Serve this cardamom Apple Coffee Cake with a hot cup of coffee on a crisp autumn morning for a cozy and delicious breakfast. It’s full of warm, spicy, and comforting flavors!
When given the choice between a savory or sweet breakfast, I choose sweet every time. If you feel the same, a slice of this cardamom coffee cake with a warm cup of coffee will make for the coziest breakfast on a chilly morning. I certainly wouldn’t mind a second slice, either. All of my favorite fall flavors are baked up perfectly in my delicious apple coffee cake recipe.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy instructions – I did my best to keep this apple coffee cake recipe as simple as possible so even novice bakers could give it a try! There may be quite a few steps listed, but once you get going, it’s very straightforward.
- An update to a classic – While I do love a classic coffee cake, I have to say I prefer my spicy, cardamom and apple-filled version more for Fall. It’s such a wonderful combination of warm and cozy flavors.
- Dessert for breakfast – This sweet treat is my kind of breakfast, or should I say, a dessert disguised as breakfast? What’s the difference, really? You’re talking to a girl who will eat pancakes for dinner and noodles in the morning. It’s all fair game in my world.
- Impressive final results – Although apple coffee cake is easy to make, the streusel topping makes for a gorgeous presentation! It’s definitely pretty enough for guests.
Tools you’ll need
You’ll need the following equipment to make this apple cardamom cake:
- A stand mixer to make the batter.
- Measuring cups and spoons to accurately measure out the ingredients. Or invest in a kitchen scale for simple prepping.
- A pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients for the topping.
- A springform cake pan to bake the cake. See my notes below for using a different type of pan in case you don’t have a springform at home.
Ingredients and Substitutions
As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:
- All-purpose Flour – Like most baked goods, flour provides structure to your apple coffee cake. I like all-purpose, but if gluten is a concern, you could try this recipe with your preferred 1:1 gluten-free option. As a note, I haven’t tried this with GF flour, but I know many of my readers often make that substitution and it works just fine.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder – Both are leavening agents that will help your cake rise. The added yogurt activates the baking soda, while the baking powder works on its own.
- Salt – You may not think an added ½ teaspoon of salt does much, but it’s very important in baking! Salt enhances and balances the overall flavor.
- Yogurt – I used plain yogurt to add moisture — plus, its lactic acid activates the baking soda. Alternatively, you could use sour cream instead.
- Eggs – Bind the ingredients together, and provide structure.
- Unsalted Butter – You’ll need unsalted butter for both the cake and the topping. For the cake, ensure it’s softened. And it must be cold for the streusel.
- Dark Brown Sugar – I used dark brown sugar to yield a moist texture and a deep, almost toffee-like flavor that complements the apple so well. Light brown sugar will work as well.
- Apple – I went with a large Fuji apple which yields about 2 cups when diced. Any other variety will work well in this apple coffee cake recipe, and it’s best to pick one you enjoy snacking on. You know how they say to cook with the wine you like to drink? It’s the same idea! The added apple releases moisture as it bakes, keeping everything nice and moist.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – For more warmth. Vanilla also pairs so well with apples, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom.
- Streusel Topping – Spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, the streusel topping is really the star here! You’ll also need extra AP flour, cold unsalted butter, and granulated sugar. However, you could also use brown sugar instead.
How to Make Cardamom Apple Coffee Cake
The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Prepare the streusel
Add the flour, sugar, cardamom, and cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Cut the cold butter into small cubes, then add them to the flour and spice mixture. Use a pastry cutter to combine until you get coarse crumbs. Cover and store in the fridge.
Tip: Alternatively, you can use your fingers to press the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles wet sand.
Make the coffee cake batter
Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl with your whisk and set aside. Add the softened butter and dark brown sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Introduce the eggs and vanilla, then combine. Stir in a third of the dry ingredients, then half of the yogurt, and repeat until you’ve used them all. Fold in the apple.
Note: For an even more flavorful apple cardamom cake, feel free to add extra spices – same ones used in the streusel – directly into the cake batter.
Assemble & bake
Brush your baking pan with melted butter, and line the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit, then brush more butter on top of the parchment paper. Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan and level out the top.
Top your apple coffee cake with the cardamom streusel topping and bake for 45-50 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before unmolding and serving. Enjoy!
Tip: Be generous with your topping! Sprinkle it evenly on top before baking and don’t skimp — for the tastiest results, use it all.
More baker’s tips
- Bring all refrigerated ingredients to room temperature – This helps them blend together more evenly to create a smooth batter. If some of your ingredients are colder than others, your batter could curdle.
- Keep the streusel topping refrigerated – Chilled butter will hold its shape and maintain the perfect crumbly texture. Don’t leave it on the countertop while you work on the rest of your cake!
- Use a different pan if needed – I bake my apple and cardamom cake in a springform pan so I don’t have to flip it over to remove it, this keeps the streusel on top undisturbed. If you don’t have a springform pan, an 8″x8″ square baking pan or 9″ regular cake pan would both work. You can serve directly from the pan or line the pan in such a way that will allow you to lift the cake out of the pan — and preserve the streusel. For a square baking pan, line it like I do in my yogurt plum cake recipe. For a round cake pan, line it like my pear almond cake.
- Add the cardamom and cinnamon directly into the cake batter for extra flavor – You could double the amount of spices you use in general and use the extra in the cake batter for more flavor. For cardamom, you may want to add a bit at a time and taste test to ensure you don’t incorporate too much because it can be a strong flavor for some. And freshly ground cardamom is even stronger, so you may want to adjust to your taste here.
Storage
Allow your apple cardamom coffee cake to cool completely before wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep it from drying out. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, you can also freeze your cake for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
The streusel topping may become slightly softer and less crunchy, but it will still taste delicious. You can also reheat the cake for 5-10 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees F to crisp it back up.
FAQs
I don’t recommend it because you want the streusel on top of the apple and cardamom cake. If you use a bundt pan, you would end up inverting the cake and the streusel would end up at the bottom instead.
Yes! Follow my apple coffee cake recipe as written, but refrigerate until ready to serve once it’s cooled completely.
The difference between coffee cake and regular cake is all in the topping. Most traditional cake recipes call for frosting, powdered sugar, or nothing at all. Coffee cakes are topped with streusel or a crumble.
These types of cakes are called “coffee cakes” because they are meant to be enjoyed with a cup of coffee, tea, or another warm beverage. You’re not required to serve your cardamom coffee cake this way, but I have to admit it pairs great with a cup of joe.
More apple recipes
📖 Recipe card
Cardamom Apple Coffee Cake
Equipment
- Pastry Cutter
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (203 g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup plain yogurt (room temperature, 240 g)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 4 oz unsalted butter (room temperature, 113 g)
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar (133 g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large apple (peeled and diced, ~ 2 cups)
Streusel Topping
- 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour (51 g)
- 6 tablespoon granulated sugar (66 g)
- 1 ½ oz unsalted butter (cold, 42 g)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
Instructions
- Let all refrigerated ingredients come to room temperature.
- Brush a 9” springform pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. Brush the parchment paper with butter as well.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To make the streusel, combine flour, sugar, cardamom, and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix thoroughly with a whisk.
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add to the dry mixture.
- Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry mixture until coarse crumbs form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In another small bowl, measure out flour, salt, and baking powder, mix together thoroughly with a whisk, and set aside.
- Add softened butter and dark brown sugar in the stand mixer bowl and beat with the paddle attachment until combined an light.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, beat to combine.
- Stir in a third of the dry ingredients and then half of the yogurt, alternate until everything is combined.
- Fold the apple into the batter, pour into the prepared pan, and use a spatula to distribute the batter evenly and create a flat surface.
- Sprinkle the cold streusel over the top evenly.
- Bake for 45 – 50 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool on a wire rack until cool enough to handle before unmolding the cake.
Notes
Nutrition
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Can this be made dairy-free? My daughter can’t eat dairy. Could I substitute a plant-based yogurt for the regular yogurt? Thanks!
Hi Suzanne, yes you can use plant-based yogurt.
This cake was amazing! Made it today for my family and it is a new favorite.
Thank you Erin! So happy to hear your family enjoyed it! 🙂
Can I substitute buttermilk for the sour cream?
Hi Liz, this recipe uses yogurt, which you can substitute sour cream for. Are you trying to use buttermilk instead of the yogurt? It probably will work but could be a little too liquidy.
Love this one! I think next time, I’ll add a layer of streusel in the middle of the cake (there is plenty), and maybe do it in a square 8×8 (ish) dish. Love the way the apples kind of dissolve into the cake. May also do the streusel with brown sugar, or at least half brown half white. Thank you for this one!
Thank you Rachel!! Glad to hear you loved it!
I think there’s a typo in the directions. The yogurt should be mixed with the butter sugar egg mixture, right?
Looking forward to trying this.
I love this cake recipe! its the fourth time I make it this season.
Thank you Michelle! So glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂
My son made this for us yesterday and it turned out absolutely delicious. I had it after dinner 🙂 Sweet, crunchy, and flavorful. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Thank you Jeannie!
Sorry — no typo in the recipe. I just didn’t read it closely enough. Please ignore my earlier comment.
No problem! Yogurt is used in step 10.
This was ok. I like that the cake itself was not overly sweet but unless you add in some spices it’s very bland. I wouldn’t make it again. But we did eat what I made. I think I will stick to my tried and true coffee cake recipe next time and add some cardamom and apple to that instead.
Sorry to hear you didn’t like this cake.
I can’t wait for this to be out of the oven! Already giving it 5stars though 🙂 I too added just a tad more cardamom to the topping. I was forced to use some maple yogurt with some plain because I was short. And I shredded my peeled apple instead of diced. Mmmm cardamom apple coffee cake…drool…
Hi,
Can this be made with. 9 inch cake pan?
And can it be made night before serving?
Thanks
Yes and yes!
Love this cake. So moist. I used half sour cream half Greek plain yogurt. And I added some rhubarb I had from the garden to give it a tang.
Such a great way to use rhubarb! I’m glad you love the cake, Nancy.
Could this be made in a Bundt pan ?
I don’t think so because you want the streusel on top of the batter, and it doesn’t really work in a bundt pan since you would invert the cake and the exposed part of the cake in the bundt pan would become the bottom.
I just made it with some new spices and it came out great. I will increase the cardamom a little next time; personal preference. Thanks so much!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it Chrissy! And yes increase the spices to your preference 🙂
Came across your recipe while searching for apple recipes. I have tree in the garden and it’s throwing down apples left, right and centre at this time of year. I absolutely love the taste of this cake! Not overly sweet, easy to make, easy ingredients. I’ve added a little extra cardamom to the streusel, but that’s just because I love the taste. Glad I found your website and instagram account. Thanks for this delicious recipe!
Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to leave a review 🙂 Cardamom is one of my favorite spices, I’m glad you like the recipe and sounds like you have a lot more apples to bake with!!!
Hi,
Thanks for the recipe. Any chance you have weights for the major ingredients. I try to use a scale in all of my baking for consistency.
Hi Susan, sorry I don’t have weights for this particular recipe. I started doing weight for new recipes because readers like you started asking but unfortunately not this one. However, based on my recent measurements, I can give you some estimates:
1 1/2 cup flour = 197g
1 cup yogurt = 235g (this is the weight I have for 1 cup of sour cream, but they should be very close)
4 oz unsalted butter = 113g
2/3 cup dark brown sugar = 140g (this weight is for light brown sugar, but should be very close)
Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions.
If a cake can be cosy this is absolutely it. This looks divine and I love that crisp topping.
A new Thanksgiving dinner treat???
Is that a request?? haha