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Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake with Thick Crumb Topping

Apple cinnamon crumb cake has tender sour cream cake studded with diced apples and a thick, buttery cinnamon crumb topping. Bake it in a 9x13-inch dish until golden, then cool before slicing.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 486
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 9 tbsp unsalted butter softened, divided (1 tablespoon for the pan and 8 tablespoons for the cake)
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs large, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 apples medium, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
For the thick crumb topping
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter melted

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method
 

Make the cake
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the softened butter.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the remaining 8 tablespoons of softened butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  5. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  6. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
  7. Add the flour mixture and mix on low just until no dry streaks remain.
  8. Fold the diced apples into the batter.
  9. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared dish.
Make the thick crumb topping
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
  2. Stir in the melted butter until moist clumps form.
  3. Scatter the crumb mixture evenly over the batter, gently squeezing some of it into larger clumps.
  4. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes, until the topping is golden and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  5. Cool the cake in the dish on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Notes

For extra-large crumb clusters, gently squeeze some of the topping together before scattering it over the batter. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free adaptation, use dairy-free butter and sour cream alternatives; the texture may vary.