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Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake

Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake is a classic American breakfast cake with an apple-studded, moist crumb layer and a thick cinnamon-sugar topping. Baked until golden, it’s finished with a powdered sugar dust for a tender slice with buttery crunch.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

crumb topping
  • 1.5 cup flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.75 cup butter melted
cake
  • 2 cup flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup butter
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.75 cup sour cream
  • 2 cup apples diced
serving
  • 1 powdered sugar for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and crumb topping
  1. Preheat oven to 350F, then grease a 9x13 dish.
  2. Combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the crumb topping, then drizzle in melted butter and toss until large crumbs form.
Make the cake batter and assemble
  1. Beat butter and sugar until combined, then add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream and mix until smooth.
  2. Fold in dry ingredients and diced apples until the batter is evenly distributed.
  3. Spread batter in the prepared pan and scatter crumb topping generously over the top.
Bake and serve
  1. Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes, until the cake is set and the crumb topping looks golden.
  2. Let cool briefly, then dust with powdered sugar before serving as a visual finishing cue.

Notes

Pro tip: Toss the crumb until you see big, sandy clumps—those create the thick, buttery topping as it bakes. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze baked cake slices up to 2 months for best texture. For a lighter option, use low-fat sour cream and reduce butter by 2 tbsp (still keep the crumb topping buttery for structure).