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Applesauce Coffee Cake is soft, cozy, and layered with warm cinnamon flavor in every bite. The applesauce keeps the cake incredibly moist while the cinnamon sugar layer and buttery streusel crumble topping take it over the top. This is one of those bakery-style coffee cakes but it’s made in your own kitchen and your house will smell amazing.
I love baking with applesauce 🍎🍏 – for more applesauce baking recipes be sure and make my One Bowl Applesauce Muffins, Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins, and Applesauce Bread.
Old-Fashioned Applesauce Coffee Cake
Applesauce coffee cake is a soft cinnamon cake made with applesauce for extra moisture and flavor. Despite the name, coffee cake doesn’t actually contain coffee. It’s called coffee cake because its traditionally served alongside a hot cup of coffee.
The applesauce adds natural sweetness and keeps the cake incredibly soft while pairing perfectly with the buttery cinnamon streusel crumb topping.
This delicious twist to classic coffee cake is the ultimate cozy treat for breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert! I actually love making this just for my family to snack on ❤︎ With its soft moist texture, warm cinnamon flavor, and buttery crumb topping – it’s a simple homemade cake everyone will love.
Why You’ll Love This Applesauce Coffee Cake Recipe
- 🍎 Super moist and tender texture
- 🍎 Easy to make with basic baking ingredients
- 🍎 Warm cinnamon sugar flavor in every bite
- 🍎 Perfect for breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert
- 🍎 The best recipe for apple season or anytime of the year
Simple Ingredients Needed
Cinnamon Sugar Layer Ingredients
- Light Brown Sugar
- All-Purpose Flour
- Ground Cinnamon
Cinnamon Streusel Topping Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Light Brown Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
- Unsalted Butter : Make sure the butter is cold and cut into small cubes
Applesauce Cake Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt : I use sea salt
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar
- Applesauce : Unsweetened or sweetened can be used, you could even use cinnamon applesauce for more cinnamon flavor.
- Plain Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
- Vegetable Oil
- Large Eggs
- Pure Vanilla Extract
How To Make Applesauce Coffee with Cinnamon Streusel Crumb Topping (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×9-inch square cake pan or baking pan with nonstick spray and then line it with parchment paper; making sure to leave a bit of overhang so you can easily lift out the coffee cake later.
Cinnamon & Sugar : In a small bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Cinnamon Streusel Topping : In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, light brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add in the cold cubed butter and pinch/press together with your fingers, until the mixture forms pea-sized clumps. Set aside.
Applesauce Cake : In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, applesauce, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Dump the small bowl of dry ingredients into the larger bowl of wet ingredients, and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, just until combined and no flour streaks or pockets remain in the batter.
Prepare & Bake The Coffee Cake : Pour half of the applesauce cake batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle all of the cinnamon sugar mixture in an even layer over top. Spoon the remaining cake batter over top and spread it out as good as possible. Sprinkle all of the crumb topping over the top for the final layer.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, and the top of the cake and edges are lightly golden brown.
Remove the coffee cake from the oven and allow it cool completely, in the baking pan at room temperature, and then lift it out and cut into squares for serving. Enjoy!
How To Store Leftovers and Freeze Applesauce Coffee Cake
Store leftover cake, covered at room temperature, for 2-3 days. You can leave the cake inside the baking pan covered, or remove individual squares to an airtight container. This cake is best eaten at room temperature or slightly warmed up in the microwave.
To freeze, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then wrap again aluminum foil, and place them inside a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also wrap the entire cake and freeze it whole if wanted.
Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours or in the fridge overnight. It can be served at room temperature, or if you’d like it warm, microwave individual slices for 15-20 seconds.
Pro Tips From The Test Kitchen
- I think this coffee cake tastes best when sweetened applesauce is used – I always use sweetened applesauce (I love the Mott’s brand) when I make this coffee cake. Of course, unsweetened applesauce can be used if that is what you prefer. Another option is cinnamon applesauce to amp up the cinnamon flavor, and you could even use homemade applesauce.
- Plain greek yogurt or sour cream are both great options; I normally use sour cream because I always have it in my fridge.
- My family prefers this cake with sweetened applesauce, however, unsweetened applesauce works great or even cinnamon applesauce if you want to intensify that cinnamon flavor slightly.
- I find it easiest to use my clean fingers to press & pinch the cold butter into the streusel mixture. You could also use a pastry blender or a fork as well.
Recipe FAQs
What Is The Point of The Applesauce In The Cake?
The applesauce provides extra sweetness and creates a moist cake without needing extra sugar or liquids. Using applesauce in baked goods – like muffins, cakes, and quick breads – is one of my favorite things! It adds so much moisture and tender crumb. I love the combination of applesauce with butter and/or oil, it’s the perfect balance.
How Does The Cinnamon Sugar Layer Not Melt Into The Cake?
Adding flour to the cinnamon and sugar helps prevent it from dissolving into the cake and creates a distinct layer that you can see when you slice it.
Can I Add Nuts?
Yes, if you want to add nuts, try adding some finely chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds. They can be added to the cinnamon sugar layer or the streusel topping. If you’re a big nut fan, then try adding them to both layers!
Applesauce Coffee Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Streusel Crumble
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter cold and cubed
Applesauce Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt I use sea salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sweetened or unsweetened applesauce (I use sweetened)
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×9-inch square cake pan or baking pan with nonstick spray and then line it with parchment paper; making sure to leave a bit of overhang so you can easily lift out the coffee cake later.
Cinnamon Sugar
- In a small bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Set aside.1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Streusel Crumble
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, light brown sugar, and cinnamon.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Add in the cold cubed butter and pinch/press together with your fingers, until the mixture forms pea-sized clumps. Set aside.1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
Applesauce Cake
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, applesauce, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 cup sweetened or unsweetened applesauce, 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt , 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Dump the small bowl of dry ingredients into the larger bowl of wet ingredients, and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, just until combined and no flour streaks or pockets remain in the batter.
Assemble & Bake The Coffee Cake
- 1- Pour half of the applesauce cake batter into the prepared pan.2- Sprinkle all of the cinnamon sugar mixture in an even layer over top.3- Spoon the remaining cake batter over top and spread it out as good as possible.4- Sprinkle all of the crumb topping over the top for the final layer.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, and the top of the cake and edges are lightly golden brown.
- Remove the coffee cake from the oven and allow it cool completely, in the baking pan at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and then lift it out and cut into squares for serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- I think this coffee cake tastes best when sweetened applesauce is used – I always use sweetened applesauce (I love the Mott’s brand) when I make this coffee cake. Of course, unsweetened applesauce can be used if that is what you prefer. Another option is cinnamon applesauce to amp up the cinnamon flavor, and you could even use homemade applesauce.
- Plain greek yogurt or sour cream are both great options; I normally use sour cream because I always have it in my fridge.
- I find it easiest to use my clean fingers to press & pinch the cold butter into the streusel mixture. You could also use a pastry blender or a fork as well.
Nutrition
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