If you love cozy fall baking, this apple cider coffee cake needs to be on your list. It's soft, tender, loaded with chopped apples, and full of warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and apple pie spice. Then there's that buttery brown sugar streusel on top, and a sweet maple icing drizzled over everything.
The secret to getting all that apple cider flavor into the cake is reducing the cider first. It concentrates the flavor without adding too much extra liquid to the batter, giving this coffee cake that delicious apple cider taste in every bite.
If you think this sounds good, you have to try our pumpkin spice coffee cake next!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Full of fall flavor: Apple cider, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple are a pretty unbeatable combination.
- Soft and tender: Greek yogurt helps give the cake a moist, tender texture.
- Buttery streusel topping: The crumbly brown sugar topping adds just the right amount of crunch and sweetness.
- Easy to make: There's no complicated technique here.
- Perfect for fall gatherings: This makes a cozy breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert.
- That maple icing: The finishing drizzle takes this cake from good to seriously hard to resist.
- Great make-ahead option: The cake can be baked ahead and iced once cooled.
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
- Reduced Apple Cider: This is what gives the coffee cake its deep apple flavor. Reducing it concentrates the cider so you get a lot of flavor without adding too much liquid.
- Fresh Apples: Add juicy, tender apple pieces throughout the cake, making every bite feel extra fruity and cozy.
- Apple Pie Spice, Cinnamon & Nutmeg: Bring all those warm, bakery-style fall flavors that pair perfectly with the apple and cider.
- Greek Yogurt: Keeps the cake soft and moist while adding a little tang to balance the sweetness.
- Streusel Topping: The buttery, spiced crumble on top adds a sweet, slightly crisp layer that contrasts with the soft cake underneath.
- Maple Icing: Adds a smooth, sweet maple finish that pairs beautifully with the apple and warm spices.
Variations
- Add chopped pecans: Stir some chopped pecans into the streusel for a little crunch.
- Try walnuts: Walnuts are another great addition to the streusel topping.
- Use a different apple: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples can all work well.
- Add more spice: If you really love warm fall spices, add a little extra cinnamon or apple pie spice.
- Make it extra maple-y: Add a small splash of maple extract to the cake batter along with the vanilla.
- Skip the icing: The cake is delicious with just the streusel if you prefer something less sweet.
How to make Apple Cider Coffee Cake
Step 1: Reduce the apple cider. Set aside to cool.
Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 3: Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Then, mix in the remaining wet ingredients.
Step 4: Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Then, fold in the chopped apples.
Step 5: Mix the streusel ingredients until crumbly.
Step 6: Pour the batter into a prepared baking dish. Then, top with the streusel topping.
Step 7: Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool. Whisk the icing ingredients until smooth.
Step 8: Drizzle the icing over the bake, slice, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip reducing the cider. This concentrates the apple flavor and makes a big difference in the finished cake.
- Let the cider cool. Make sure the reduced cider isn’t hot when you add it to the batter.
- Don’t overmix. Once the flour goes in, stir just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can make the cake less tender.
- Chop the apples fairly small. Smaller pieces distribute nicely throughout the batter and make the cake easier to slice.
- Line the pan with parchment. It makes removing the cake much easier and helps with cleanup.
- Check the cake with a toothpick. Ovens vary, so start checking around the 35-minute mark.
- Let the cake cool before icing. If the cake is too warm, the maple icing will melt right into the streusel instead of sitting nicely on top.
- Drizzle generously. There's no such thing as too much maple icing on an apple cider coffee cake.
Apple Cider Coffee Cake FAQs
Yes! This cake can be baked ahead of time and kept covered until you’re ready to serve it. For the best presentation, add the maple icing after the cake has cooled.
You can use your favorite baking apples. Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Pink Lady are all good choices. A slightly tart apple is especially nice because it balances the sweetness of the cake and streusel.
You can, but apple cider gives the cake a richer, more concentrated apple flavor. If you have apple cider available, I definitely recommend using it.
Use cold or melted butter as directed in the recipe and mix the streusel only until coarse crumbs form. Avoid turning it into a smooth paste; distinct crumbs create more contrast between the tender cake and buttery topping.
Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, the cake is ready.
A dense coffee cake can result from overmixing after the flour is added, using too much flour, or incorporating ingredients that are too cold. Mix the batter only until the dry ingredients disappear, and measure flour carefully rather than packing it into the measuring cup.
Store leftover cake covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. For longer storage, refrigerate it. Let refrigerated slices come closer to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Great Ways to Enjoy Your Apple Cider Coffee Cake
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Apple Cider Coffee Cake with Maple Icing
Ingredients
Coffee Cake
- 1 ¼ cups apple cider, reduced to ½ cup
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon apple pie spice
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
- 1 ¼ cup apples, chopped
Streusel
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- ½ cup butter, melted
Maple Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 6×10 baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
Coffee Cake
- In a large pot, over medium heat, add apple cider. Bring to a boil and then turn down heat and let simmer until cider is reduced to ½ cup.
- Remove from heat and let cool while you prepare other ingredients.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and apple pie spice. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Now, add in the egg, vanilla, Greek yogurt, and cooled apple cider. Mix until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until fully incorporated.
- Fold in the apples until well combined.
Streusel
- In a small bowl, combine the streusel ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and top with the streusel.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool while you make the icing.
Maple Icing
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and maple extract.
- Once the cake has cooled, drizzle with maple icing and enjoy.
Notes
- Don’t skip reducing the cider. This concentrates the apple flavor and makes a big difference in the finished cake.
- Let the cider cool. Make sure the reduced cider isn’t hot when you add it to the batter.
- Don’t overmix. Once the flour goes in, stir just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can make the cake less tender.
- Chop the apples fairly small. Smaller pieces distribute nicely throughout the batter and make the cake easier to slice.
- Line the pan with parchment. It makes removing the cake much easier and helps with cleanup.
- Check the cake with a toothpick. Ovens vary, so start checking around the 35-minute mark.
- Let the cake cool before icing. If the cake is too warm, the maple icing will melt right into the streusel instead of sitting nicely on top.
- Drizzle generously. There's no such thing as too much maple icing on an apple cider coffee cake.
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