glass Pyrex dish—worked but needed a few extra minutes in the oven.

How To Store It (But Will You Need To?)

Pop leftovers in an airtight tin; it’ll stay fresh for about 2-3 days at room temp. Fridge makes it last longer, but I think it dries it out a bit. My household usually demolishes it in one go, though, so storage is more of a hypothetical problem!

Best Ways to Serve (According to My Family)

We love it warm with thick Greek yogurt, or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream if it’s dessert time. Once my brother insisted on pouring homemade custard over his slice—gotta admit, it was lush. For breakfast? Just a hot mug of coffee (or tea, if you’re that way inclined).

Pro Tips (Learned the Hard Way)

Don’t skip the cooling time before cutting or it’ll fall apart—a lesson I learned after cake disaster number three.
If you rush the butter when making the streusel, you get a sandy topping—patience, my friend!
Actually, I find it works better if you chop the apples on the chunkier side; stays juicier.

FAQ – Yes, I’ve Been Asked These!

Can I freeze this? – Sure, wrap well and freeze for up to a month. Thaw at room temp. But it does lose a bit of crunch, just so you know.
What apples work best? – I say Granny Smith or Braeburn, but really, any apple except Red Delicious (too soft and watery).
Is this very sweet? – Not over the top. If you like a sweeter cake, just add another spoonful of sugar to the batter. Or sprinkle a bit of extra sugar on top before baking, for a crunchy crust.
Can I double the recipe? – Yup, just use a bigger pan and maybe add 10 minutes to the bake time. Don’t forget to check with a skewer!
Does it work with oil instead of butter? – It does, sort of, but you lose some of the flavor. I’d stick to butter if you can.

Oh, bit of a side note—I once tried making this after a long day at work, forgot the baking powder, and ended up with a pancake rather than a cake. Lesson: always check your ingredient list twice, even if you think you know it by heart. For more cake tips, I love the articles over at Sally’s Baking Addiction—she’s got a knack for explaining things in a way that makes sense (and her photos always make me hungry).

If you give this a try, let me know how it goes! And if your family fights over the last slice, just know you’re not alone.

Apple Crumble Coffee Cake with Streusel