Apple Coffee Cake With Vanilla Glaze
1 h 10 min
|
intermediate
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
This apple coffee cake is the cozy, cinnamon-scented slab you want on a brisk morning, packed with Honeycrisp chunks, extra moist from Greek yogurt, and finished with a glossy vanilla glaze.
Perfect for brunch or a no-fuss dessert, it delivers a crackly cinnamon-sugar top and tender crumb; no coffee in the batter, just real apples, warm spice, and that sweet drizzle.
Ingredients (12 servings)
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Ingredients for the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.55 lb
- 1½ tsp baking powder baking powder 0.25 oz
- ½ tsp baking soda baking soda 0.08 oz
- ½ tsp salt salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.09 oz
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ground nutmeg 0.04 oz
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened unsalted butter 4 oz
- 1 cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs large eggs 2 ct
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
- 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt plain whole-milk Greek yogurt 0.54 lb
- 2 cups Honeycrisp apples, peeled, chopped Honeycrisp apples 0.67 lb
Ingredients for the Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed brown sugar 1.72 oz
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.09 oz
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted unsalted butter 1 oz
Ingredients for the Vanilla Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar powdered sugar 4.41 oz
- 2-3 Tbsp whole milk whole milk 1.25 fl oz
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 0.5 tsp
How to Make Apple Coffee Cake With Vanilla Glaze
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Prep the pan and preheat
Heat the oven to 350 F and position a rack in the center.
Grease and line a 9 inch square pan with a parchment sling for clean edges and easy lift-out.
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Whisk the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly blended.
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Cream butter and sugar
In a large bowl beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl once so nothing clings to the sides.
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Add eggs and vanilla
Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, then mix in the vanilla just until fragrant.
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Mix in Greek yogurt
Beat in the Greek yogurt until smooth and creamy, which keeps the crumb tender and moist.
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Fold in dry ingredients and apples
Switch to a spatula and fold in the dry mixture in two additions until just combined with a few light streaks remaining.
Fold in the chopped apples gently so you do not knock out the air you just creamed in.
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Prepare the cinnamon-sugar topping
Stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until sandy and clumpy.
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Assemble the cake
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
Scatter the cinnamon-sugar topping evenly and lightly swirl a butter knife through the top in a few lazy figure eights for pockets of spice.
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Bake
Bake 40 to 50 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, avoiding any apple pockets.
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Cool
Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes, then lift it out by the parchment and cool until barely warm.
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Make the vanilla glaze
Whisk powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable, adding the remaining milk a teaspoon at a time if needed.
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Glaze and serve
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake in zigzags and let it set for 10 minutes so it does not run when sliced.
Substitutions
- Greek yogurt -> Sour cream (1:1)
- Sour cream delivers the same tang and moisture, giving a plush, bakery-style crumb with a slightly richer dairy finish.
- Honeycrisp apples -> Granny Smith or Pink Lady
- Both hold structure and give bright acidity, so the cake stays juicy without turning mushy, and the tart snap balances the sweet glaze.
- Unsalted butter -> Neutral oil (1:1 by volume)
- Oil makes an extra moist, tender crumb and keeps the cake soft for days, though you will lose a bit of buttery flavor, so lean on the vanilla and cinnamon to keep it fragrant.
Tips
- Keep ingredients at room temp
- Room temp butter, eggs, and yogurt cream and emulsify better, trapping tiny air bubbles that bake into a light, even crumb.
- Cut apples evenly
- Aim for a small dice about 1/2 inch so apples cook through at the same rate and distribute juicy bites in every slice.
- Prevent sinking fruit
- Toss the chopped apples with a teaspoon of the measured flour before folding into the batter, which helps suspend them in place.
- Do not overmix the batter
- Once the flour goes in, fold just until no dry pockets remain, because overmixing develops gluten and turns your cake tough, and I am not here for tough cake.
- Pan matters
- A light colored metal pan bakes more evenly than glass, while a dark pan runs hot, so start checking 5 minutes earlier if your pan is dark.
- Glaze consistency control
- For clean ribbons that set, aim for a thick but pourable glaze that falls off the whisk in a slow ribbon and disappears in 5 to 7 seconds.
- Make it ahead
- Bake, cool, and wrap the cake without glaze, then freeze up to one month and thaw at room temp before glazing for a just-baked feel without the scramble.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 464 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 9 | g |
| Total Fat | 16 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 73 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- Why did my cake sink in the middle?
- It was likely underbaked at the center or the batter was overmixed, so bake until the center springs back lightly to the touch and the tester comes out with only a few crumbs.
- My apples wept and made gummy pockets, what happened?
- Large, watery chunks or not enough bake time can cause gummy zones, so use a firm apple, cut it small, and bake until the tester avoids wet streaks.
- Can I cut the sugar?
- You can reduce the granulated sugar in the batter by 2 to 3 tablespoons without hurting structure, and keep the glaze light or skip it if you prefer less sweetness.
- Can I use a different pan size?
- A 9 inch round or an 8 inch square both work, but the 8 inch will be thicker and may need 5 to 10 extra minutes, so watch the center for doneness.
- How do I keep the topping from melting into the cake?
- Keep the topping sandy by cooling the melted butter slightly before mixing and do not press it into the batter, which preserves those cinnamon-sugar pockets.
- How should I store leftovers?
- Store covered at room temp for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5, and warm slices for 10 seconds in the microwave to wake the crumb back up.
Serving Suggestions
New York coffee shop energy meets your kitchen when you serve this with strong coffee or spiced black tea, and if you are feeling extra, fold a handful of toasted pecans into the topping for buttery crunch.
For a twist, swap the vanilla glaze for an espresso glaze or a thin salted caramel drizzle, which leans into the coffee moment or brings that glossy, salty-sweet finish that keeps folks cutting just one more slice.
More pairings:
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