Yield: 9″apple cheesecake crumb cake // Total Time: 1 hr. 45 min. // Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links.
Light and buttery coffee cake, a thick layer of cheesecake, cinnamon apples & streusel.
apple cheesecake crumb cake
Cheesecake, coffee cake and apples are coming together in this recipe to make the ultimate crumb cake. The cake is super buttery and moist, it’s got a THICK layer of cheesecake, cinnamon apples, and cinnamon streusel. I’ll admit, it will take quite a few bowls to put this together, but it’s worth it for the deliciousness in the end.
recipe tips
weigh your ingredients
Weighing your ingredients is important for getting the recipe perfect and getting consistent results. Not weighing your ingredients can lead to adding too much or too little of an ingredient which can lead to the recipe not turning out properly. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend purchasing a kitchen scale. This one is super cheap and worked well for me when I was starting out!
mix the batter carefully
It is super important to not overmix the cake batter or you end up with a tough and chewy cake rather than a light and moist cake. When alternating between adding the wet and dry ingredients, be sure to only mix just until the ingredient is fully combined and no more.
room temperature ingredients
It is important for the ingredients to be at room temperature so that they properly incorporate with each other. If you have ever had your batter look curdled, it is most likely due to the ingredients separating from being at different temperatures. Take out the eggs, buttermilk, cream cheese, butter, and sour cream at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hr 30 min. before starting the recipe OR follow these methods for room temperature ingredients FAST:
- Fast room temperature eggs. Place the egg in a bowl in the sink and continuously run hot water over it for one minute. And there you go – one room temperature egg! Alternatively (and less waste-fully) fill a bowl with warm water and let the egg sit in it for 5 minutes.
- Fast room temperature buttermilk/sour cream. Microwave each in 5 second intervals until no longer cold (but not hot!).
- Fast room temperature butter/cream cheese. Slice the butter/cream cheese into 1 tbsp. slices and place them flat on a plate. Microwave in 5 second intervals, until you can easily push into the butter.
keep an eye on the cake!
Baked goods love to go from underbaked to overbaked in what seems like a split second. Start checking at the cake with a toothpick around 45 minutes. The cake is done when only a few moist crumbs stick to the toothpick.
ingredients and substitutions
For the cinnamon apples:
Granny smith apples: I used green apples because the tartness really compliments the sweetness of the cake and streusel, and the tanginess of the cream cheese. You can also fuji, gala, jonathan, pink lady, honey gold, or braeburn!
Ground cinnamon: for flavor! You could also sub in apple pie spice.
For the streusel:
Unsalted butter: the base of the streusel, really what makes it buttery and delicious. You can use salted butter here as well!
Light brown sugar: sweetens and adds flavor to the streusel. In a pinch granulated sugar will work here as well.
All purpose flour: adds structure to the streusel.
Ground cinnamon: for flavor!
For the cheesecake:
Cream cheese: the base of the cheesecake and what makes it tangy, rich, and creamy.
Eggs: binds the batter together.
Granulated sugar: for sweetness and helps lock in moisture.
Sour cream: for moisture and richness. You could also substitute in buttermilk.
Vanilla: for flavor.
All purpose flour: for a little bit of structure.
For the butter cake:
All purpose flour: the structure of the cake. I would not recommend using cake flour as the cake is already super fluffy and tender using the all purpose.
Baking powder: for helping the cake rise.
Salt: for balancing and bringing out the sweetness of the cake.
Unsalted butter: for tenderizing the cake and giving it that classic buttery taste. You can substitute in salted butter, just omit the extra salt from the recipe.
Granulated sugar: for sweetening the cake and keeping it moist. The sugar also helps aerate the butter to give this cake it’s rise and keep it light and fluffy.
Eggs: for moisture, structure, and binding the batter together.
Vanilla: for flavor.
Buttermilk: for tenderizing the cake and adding moisture. I highly recommend using buttermilk but I know it can be hard or annoying to purchase, especially if you don’t plan on using it for anything else. It won’t be completely the same, but you can make a homemade buttermilk substitute. For this recipe, I would combine 45g of sour cream with 105g milk for a substitute.
how to make apple cheesecake crumb cake
Here are just some photos of what the cake looks like at various stages of making it. The full recipe is at the end of the blog post!
Wash, peel and slice up the green apples. Then, mix them thoroughly with the cinnamon and brown sugar.
Mix all the streusel ingredients together in one bowl, and all the cheesecake ingredients together in another. Set aside.
Start the cake by beating together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then, beat in the eggs and vanilla.
Alternate folding in the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, just until the ingredients are combined. Spread 1/2 of the cake batter into your lined baking pan, then top it with the cheesecake.
Top the cheesecake with the remaining cake batter, then carefully spread the apples on top of it, followed by the streusel. Bake, serve, and enjoy!
apple cheesecake crumb cake q&a
what size cake pan do I need?
You’ll need a 9″ cake pan for this cake. You could also use a 9″ square pan. A 10″ cake pan would work as well, just note that it may take a few less minutes to bake. I do not recommend trying to bake this in a 8″ cake or square pan, as the batter will probably overflow from the pan while baking. Please note that the times I list for baking include using an oven thermometer to make sure my oven is at the correct temperature, and using a metal baking pan. I recommend against using glass pans, but if it’s all you have, please note that the bake time will be longer.
can I double this recipe?
Definitely! Simply double all of the ingredients in this crumb cake then split evenly between two 9″ cake pans.
how to store apple cheesecake crumb cake
Like most baked goods, this cake will taste best served on the day it is baked. However, it can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
why do you measure in grams?
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
a note on oven temperature
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and aren’t always at the temperature they claim to be. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
tools and ingredients
You can find all my favorite tools and ingredients that I use on my Amazon Storefront page, here!
did you make this apple cheesecake crumb cake?
If you made this apple cheesecake crumb cake I would love to see it and know your thoughts! Please leave a comment and review down below, and tag me on Instagram @freshbeanbakery. If you have any questions about the recipe I will gladly do my best to answer them in the comments below!
Apple Cheesecake Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Cinnamon Apples
- 3 small granny smith apples peeled & thinly sliced
- 40 g light brown sugar (3 tbsp.)
- 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
Streusel
- 60 g unsalted butter (¼ c.)
- 90 g light brown sugar (⅓ c. + 1 tbsp.)
- 120 g all purpose flour (1 c.)
- 1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Cheesecake Filling
- 226 g cream cheese room temperature (1 c.)
- 50 g granulated sugar (¼ c.)
- 1 egg room temperature
- 45 g sour cream room temperature (3 tbsp.)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tbsp. all purpose flour
Butter Cake
- 190 g all purpose flour (1 ½ c. + 1 tbsp.)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 125 g unsalted butter (½ c. + 1 tbsp.) room temperature
- 170 g granulated sugar (¾ c. + 2 tbsp.)
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 150 g buttermilk (⅔ c.) room temperature
Instructions
Cinnamon Apples
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Generously butter a 9" cake pan. Crumple up some parchment paper, then un-crumple it and place it into the buttered cake pan, making sure it sticks to the bottom and sides. Set aside.
- Wash, peel, and thinly slice the apples. Mix the apples with the brown sugar and cinnamon well, making sure the mixture is evenly dispersed throughout each apple slice. Set aside.
Streusel
- In a medium sized bowl, melt the butter. To the butter, add the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Use a fork to mix the ingredients together until you have formed clumps of dough. Set aside.
Cheesecake
- Add the cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer). Beat the cream cheese and sugar together for 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
- Add in the egg, sour cream, vanilla, and flour. Beat the mixture on low speed *just until* the batter is cohesive. Set aside.
Butter Cake
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer, in a large bowl) beat together the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in both eggs and the vanilla. Beat until well combined (~1 min.)
- Add in half of the flour mixture, and mix by hand just until the flour is incorporated. Add in all of the buttermilk and mix until combined. Add in the rest of the flour, and lightly fold the mixture together just until all of the flour is incorporated.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth out the top. Pour the cheesecake over the cake and carefully smooth it out into an even layer.
- Pour the remaining cake batter into the pan and smooth it out into an even layer. Place the apples on top of the batter, making sure to leave out the juice from the apples.
- Top the apples with the streusel. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool in the pan until no longer too hot to touch, then use the parchment to lift the cake out of the pan.
- Once the cake is at room temperature, slice, serve and enjoy!
Was a hit at my Thanksgiving table! Difficult to make, but very yummy!
Thank you so much Carson, I’m so happy to hear it was a hit! 🙂
This looks delicious! Can I bake it in a springform pan?
Thank you so much! Yes, you could definitely bake it in a springform pan!