caramel apple crumb cake
Why hello there! I’m Natalie, and if you don’t know me, I write over at Good Girl Style, for Darling Magazine and other places on the interwebs, mainly about poetry, style, and recipes. But you guys, the most important thing is that Avery Kate is my niece and isn’t she the cutest little darling ever? I’m pretty partial. So it’s a pleasure to be able to share something yummy with you while my brother, Steph and Miss Avery take a breather and enjoy family time together. The only sad thing is I don’t live nearby anymore so I can’t share any cute photos of me snuggling the babe, unless I did some fancy photoshop work but that will have to wait because I have a recipe to share with you.

Crumb cake is one of the most satisfying baked goods, I think. The sturdy base and hefty crumbs hold up to coffee particularly well. The caramel makes this fit for even the heartiest sweet tooth, so a glass of milk is also a welcome companion. This is the sort of cake you leave on the butcher block island with a fresh pot of coffee. When you come in from raking the remnants of winter out of the garden (we certainly don’t plant anything up here until June 1 for fear of frost), the entire cake has mysteriously disappeared into the eager hands and mouths of anyone who might cross paths with its heavenly scent and glistening, crumb-topped glory. But now I’m just slipping into poetry-mode.


Caramel Apple Crumb Cake
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted
- 1 ¾ cups flour (to make this GF, I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour mix)
For the cake:
- 1 ¼ cups flour (again, I used Bob’s Red Mill)
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 ½ cups chopped apple
For topping, optional:
- Caramel sauce
- Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 inch pan and line with parchment paper.
- To make the crumb topping: Stir together the sugars, salt, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and stir until combined. Add the flour, mixing well as it creates a dough of sorts. Let sit while you make the cake batter.
- To make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Cut in the butter until it becomes an even grainy texture. In a measuring cup, mix together the vanilla, buttermilk, egg and egg yolk. Add to the dry ingredients. Beat for 1 minute until smooth and light. Fold in the chopped apples. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Now break the topping into medium-sized pieces and evenly distribute over the batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- To top: Drizzle with warm caramel sauce and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cut into 16 squares to serve.
Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this professional chef tested recipe. You won’t want to miss my other favorite fall recipes, especially this apple dump cake!
Looks so, so good!!
Beautiful! This looks so good! I was eating apple everything in the fall, I want to make this now!
Oh my…this looks absolutely fantastic!! People eat apple pie during the summer, so why *shouldn’t* we eat caramel apple crumb cake in warmer months?! (Plus the fact that there’s no way I’m waiting until fall to make this beauty!)
Um, such a good point!!! Caramel-apple #allthetime!
Mmmm, that looks amazing! All that streusel and caramel sauce… 🙂
Looks delicious!! Especially that topping! Yum!
What a perfect combination! I need this now!
Wahooo!! Nice to meet you, Natalie! This is one gorgeous crumb cake. I love apple crumb cakes and that caramel is just sealing the deal for me. Delicious!
Hi Julia! Nice to meet you too 🙂 I’m sad this cake is almost gone (but I ddi have to give most of it away—just toooooo tempting for just one person!)
As if I could ever turn down crumb topping drenched on caramel!! This is one amazing, cake, Natalie!
Have a glass of cold milk and a cup of coffee at the ready, Kelli!
This cake looks incredible, love the crumb and caramel topping!
What a cake! Caramel my favorite, Pinned it for me to make!
Gaahhh this looks amazing! I love caramels and apples and cinnamon all year round! It can be 100 degrees and I would eat this right out of the pan…no plate needed 😉
Lindsey, you + me = friends 🙂
Good golly that cake is impressive! I just love crumb cakes, and with caramel too? Heaven!
Seriously my house smelled like heaven. Ahhh…. 🙂
Really delicious looking apple cake!
I just picked some apples from the farmers market!!
I love crumb cake as well! If it’s with apples it’s all the better! And the caramel sauce on top? Delish!!