Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Sweet, tart, spiced, and wonderful. Like Autumn if it were a flavor!
Texture: The cake is ultra tender and moist which is perfectly balanced by the slightly crunchy streusel and gooey caramel sauce.
Ease: Super simple and easy.
Pros: One of those recipes you’ll make again and again!
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Yes yes yes.
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I’ve been SO excited to share this Caramel Apple Coffee Cake recipe!
It’s one of those delightful fall recipes that will be a hit with any group. And, bonus, it’s nice and easy to make.
This coffee cake is perfect to make in the fall – especially after going apple picking with family or friends.
It stays moist and flavorful for days so you can make it ahead of time. Or hoard it for yourself to enjoy daily until it’s all gone. (I don’t know anything about that…)
I was excited to use Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose flour in this recipe to ensure show-stopping tender and moist results! I’ve worked with Bob’s Red Mill previously and I am so grateful to have them as a sponsor.
They’re an employee-owned company with incredible values woven in. Not to mention this flour is made without the use of chemical pesticides, which I personally greatly prefer.
How to Make Easy Caramel Apple Coffee Cake
How to Make Coffee Cake MOIST
- The brown sugar, oil, and sour cream are all ingredients that create richness, tenderness, and moisture in cake. They are used in full force in this recipe!
- If you don’t have sour cream, you can also use plain full-fat yogurt.
- I use oil here because it gives the sensation of moistness better than butter does. We don’t really need the flavor of butter here as much as other recipes. This cake has so much flavor already between the spices, brown sugar, apples, and caramel.
What Kind of Apples are Best For Baking?
I love Granny Smith apples in this recipe because they won’t get mushy or mealy during baking and their tartness complements the caramel perfectly. Alternatively, you can use Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp, if you prefer. A mix of apples also works well.
Can I Bake This in a Square Pan Instead?
Yes! If you don’t have a 9-inch springform pan you can use a 9-inch square baking pan. If you only have an 8-inch square pan then add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time and keep an eye on it for doneness.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Yes! Double all ingredients and bake in a 9 by 13-inch pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
Store-Bought or Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce?
I have an excellent easy recipe for Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce here. However, for this recipe, I think you can totally get away with using store-bought. I prefer Trader Joe’s salted caramel sauce!
How to Store Coffee Cake?
This recipe stays SUPER moist for days after you bake it. I actually find the flavors intensify over time as well. Store covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. Serve at room temperature or warm. Reheat in the microwave if desired.
Can I Freeze Coffee Cake?
Yes – but freeze before drizzling the caramel on top. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature then refresh in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
More Fall Apple Recipes:
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie Pizookies
- Caramel Apple Streusel Pie
- Apple Galette
- Apple Crisp Recipe
- Caramel Apples
- Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
- Apple Crisp
Caramel Apple Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the Streusel:
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (64 grams) Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons (43 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons (56 grams) salted caramel sauce
For the Coffee Cake:
- 2 cups (254 grams) Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 8 ounces (227 grams) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (200 grams)
- 2 tablespoons (56 grams)
salted caramel sauce, for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Make the streusel:
- In a small bowl, combine all of the streusel ingredients except caramel with a fork until crumbly.
Make the cake:
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and brown sugar. In a small bowl, stir together the oil, sour cream, and eggs. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet ingredients. Gently stir until a few streaks of flour remain. Gently fold in the apples.
- Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel and drizzle with caramel sauce. Spread the remaining batter over the streusel. Sprinkle with the remaining streusel.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes. Drizzle with salted caramel sauce before serving.
- Cut into slices and serve. Store leftovers, covered, at room temperature for up to 4 days.
This post was published in 2019 and has been updated with additional recipe tips and information. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
October 2019 Baking Challenge
This recipe was the selection for the October 2019 baking challenge! Learn more about my monthly baking challenges here. See everyone’s coffee cake entries below:
This recipe was so simple to make, and soo GOOD to eat! It was perfectly moist in the center and I would make this again in a second! The aroma in the house kicked my favorite candles butt…
I am eating gluten free right now do I couldn’t try it, but my husband enjoyed it. He liked it without the caramel too. For some reason, I had to cook it for almost an hour and it still was not totally done in the very middle. The only thing I did different was use avocado oil instead of canola oil.
This Caramel Apple Coffee Cake was delicious! I usually don’t like coffee cake, however, this recipe was so moist and had a lot of flavor. Sadly, I could not find or make caramel sauce but it was still delicious. Everyone who tried it loved this recipe also. The streusel was yummy as well.
Tremendously moist but not over the top sweet! The caramel sauce was a nice added touch to the coffee cake. It’s perfect for the Fall season!
Not usually a big fan of coffee cakes because they can be dry but this cake is deliciously moist and full of flavour!
Wow! This cake is amazing, and perfect for fall. Next time I’ll be careful not to overcook the caramel, but I wouldn’t charge a single thing about the cake. Will definitely make it again!
This was probably the best thing I’ve made all year. I used fuji apples from my backyard and they worked great in place of the granny smith. I also used Tessa’s recipe for salted caramel sauce which really brought the cake together. If I could do anything else differently, it would be to make more streudel (maybe 1.5x)! Literally can’t get enough of that stuff!
Delicious recipe!
So sweet!
As with all of Tessa’s recipes, this one is delicious! So tender and flavorful! I never worry about baking one of her recipes for the first time and serving it to friends, family, and coworkers, because they all turn out amazing!!
This cake has a delicate crumb and fantastic flavor. The homemade caramel sauce was much easier than I expected and we can’t seem to stay out of it– this will be a “go to” family favorite for years to come!
The smell, taste, and look of this cake are Fall incarnate.