Apple Pie Coffee Cake | Love in a Pan!
Imagine this: An Apple Pie Coffee Cake. Yeah, you heard that right!
It’s like your beloved apple coffee cake bumped into a classic apple pie on a sunny Sunday morning and decided to merge it into one drool-worthy recipe!
One of my all-time favorites, it often graces my brunch table, and boy, does it steal the show!
I do love coffee cake! All that cinnamon with the earthy crunch of walnuts, all dripping down the warm, richly flavored cake. And let’s not forget that beautiful icing sugar glaze slathered thickly over the top.
When I have friends over for a cup of coffee and a gab, out comes this cake, fresh from the oven. Well, you can just feel the love from here!
As I write this, I’m savoring a big ole slice, just for me – fresh out of the oven and slightly warmed.
The topping is so rich, it gives Dutch apple pie a run for its money. And you know me, no coffee cake is complete without a healthy dollop of cream cheese.
Paula Red Apple recipes
Let’s talk about Paula Red Apples. I just love using these delicious apples for baking pies and cakes – especially this specific apple pie coffee cake! Or my Paula Red apple pie….
So, why the Paula Red obsession, you ask?
Paula Reds are wonderfully sweet and crisp – perfect for a healthy snack. They’re kind of like a McIntosh, but much sweeter.
While I often use whatever apples I have in the crisper, when it comes to this specific coffee cake, I choose Paula Reds. They add an additional layer of sweetness to the cake that just makes it all the more irresistible.
Ingredients
If you’re a coffee cake lover, gather up the list of easy ingredients and get ready to get started:
Cake
- White flour
- Egg
- Baking powder
- White sugar
- Salt
- Plain cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Half and half cream
- Vanilla extract
Topping
- Dark brown sugar
- Chopped walnuts
- Ground cinnamon
- Peeled and sliced apples (I used Paula Red’s)
Icing sugar glaze
- Icing (powdered) sugar
- Vanilla
- Half and half coffee cream
How to make apple streusel coffee cake
Follow the steps to this Apple Pie Coffee Cake recipe, and you’ll have made this fall favorite in no time!
Step 1: Prep your ingredients
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, juicy Paula Red apple slices, and chopped walnuts. Once that’s done, set it aside – this is your delightful apple mixture.
Next, grab your food processor. We’ll add the dry ingredients: baking powder, flour, white sugar, and a pinch of salt. Give it a whirl until everything’s nicely blended.
Step 2: Bring in the dairy
Now, fetch a large mixing bowl and add those same dry ingredients we just pulsed in the processor. Grab a fork and give them a gentle whisk until well mixed.
Now, it’s time for the dream team: cream cheese and butter. Chop them into generous chunks and add them to your dry mixture.
Step 3: Blend it all together
Armed with your pastry blender, cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture.
This is where your electric mixer comes into play. Use the paddle attachment on low speed to incorporate everything together.
If you give the batter a gentle press, it should stick together – just the consistency we’re looking for.
Step 4: Welcome the wet ingredients
Create a well in the center of the batter. Pour in the cream, a splash of vanilla, and an egg.
Break the egg yolk and blend at a low speed, just until the wet ingredients moisten the dry.
Remember, we’re not making a smoothie here. Think muffins – you don’t want to over stir.
Step 5: Preheat and prepare your pan
Preheat your oven to a toasty 375°F. Grab your 8 X 8 baking dish and line it with parchment paper. For an extra layer of non-stick protection, spray it with some cooking spray.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish. Pour half of the batter in first, followed by a generous layer of your apple mixture. Finish off with the remaining batter.
Step 6: Top it off
Spoon apples from your set-aside apple mixture onto the top of your batter. As the cake bakes, these will slightly sink in, adding delightful pockets of apple-y goodness.
Step 7: Bake and cool
Pop your apple-filled dish into the preheated oven and let it bake for 30 to 35 minutes until it’s golden brown. Once it’s done, allow your cake to cool slightly on a wire rack.
Step 8: Glaze and serve
While the cake is cooling, mix up your confectioner’s sugar glaze in a separate, medium bowl.
Spread this sweet glaze all over the top of your apple pie coffee cake.
Don’t worry about covering up all the apple slices and walnuts – I like to see them peek through, but you can spread it on as thick as you wish!
And there you have it, the perfect dessert. Enjoy!
Expert Apple Pie Coffee Cake Tips
Here are some expert tips that’ll help you make the best Apple Pie Coffee Cake:
- Patience is Key: Be sure that you let the coffee cake get to room temperature before adding the glaze. A cooled cake is key if you want the glaze to stick!
- Flavor Time Capsule: The magic of this recipe is that it keeps on giving. Somehow, this cake tastes even more amazing the next day. The flavors seem to deepen and meld together, creating a slice of pure heaven!
- Apple Swap: While I have a special place in my heart for Paula Red apples in this recipe, feel free to experiment with different apple varieties. Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, or even a mix of varieties can work wonders for the apple layer.
- Make it Nutty: Add a handful of chopped nuts like pecans or almonds to the topping for an extra layer of crunch and flavor.
FAQs
I’ve gathered some responses to the most frequently asked questions about whipping up this scrumptious apple cinnamon coffee cake. Let’s dive in!
What pairs well with coffee cake?
Coffee or a cup of tea is always my go-to! This great recipe also goes well with some fresh fruit on the side.
How do I store leftover coffee cake?
All you need to do is store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge.
The fresh apples will maintain their flavor, so when the cravings hit again, just reheat and enjoy.
Can I change up the topping?
You bet! Feel free to experiment with a crumb topping, sprinkle some cinnamon sugar, or even drape it with a maple glaze. Holy cow – all of those options sound amazing, don’t they?!
Whatever topping you decide to grace your cake with, do share with me – I’m always eager to mix things up in my test kitchen!
What should I serve with coffee cake?
Fresh fruit like ripe strawberries or blueberries, perhaps a dollop of whipped cream, or even a scoop of ice cream – they all sound divine!
Where did I get my inspiration for this recipe?
Well, I love starting off the day with coffee or tea. So, naturally, I needed a delightful partner for my morning brew, right?
The recipe that really ignited my love for coffee cakes was Cousin Marie’s Old Fashioned Coffee Cake With Caramel Topping. And thus, my journey into the world of coffee cakes began!
You might also like…
Coffee cake recipes in our family go way back – handed down from my mom and grandma. Our all-time favorite, Salted Caramel Coffee Cake is a sensation among my blog readers – seriously, this cake is the bomb!
Craving more recipes like this Apple Pie Coffee Cake?
I’ve got a whole collection of apple recipes right here. Check out these particular favorites:
- Upside Down Apple Cake
- Mom’s Apple Pie
- Dutch Apple Pie
- Harvest Apple Galette
- Apple Pandowdy
- Apple Pie Lasagne
If you’re on the hunt for more coffee cake recipes, the Taste of Home blog is a treasure trove of more delicious cake ideas.
Final thoughts
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the Pie Lady Bakes community! We’re all about sharing easy-to-make vintage recipes that remind us of the ones our moms and grandmas used to make.
If you haven’t already, you can sign up for my weekly email newsletter using this link. It’s absolutely free, and you’ll never miss out on any of my new recipes.
See you soon!
Judy
★★★★★
If you’ve made this delicious Apple Pie Coffee Cake, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Be sure to give us a 5 star rating!
★★★★★
Apple Pie Coffee Cake
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Equipment
Ingredients
Apple Pie Topping
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 4 cups apples - peeled and sliced I used Paula Red’s
Coffee cake
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 ¾ white flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- 4 oz. cream cheese - plain
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup half and half cream
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp. vanilla
Powdered Sugar Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3-4 tbsp half and half coffee cream
Instructions
- Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, apples and chopped walnuts and set aside
- In a large bowl add dry ingredients, baking powder, flour, white sugar, salt and whisk with a fork until blended
- Cut softened cream cheese and butter into chunks and add to the dry ingredients.
- Using a pastry blender, cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture.
- The coffee cake batter will stick together if pressed in your hand.
- Make a well in the center of the batter and add the cream, vanilla, and egg.
- Break the egg yolk and blend slowly, just until everything is moistened. Don’t over stir – it’s just like mixing muffins.
- Preheat the oven to 375 and spray an 8 X 8 square pan with Pam Butter spray (see below)
- Press the cake mixture into the plan
- Spoon on the apple cinnamon and brown sugar topping (this will slightly sink into the cake as it bakes)
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Let the coffee cake cool slightly and mix up the confectioner’s sugar glaze.
- Spread the glaze all over the top of your apple pie coffee cake. I like to see the apples and walnuts peak through, but you can spread it on as thick as you wish!
- Serve warm and maybe add a drizzle of caramel sauce – just to take it over the top!
- Enjoy.
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Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Want more recipes like this Apple Pie Coffee Cake? Please be sure to check out all of my great apple recipes right here:
I also love Taste of Home for delicious coffee cake recipes!
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Judy Kahansky
Judy Kahansky is an experienced writer and baker, creating delicious desserts (including pie!) for over 40 years. She loves to take classic and vintage recipes and update them to fit the busy lives of her readers. When not baking, Judy and her husband Mark are passionate golfers, enjoy the simple life, and are travelers and dog lovers, spending as much time as they can with their sweet pup Ruby.
