Apple Streusel Coffee Cake with sweet apples on the inside and a brown sugar topping on top is the perfect addition to your morning routine. A delicious and moist coffee cake breakfast recipe that is easy to make and great for brunch!

Do you enjoy a good breakfast or brunch recipe? I certainly do. Coffee cake, to be real, is like eating dessert for breakfast. I know, donuts are too as well as cinnamon rolls.
However, there is something about biting into a piece of a coffee cake like the Apple Streusel Coffee Cake that just improves your day. Pair it with a cup of coffee or tea, orange or apple juice. It will make your morning.
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour (I use unbleached)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter (or margarine)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons milk (can use almond milk)
- 2 medium/large apples, peeled and chopped
- Brown sugar
- Flour
- Cinnamon
- Butter (margarine)
The brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter are for the streusel topping.
Milk can easily be switched out for almond milk. It is okay to use the almond milk with vanilla as there is vanilla in the ingredients and one can't have too much vanilla, right?
Gluten free option
Using gluten free flour in the recipe works well. I like to use the King Arthur's measure for measure flour. If you can find it in bulk somewhere, the price is much better.
The gluten free flour substitute can be used in place of the flour for the batter and for the topping. With using margarine in place of butter and almond milk in place of regular cow's milk, it can also be dairy free.
Coating the apples
Start by adding the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. The mixture will need to be stirred well until all ingredients are incorporated.
Then you will stir in your apples. The apples need to be stirred into the flour mixture to keep them from sinking to the bottom while baking. It isn't horrible if the apples sink to the bottom of the coffee cake but, if it can be prevented, why not?
The flour helps the apples to "stick" to the other batter therefore preventing them from sinking.
Mixing up the batter
The rest of the ingredients, the wet ingredients, will be mixed together in a separate bowl. In this case, the batters need to be mixed separately then brought together at the end.
The apples shouldn't be overmixed.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. If your batter seems a little dry, it is okay to add a little more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Spread in the bottom of a greased 9x13 cake pan and set aside.
Mixing the brown sugar streusel topping
The topping can be mixed in a small bowl. It is best to not melt the butter but have it be softened. Then either use two knives to incorporate the butter or do what I do: use your hands!
Spread on the top of the coffee cake batter.
This apple brunch coffee cake recipe will bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Be sure to keep a watch on it as all ovens vary.
Storage
Store any leftovers in the original pan, covered, on the countertop. Alternatively, the remainder of the apple streusel coffee cake can be transferred and stored in an airtight container.
FAQ
Yes! Make up this coffee cake the night before, cover it in the refrigerator and bake the next day. It may take longer to bake so adjust accordingly.
I don't recommend it.
Pin for later!
📖 Recipe
Apple Streusel Coffee Cake
Print PinEquipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour bleached or unbleached
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter or margarine
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoon milk can use almond milk
- 2 medium apples peeled and chopped
For the streusel
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon butter or margarine
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 9x13 cake pan.
- Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Place the peeled and diced apples in the flour mixture and coat the apples well.
- Set aside.
- Stir the softened butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk together in a medium sized bowl.
- Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir well.
- Spread on the bottom of a greased 9x13 cake pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and flour. Cut in the butter using your hands or two butter knives until mixture is crumbly.
- Sprinkle on top of coffee cake.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Cake is done when knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Slice and serve.
Jessica @ConveyAwareness
Simple enough! I like your substitutes. =)