Cake Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into small cubes
Crumb Topping Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
Cinnamon Apple Drizzle Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons milk
A pinch of salt
Prepare the Cake Batter:
Preheat the oven: preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x9 inch square baking pan or line it with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cake once baked.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: in a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Cream the Butter and Sugar: in a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer or a whisk to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
Add the Eggs and Vanilla: add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Add the Dry Ingredients and Sour Cream: gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in alternating batches with the sour cream. Start with the dry ingredients, then add the sour cream, and continue alternating until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this could make the cake dense.
Fold in the Apples: gently fold in the chopped apples until evenly distributed throughout the batter. The apple pieces should be spread out but not mashed.
Prepare the Crumb Topping:
Make the Crumb Topping: in a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea sized butter pieces.
Top the Cake with Crumbs: evenly sprinkle the crumb mixture over the cake batter, covering the entire surface.
Bake the Cake:
Bake: place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool: let the cake cool in the pan for about 15–20 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before drizzling the cinnamon apple sauce.
Prepare the Cinnamon Apple Drizzle:
Make the Drizzle: in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, milk, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
Drizzle Over the Cake: once the cake has cooled, drizzle the warm cinnamon apple sauce over the top. You can also serve it on the side for guests to add as they like.