Soft, spiced and full of apple flavor, this eggless apple crumb cake is a cozy treat you’ll want to bake on repeat! It’s made with fresh, juicy apples, walnuts, and a splash of homemade apple cider, then topped with a crunchy walnut-cinnamon streusel. This apple cake is warm, comforting, and downright irresistible!
Buttery, crumbly, and gently spiced with cinnamon, apple crumb cake is the perfect bake when you’re craving something simple but special. The cake comes together easily with everyday ingredients, making your kitchen smell absolutely heavenly!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
✨ Fresh apple cake recipes are total crowd pleasers. Be it this apple crumb cake, or an apple crumble cheesecake, or an apple cake swirled with cinnamon. This recipe is part coffee cake, part dessert, and totally fabulous as a teatime treat.
✨ The recipe is no-fuss, comes together in 20 minutes with pantry staples, and then all that’s left is to bake! The cake is perfect for afternoon tea or festive gatherings. I love it for breakfast too!
✨ The crumb topping is everything! Sweet, spiced, and perfectly golden, it gives the cake a bakery-style finish without any extra effort.
✨ Serve warm with ice cream, caramel sauce, or just as is. Either way, the cake is too good to be missed this autumn!
Recipe Ingredients
Flour: All-purpose flour gives a light, tender crumb. If you want a nuttier flavor, you can use wholewheat flour or a mix of the two.
Sugar: Regular white sugar works just fine, but you can also use brown or coconut sugar. Both are lovely options, especially if you like a hint of caramel flavor and deeper color to your bakes.
Apple: Any variety with a firm, crisp texture works well in this recipe.
Apple cider brightens and lifts the sweetness of the apples. Use store-bought or my homemade apple cider recipe.If you don’t have cider on hand, use apple juice instead.
Oil: I used regular canola oil. But really, any neutral oil (sunflower vegetable) will work just as well. You can even use coconut or olive oil.
Cinnamon powder is the soul of this crumb cake! If you love spices like I do, a pinch of nutmeg or allspice will add extra depth.
Milk: I used soy milk in this apple cake recipe, but honestly, any milk works here. Regular, cashew milk, oat milk, almond milk. Use what you love or have handy.
Walnuts are for crunch and a nutty flavor. Pecans would also be fantastic if you prefer.
Butter: You would need melted butter for the crumble. Swap it with oil if you’re making a vegan apple cake with crumb.
Please see the recipe card below for full information about ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Apple Crumb Cake
Step 1: Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, melted butter,and walnuts in a small bowl.
Step 2: Mix well with a fork or your fingertips. Keep aside.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon powder.
Step 4: In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, apple cider, soy milk, and sugar.
Step 5: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Mix well.
Step 6: Fold in the diced apples and walnuts. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin.
Step 7: Decorate the top of the cake batter with apple slices.
Step 8: Spoon the crumble mixture around the apples on the cake batter. Bake the cake for about 45-50 minutes until the skewer inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
Step 9: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then turn it out on a cooling rack to cool. Serve warm.
Top Tips
- Do not overmix the dry and wet ingredients. Combine only just until no white streaks are visible. Overmixing makes the cake dense.
- If you don't have apple cider, you can easily use apple juice.
- Choose firm, crisp apples (like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Red Delicious) that will hold their shape and texture when baked and not turn mushy.
- If your kitchen is warm, keep the streusel mixture in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Cold streusel when baked will be golden and crunchy and not soggy.
How To Serve
Apple crumb cake recipe needs nothing. The soft, spiced, and special cake is *chef’s kiss*! But don’t let that stop you from being EXTRA!
- Drizzle it generously with caramel sauce for a gooey, indulgent finish.
- Pair it with a spoonful of stovetop apple butter for double the apple goodness.
- Dress it up with a simple vanilla icing, like I did with my cinnamon roll focaccia, or maple glaze, like I did with my apple cranberry scones.
For a cozy fall dessert spread, it pairs beautifully with other seasonal favorites like pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies or cinnamon streusel coffee cake.
Recipe FAQs
Apples are the star ingredient of the recipe. Choose those that hold up well to baking. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji are all excellent choices. Or any that are available locally to you!
An apple cobbler has a thick crust topping over the filling and no bottom crust. A vegan apple crisp has a topping that’s more like a streusel. It has oats or nuts to make it crunchier. Unlike the other two, this recipe has a cake base studded with apples and walnuts, topped with a cinnamon-spiced crumble.
This cake stays well in the fridge for 3-4 days. Store in an air-tight container. Reheat before serving. Crumble cake recipes taste best warm, trust me!
📖 Recipe
Apple Crumb Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Sugar
- 1.5 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 1/2 cup Oil
- 1/3 cup Apple cider You can also use apple juice
- 1 cup Soy milk You can use any milk of your choice
- 2 Apples, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup Walnuts, coarsely chopped
Crumble
- 1/2 cup All-purpose
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 1/4 cup Melted butter
- 1/3 cup Walnuts, chopped
Topping (Optional)
- 1 Apple, cut into thin slices
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease an 8" cake tin.
Crumble
- Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts in a small bowl. Mix in the melted butter with a fork. Keep aside.1/2 cup (65 g) All-purpose, 1/3 cup (66 g)Sugar, 1 tsp Cinnamon powder, 1/4 cup ( 50 g) Melted butter, 1/3 cup (40g)Walnuts, chopped
Cake
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon powder.2 cups (260 g) All-purpose flour, 1.5 tsp Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1/4 tsp Salt
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, apple cider, soy milk, and sugar.1/2 cup ( 20 g) Oil, 1/3 cup (80 g) Apple cider, 1 cup (240 g)Soy milk, 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp ( 130 g) Sugar
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Mix well.
- Fold in the diced apples and walnuts. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin.2 large (250 g)Apples, peeled and diced, 1/2 cup (60 g)Walnuts, coarsely chopped
- Decorate the top of the cake batter with apple slices (if using).Carefully spoon the crumble mixture around the apples on the cake batter. 1 Apple, cut into thin slices
- Bake the cake at 180 C / 350 F for about 45-50 minutes until the skewer inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then turn it out on a cooling rack to cool. Serve warm. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Do not overmix the dry and wet ingredients. Combine only just until no white streaks are visible. Overmixing makes the cake dense.
- If you don't have apple cider, you can easily use apple juice.
- Choose firm, crisp apples (like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Red Delicious) that will hold their shape and texture when baked and not turn mushy.
- If your kitchen is warm, keep the streusel mixture in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Cold streusel when baked will be golden and crunchy and not soggy.
Neelu says
A lovely warm yummy cake.Once made and gifted to a friend, she wants more of it...
Thanks for an easy and drool worthy bake.
Natasha Minocha says
What a sweet gesture, Neelu! Your friend is very lucky. Thank you for your lovely feedback.xx
Easyfoodsmith says
Beautiful cake and I fell in love with it when I saw it on your IG account. Sounds great drizzled with caramel sauce...yum!
Natasha Minocha says
Thanks so much Taruna. I really enjoy these easy homey cakes. Caramel and apples are a match made in heaven! 🙂