This Apple Butter Coffee Cake will steal the show this fall. With layers of soft cake, apple butter, oat crumble, and a sweet glaze, it's the perfect treat to enjoy with coffee or to share with friends and family.
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Apple Butter Crumble Cake
Fall is my favorite season. I love the changing leaves, crisp air, apple picking, and all the apple treats. This is also the time of year when you can find jars of rich apple butter in stores.
Apple butter takes me back to my childhood. We always had a jar of this spicy, thick spread in our refrigerator for toast or biscuits.
This apple spread is delicious on toast but has many other uses. Last year, I used it in this apple butter bread and these apple butter cinnamon rolls, which are still family favorites.
This fall, I wanted to make a coffee cake that could be enjoyed for breakfast or dessert. I used the base recipe from my strawberry snack cake and added apple butter filling and a cinnamon crumb topping.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fall Flavors: Apple butter and cinnamon create the perfect fall flavor combination, making this cake a seasonal delight.
- Perfect for Sharing: This autumn snack cake is perfect for brunches, potlucks, or a cozy family breakfast.
- Comfort Food: The warm, sweet, spiced flavor makes it perfect for chilly mornings or evenings.
- Easy to Make: This coffee cake is simple despite its fancy layers.
Main Ingredients
To make this apple butter coffee cake recipe, you will need a few basic ingredients and a jar of apple butter.
- Butter - We like to use unsalted butter to adjust the salt in the recipe to our liking. Set it out ahead of time so it can soften.
- Sugar - A combination of white sugar and brown sugar sweetens the cake base.
- Eggs - Provides moisture to the batter.
- Baking Powder - Provides the lift as the cake bakes.
- Flour - All-purpose flour adds structure to the batter. Learn how to measure flour correctly so your baked goods turn out every time.
- Apple Butter - You can use store-bought apple butter or make a homemade apple butter recipe. Either one works great!
- Topping - Oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter make the most amazing crisp crumble.
- Glaze - Whisk water and powdered sugar together to make a sweet drizzle.
How To Make Apple Butter Coffee Cake
Make our apple butter coffee cake for a taste of fall without spending too much time in the kitchen. The layers of this snack cake come together quickly.
- Beat the softened butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add the eggs and then beat again. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms. Spread the coffee cake batter in a prepared sheet cake pan.
- Spoon the apple butter over the top, then spread it in an even layer, leaving a ½-inch border.
- Stir together the topping ingredients in a separate bowl until the mixture resembles sand. Sprinkle over the apple butter layer and then bake in the oven. Remove and cool before adding the glaze.
BruCrew Tip: Cut the cake into bars and drizzle with the glaze once the cake is cool.
Storage Recommendations
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Tips and Tricks
- Line a 10x15 pan with foil and spray it with a nonstick spray like Baker's Joy. Removing the cake from the baking sheet and foil is much easier.
- Add toasted nuts to the batter or crumble topping to add flavor and crunch.
- Use an angled spatula to spread the dough into the pan because it is very sticky.
- When spreading the apple butter, leave a ½ inch border around the edge so the cake batter will bake up around the apple butter.
- Make sure the cake is completely cool before adding the glaze. A warm cake will make the glaze melt into the topping.
- Serve squares with a hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of apple cider tea.
FAQs
Other fruit spreads, like pear butter or pumpkin butter, can also be used. Each will bring its unique flavor to the cake.
Applesauce has a higher water content, which can affect the texture of your cake. Apple butter has a deeper, more intense flavor than applesauce's lighter, more subtle taste.
Absolutely! Chopped pecans or walnuts would add a great crunch and flavor to the topping.
More Apple Butter Desserts
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Recipe
Apple Butter Coffee Cake
This Apple Butter Coffee Cake has layers of cake, apple butter, oat crumble, and a sweet glaze. It is the perfect fall cake for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups Musselman's Apple Butter
For the Topping
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup quick oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Glaze
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 15x10 pan with foil. Spray with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs and beat again. Stir together the salt, baking powder, and flour and add to the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Spread the dough into the pan. Spoon the apple butter over the top and spread out evenly, leaving a ½-inch border all around.
- Stir together the topping ingredients until it resembles sand. Sprinkle over the apple butter layer. Bake for 22-24 minutes. Remove and cool. Cut into 30 bars.
- Stir together the powdered sugar and water. Drizzle over the cake squares. Let set. Store in a covered container on the counter.
Notes
- Line a 10x15 pan with foil and spray it with a nonstick spray like Baker's Joy. Removing the cake from the baking sheet and foil is much easier.
- Add toasted nuts to the batter or crumble topping to add flavor and crunch.
- Use an angled spatula to spread the dough into the pan because it is very sticky.
- When spreading the apple butter, leave a ½ inch border around the edge so the cake batter will bake up around the apple butter.
- Make sure the cake is completely cool before adding the glaze. A warm cake will make the glaze melt into the topping.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 30 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 230Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 122mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 3g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
This post was first published in October 2014. It was updated and then republished in August 2024.
Krystle(Baking Beauty)
I had no idea Musselman's made apple butter! These bars look delicious especially that glaze! pinned!
Manali @ CookWithManali
this cake sounds delicious 🙂 love the addition of apple butter!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Manali! 🙂
Danae @ Recipe Runner
I love apple butter and I love crumbs! Thank you for making this amazing fall cake and for putting those lovely crumbs on top! 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
Fall is my favorite season, too! All I think we should just cancel out winter all-together! 🙂 These bars look mouthwatering, Jocelyn! I love that you used apple butter for the layers. Sounds delish!
Jocelyn Brubaker
I'm totally on board with canceling winter!!! 😉 Thanks Gayle!
genevieve @ gratitude & greens
This is like a cake and crumble in one! Excited to share this with my family, they're all huge fans of apple desserts 🙂
heather+@french+press
I am loving all the delicious layers Joecelyn - and apple butter is one of my fall faves
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Heather! 🙂
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures
Fall is my favorite season too! Yummy bars 🙂
Tonia
So many delicious layers and I love the topping!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Tonia! The topping was divine! 😉
Dorothy+@+Crazy+for+Crust
This is a gorgeous cake Jocelyn! Apple butter is one of my favorite ingredients.
Jenny+Flake
Gorgeous little cake! Looooove that drizzle!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Jenny! 😉
Jen @ Baked by an Inrtovert
Look at those delicious layers! I'm completely smitten with these bars. The apple butter, crumb topping, and all that glaze, I could devour it all!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction
What a great use for apple butter! My husband loves the stuff, so I know he'd eat this up in no time!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Jessica! 🙂
BecStahl
I really canNOT wait to try this one!! I will have to get everything and have my baker (that would be my daughter) create this for our family to enjoy. I know a particular Praise Team that would LOVE to be your taste testers also, but I will suffer with having to wait until you post the recipes then have my kiddo make them for me. And yes, your son is very smart to volunteer not only to be your taste tester, but to volunteer to be the one to dispose of the 'awful' results...!! 🙂
amanda @ fake ginger
That layer of apple butter! My husband is OBSESSED with Musselman's - I've definitely got to make this for him!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Do it!! He will love it, I promise! 😉
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files
I think I would purposely make it when I am home alone..I want the whole dish!!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
I love Fall too! Especially now that I am back in Seattle. Fall was weird in Florida...too sunny.
One of the best things about Fall is apples...especially in an apple butter crumb cake. I NEED this! Pinned!
Jocelyn Brubaker
I went to college in Florida, so I know all about those "too sunny" Fall's that you speak of! 😉 I'll take my nice Indiana Fall over Florida any day! Thanks Taylor!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks
I would LOVE a delicious apple cake to start my day with, especially if it's full of apple butter. I love that stuff!
This cake looks SO good, Jocelyn!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
Omg...the layers and layers of good stuff happening here! The apple butter, the crumbles, the frosting drizzle on top, these are heavenly! Pinned!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks for the pin love, Averie! 🙂
Tina Mui
This sounds wonderful! Wow! I love all the layers on their own, let alone all together! This sound be a great fall treat for me!
Mir
Your son is super smart. I think he should pretend that all of your recipes need work. Then he can eat them all himself!
But this clearly is perfect. I mean, it's got crumble. And drizzle. And apple butter. I can't imagine how it wouldn't be amazing!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Haha, don't give him any ideas!! 😉 Thanks Mir!