Apple Coffee Cake

Apple season always inspires lots of baking in my kitchen, and this apple coffee cake has become one of the recipes I look forward to making most. Tender apples get folded into the cinnamon-spiced batter, then topped with a buttery crumble that adds the perfect texture to each bite. The addition of teff flour gives this coffee cake a subtle nutty sweetness and more real-food nutrition. I love serving this cozy cake for breakfast with a cup of hot coffee, bringing it to brunch gatherings at my church, or enjoying a slice for dessert on cool fall evenings.

This recipe was created in partnership with Maskal Teff.

Ingredients And Substitutions

• Apples: Fresh apples provide natural sweetness, moisture, and even some fiber. I recommend using crisp baking varieties such as Honeycrisp apples, Pink Lady, Fuji, or Granny Smith apples because they hold their shape best in apple recipes ranging from apple crisp to this apple side dish.
• All-purpose flour: Provides structure while keeping the cake soft and fluffy. 
• Teff flour: This ancient whole grain flour adds a delicate nutty flavor that pairs nicely with the apples and cinnamon.
• Plain Greek yogurt: Adds moisture, richness, and protein while helping create a soft, tender crumb. May use vanilla yogurt or sour cream instead. 
• Avocado oil: This is a neutral-flavored oil that keeps the cake moist without overpowering the other flavors. May use olive oil or vegetable oil instead. 
• Ground cinnamon: Brings warm spice to both the cake and the crumble topping, making my kitchen smell incredible while the cake bakes.
• Cold butter: I use cold unsalted butter for creating a crumbly topping with crisp, buttery pockets throughout. 
• Powdered sugar icing: An optional drizzle that adds just the right amount of sweetness and makes the finished cake look bakery-worthy.

How This Apple Coffee Cake Comes Together

This recipe comes together in just a few simple steps. 

1. Mix the batter: After whisking together the dry ingredients, I stir in the wet ingredients (the yogurt, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla) until a smooth batter forms. A stand mixer with a paddle attachment can be used to mix the batter, but I find that it’s easy enough to just mix everything by hand with a rubber spatula. The diced cinnamon apples get gently folded in before everything is spread evenly into the prepared baking dish.
2. Make the streusel topping: The crumble topping comes together separately by cutting cold butter into the flour, teff flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon until coarse crumbs form. Using cold butter is important because it creates those crisp, buttery pockets that make a great crumble topping. Once sprinkled over the batter, the cake bakes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Add finely chopped walnuts or pecans to the crumble topping, if desired. 
3. Let it cool: After baking, patience pays off. Allowing the cake to cool before adding the optional icing keeps the drizzle defined instead of melting right into the warm cake.

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis. We list calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

Make It Gluten Free

This recipe adapts well for a gluten-free coffee cake. Replace the all-purpose flour in both the cake and crumble topping with an equal amount of 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. The Maskal Teff Organic Ivory Teff Flour remains the same since it is naturally gluten free.

After testing this version, I found the cake baked up incredibly moist without becoming gummy, and it maintained a nice tender texture.

Make It Dairy Free

To make this coffee cake dairy-free, use a few plant-based swaps in each part of the coffee cake. Plain dairy-free yogurt (I like Silk almondmilk yogurt) works well in place of the Greek yogurt. And plant-based stick butter works great in the crumble topping. Then, use plant-based milk (soy milk or almond milk are what I use) in place of the dairy whole milk in the batter and the icing.

A Cozy Addition To Breakfast Or Brunch

This is the kind of cake I love to serve throughout apple season. A square piece pairs perfectly with a hot cup of coffee, chai tea, or cinnamon-spiced latte for breakfast or brunch. It also makes a cozy addition to holiday mornings, entertaining weekends, or afternoons after a trip to the apple orchard.

I serve it at room temperature, though a slightly warmed piece feels especially comforting on cooler days. The optional vanilla icing adds a sweet finishing touch that makes the cake feel just a little more special.

Store And Enjoy Later

Leftover pieces of this coffee cake store at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Or store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Gently warm individual slices in the microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds before serving.

For longer storage, wrap individual pieces tightly and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before warming slightly for the best texture.

---

The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.

This is a sponsored post. Although we received compensation for this post, the opinions expressed here are – as always – 100% our own. Thank you for supporting the great companies we work with thereby allowing us to continue creating high-quality recipes and content for you.

For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!