Apple-Cinnamon Coffee Cake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
1½ hours, plus 2 hours cooling
Yield
Serves 8 - 10
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 Granny Smith apples, medium-large, peeled and cored, cut into ¼-inch dice1 ¼ cup granulated sugar 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided1 teaspoon table salt 10 tablespoons unsalted butter ( 1 ¼ sticks), softened1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¾ cup buttermilk (or low-fat plain yogurt)1 large egg, at room temperature1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¾ cup walnuts (or pecans), finely chopped (about 3 ounces/85 grams)½ cup packed dark brown sugar
Before You Begin
This cake is best eaten on the day it is baked, though it may be made a day ahead. The batter is quite heavy, so you may prefer to beat it with an electric mixer at medium-high speed for a minute or so, rather than whisk it by hand. Do not insert a skewer into this cake to test for doneness until the center appears firm when the pan is shaken. If you do, the topping may squeeze air out, and the middle of the cake may sink.
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch skillet (preferably nonstick) over high heat until golden. Add apples, cover, and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until they are dry and very tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle apples with 2 tablespoons sugar, and lightly toss until glazed. Cool to room temperature.
- Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease bottom and lightly grease sides of 10-inch springform pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan with dry bread crumbs, then shake lightly to coat. Tap out excess crumbs.
- Whisk flour, remaining sugar, and salt in large mixing bowl until blended. Add remaining 10 tablespoons of butter and cut with whisk until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 1 cup of crumbs to separate bowl.
- Whisk 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda into mixture remaining in large mixing bowl. Add buttermilk or yogurt, egg, and vanilla; whisk vigorously until batter is thick, smooth, fluffy, and frostinglike, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Fold in apples using a rubber spatula, then scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
- Add nuts, brown sugar, and remaining teaspoon cinnamon to reserved crumbs; toss with a fork or your hands until blended. Sprinkle crumbs over batter, pressing lightly so that mixture adheres. Bake cake until center is firm and cake tester comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer cake to rack; remove pan sides. Let cake cool completely, about 2 hours, before serving. When completely cooled, cake can be slid off pan bottom onto serving plate.
Time
1½ hours, plus 2 hours coolingYield
Serves 8 - 10Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 Granny Smith apples, medium-large, peeled and cored, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon table salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter ( 1 ¼ sticks), softened
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup buttermilk (or low-fat plain yogurt)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup walnuts (or pecans), finely chopped (about 3 ounces/85 grams)
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 Granny Smith apples, medium-large, peeled and cored, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon table salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter ( 1 ¼ sticks), softened
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup buttermilk (or low-fat plain yogurt)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup walnuts (or pecans), finely chopped (about 3 ounces/85 grams)
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 Granny Smith apples, medium-large, peeled and cored, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon table salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter ( 1 ¼ sticks), softened
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup buttermilk (or low-fat plain yogurt)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup walnuts (or pecans), finely chopped (about 3 ounces/85 grams)
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
Why This Recipe Works
The secret to our quick crumb coffee cake recipe was buttermilk, which thickened and enriched our batter. The batter itself had to be thoroughly beaten to aerate and emulsify the ingredients. A generous amount of crumb topping was the finishing touch to our crumb cake recipe.
Before You Begin
This cake is best eaten on the day it is baked, though it may be made a day ahead. The batter is quite heavy, so you may prefer to beat it with an electric mixer at medium-high speed for a minute or so, rather than whisk it by hand. Do not insert a skewer into this cake to test for doneness until the center appears firm when the pan is shaken. If you do, the topping may squeeze air out, and the middle of the cake may sink.
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch skillet (preferably nonstick) over high heat until golden. Add apples, cover, and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until they are dry and very tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle apples with 2 tablespoons sugar, and lightly toss until glazed. Cool to room temperature.
- Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease bottom and lightly grease sides of 10-inch springform pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan with dry bread crumbs, then shake lightly to coat. Tap out excess crumbs.
- Whisk flour, remaining sugar, and salt in large mixing bowl until blended. Add remaining 10 tablespoons of butter and cut with whisk until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 1 cup of crumbs to separate bowl.
- Whisk 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda into mixture remaining in large mixing bowl. Add buttermilk or yogurt, egg, and vanilla; whisk vigorously until batter is thick, smooth, fluffy, and frostinglike, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Fold in apples using a rubber spatula, then scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
- Add nuts, brown sugar, and remaining teaspoon cinnamon to reserved crumbs; toss with a fork or your hands until blended. Sprinkle crumbs over batter, pressing lightly so that mixture adheres. Bake cake until center is firm and cake tester comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer cake to rack; remove pan sides. Let cake cool completely, about 2 hours, before serving. When completely cooled, cake can be slid off pan bottom onto serving plate.
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