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Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

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Well hello there. It’s officially apple season and I am loving it. To me, baking with apples is so quintessentially fall. Pairing apples with cinnamon and caramel – now that’s when the magic happens. My caramel apple coffee cake is perfect for those chilly fall mornings with a fresh cup of hot coffee, or for an after dinner treat (also with coffee, because, well, coffee). The cake is rustic and beautiful and while it’s perfect for a snack cake, it also makes for an impressive sweet treat for the holidays. This caramel apple coffee cake consists of a sour cream cake batter topped with cinnamon sugar tossed apples and a sweet and crunchy pecan streusel topping and drizzled with salted caramel. The cake is simple to make and absolutely delicious.

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

I found this recipe in a stack of old recipes passed down from my great grandmother. It definitely required quite a bit of tweaking but it’s so awesome to be able to rework one of my great grandmother’s recipes. I learned a lot of my baking from her just by watching her as a child, long before I showed any interest in baking at all. It always fascinated me that she would make pies without recipes and measuring and they came out the same, perfect every time. I can only assume that came from years and years of baking practice.

So, on to making this caramel apple coffee cake.

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

The key to making the cake batter light and tender is room temperature ingredients and also making sure to adequately beat together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. I know we see the “beat until light and fluffy” terminology often, but it really is an important step, and one that is absolutely necessary for helping create the texture of your cake. I used sour cream in this recipe for flavor and for added moisture. Note that the batter will be quite thick. Spoon it into  a 9″ springform pan and use an offset spatula to make sure it’s evenly distributed in the pan.

My preferred baking apple is Granny Smith, particularly when I’m using streusels, frostings, etc. that will be adding extra sweetness. For this recipe, I like the contrast of the tart apples to the sweet streusel and caramel toppings. But you can definitely use your favorite baking apple. Honeycrisp and Braeburns are also awesome to bake with. The apples are peeled and sliced, and tossed with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Slice your apples to about 1/4″ thick. You don’t want them too thick otherwise they won’t cook all the way through. The apples are then layered flat on top of the cake batter. I leave a really small space in the center without apples so that I can check if the cake is done without the apples skewing the result.

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

I use a food processor to make my streusel, as I do my tart and pie doughs, just because I find it to be easier and faster than doing it by hand. Pulse together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add in the butter chunks and pulse until small clumps start to form and the mixture no longer looks powdery. Mix in your pecans last so that they retain their crunchiness and don’t end up pulverized. Scatter the streusel evenly over the apples. The streusel can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

The caramel apple coffee cake takes quite a while to bake, about 60 minutes or so. However, it’s important to check on the cake starting at about 40-45 minutes because baking times can vary depending on the juiciness of the apples. The cake is done when a tester comes out with few crumbs.

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

While the cake is baking, or even a few days in advance, make the salted caramel sauce. I start this caramel sauce with a wet mix – a mixture of sugar and water. After the the water and sugar is mixed, set down that whisk, and leave it be. Let the mixture boil until it turns a rich amber color. Then immediately remove from the heat to stop the cooking process. Be careful when adding the butter and the cream, as they cause the mixture to sputter and steam. So watch those fingers. Let the cake cool until just warm or room temperature before drizzling with caramel sauce. And because it’s always okay to be extra with caramel, go ahead and drizzle a bit more on each slice before serving.

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

This caramel apple coffee cake is a total winner and an absolute comforting fall bake. If you try my caramel apple coffee cake, let me know! Leave a comment in the comment area below and be sure to snap a photo and tag it #littlevintagebaking on Instagram so I can see your creation!

For another fall inspired recipe, try these pumpkin cream cheese muffins!

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake
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Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

This caramel apple coffee cake consists of a sour cream cake batter topped with cinnamon sugar tossed apples and a sweet and crunchy pecan streusel topping and drizzled with salted caramel.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Caramel Apple Coffee Cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Apple Coffee Cake:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup sour cream, full fat, room temperature
  • 2 cups apples, peeled and sliced (about 2-3 medium apples)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Streusel Topping:

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
  • 2/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Salted Caramel Sauce:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature,
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

Make the salted caramel.

  1. In a medium sized saucepan, combine the sugar and the water. Whisk just until combined. 

  2. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Let the sugar mixture cook, without stirring, until the sugar mixture turns a rich amber color. Take the mixture off the heat to stop the cooking process.

  3. Add the butter to the saucepan and whisk to combine. Be very careful as the mixture is incredibly hot and will bubble up and steam when the butter is added. 

  4. Whisk in the heavy cream, followed by the vanilla and the salt until smooth.

  5. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a glass jar to cool completely.

Make the streusel.

  1. In the bowl of a food processor, place the flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Pulse to mix.

  2. Add the butter cubes and pulse until mixture begins to stick together and form small clumps. 

  3. Remove the bowl from the food processor and remove the center blade. Stir in the pecans. If not using right away, store in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

Make the apple coffee cake.

  1. Heat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9" springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

  2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. 

  3. Place the butter and the sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed, stopping to scrape the bowl every so often, until the mixture is light, fluffy and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. 

  4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.

  5. Add the flour mixture to the batter in three batches, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour. 

  6. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and scrape down the the bowl and give it a stir to ensure the flour is fully incorporated.

  7. Spoon the batter into the prepared spring form pan and smooth with an offset spatula.

  8. Place the peeled and sliced apples into a medium sized bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and stir to coat the apples.

  9. Layer the apples, slightly overlapping, onto the cake batter. 

  10. Sprinkle the streusel topping on top of the apples. 

  11. Bake the cake for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with few moist crumbs. 

  12. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. When the cake has cooled a bit, but is still warm, drizzle the cake with caramel sauce, cut into wedges and serve. 

Recipe Notes

Store caramel sauce in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

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Oh hi! Guys, I have been living my best autumn-pumpkin-caramel apple life. Fall is my absolute favorite season. I thrive this time of year, and I’m totally energized by the cool weather, color changing leaves and the smell of warm spices. I’ve been baking a lot (my house smells a-mazing), planning recipes to share on the blog as well as developing my holiday menus for the bakery. Today I’m sharing my first ever pumpkin recipe on my blog (yay!) – my pumpkin cream cheese muffins with cinnamon sugar pepita topping. These pumpkin cream cheese muffins are fluffy, moist and perfectly spiced and filled with lightly sweetened cream cheese and topped with a crunchy pepitas and cinnamon sugar – and I have to say, I think they are so much better than the coffee shop pumpkin muffin.

I’ll admit, I’m not much a fan of the “pumpkin spice” trend. I definitely don’t enjoy in it in my coffee. Locally roasted with a splash of cream for me please. Really, the first signs of fall for me means apple baking season. I’ve not met many (if any) apple bakes or desserts that I didn’t like. Usually, I use pumpkin in savory cooking before I end up baking with it. Some of our faves: Half Baked Harvest’s Smoky Pumpkin Beer and Cheddar Potato soup is so, so delicious and a huge hit in my house. Skinnytaste’s Hearty Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili is also a family favorite. When I start baking with pumpkin, it’s always muffins, bread or cake. So I knew that the first pumpkin recipe I shared on the blog needed to be these pumpkin cream cheese muffins. Delicious, flavorful and cozy.

Since I tend to use a lot of pumpkin in the fall, my preferred way to use pumpkin is straight from the can. I don’t find that roasting and making my own  pumpkin puree is really worth it. Canned pumpkin is convenient for use as well as being generally consistent in flavor and texture. I’ve had mixed results with fresh sugar pie pumpkins. Like with any other vegetable, flavor and ripeness of a pumpkin can be a bit of a gamble. I’ve had  pumpkins that were sweet and flavorful, but I’ve also had some that were bland and grainy. Ultimately, it’s your preference. If you use canned, just be sure to use pure pumpkin and not the pumpkin pie filling, which is sweetened and seasoned.

The muffins are super easy to make and don’t require a mixer – a definite win. They are made using the traditional muffin method by combining dry ingredients in a bowl and wet ingredients in another, then combine them by pouring the wet into the dry and mixing with a light hand until just combined. I used a combination of spices and chose to use individual spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove) over pumpkin pie spice so that I have more control over the flavor and can adjust the spices to suit my tastes.

The cream cheese filling is quick and simple, combining softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla and whisking until smooth. I prefer to place the cream cheese filling in the centers of the muffins to copycat the coffee shop version and also because I love the pop of tangy cream cheese. I have also swirled the cream cheese into the muffin as well with success. For extra crunch and flavor, I sprinkled pepitas, cinnamon and sugar around the edge of the muffins.

When distributing the batter among the liners, you’ll notice that the liners get quite full. No worries though, the batter will not overflow. Notice in the first photo how beautifully they bake up.

I know you guys will love these muffins just as much we we do. If you try these pumpkin cream cheese muffins, let me know! Leave a comment in the comment area below and be sure to snap a photo and tag it #littlevintagebaking on Instagram. I love seeing your Little Vintage Baking creations!

For more muffin recipes, check out these blueberry streusel muffins

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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Fluffy and moist spiced pumpkin muffins filled with a sweet cream cheese filling and topped with a cinnamon sugar pepita topping

Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 21 minutes
Total Time 31 minutes
Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

Pumpkin Muffins:

  • 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
  • 1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola oil

Cream Cheese Filling:

  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:

  • 2 tablespoons pepitas
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.

Make the cream cheese filling.

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.

  2. Place the filling into the refrigerator until ready to use. 

Make the muffins.

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. 

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin, vanilla, eggs and oil. 

  3. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Do not over mix. Only mix until no pockets of the dry ingredients remain. 

  4. Distribute the batter equally into the lined cupcake pan.

  5. Distribute the cream cheese filling into the centers, equally among the muffins.

  6. Mix together the 1 tablespoon of sugar and the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the pepitas and the cinnamon sugar mixture around the edge of the muffins. 

  7. Bake the muffins for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few dry crumbs. Do not check the muffins for doneness by inserting a toothpick through the cream cheese center. I like to check by inserting a toothpick through the muffin at an angle. 

  8. Cool the muffins in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool on a cooling rack. Best served slightly warm. 

Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Scones

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These bacon, cheddar and chive scones are perfect for a breakfast on the go, a brunch time gathering with friends or with afternoon tea. Pile the scones high with eggs, bacon, avocado and all the breakfast sandwich fixings. Or, slather them with butter while still warm and serve them with tea. I’ve also made these scones many times on cold winter nights and served them with soups and stews. They’re a crowd pleaser and absolutely yummy.

Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Scones

These savory scones are similar but are slightly different than biscuits. Both are made with flour, leavening, fat and dairy. Butter is cut in to the flour mixture, then dairy is added. Biscuits are usually lofty and are known for having tall flaky layers, and these bacon, cheddar and chive scones do have a bit of loft and flakiness, but they are a bit more tender, dense and buttery, like a traditional American sweet scone. They’re really the best of both the biscuit and scone world. Whatever you want to call these spicy, cheesy, smoky treats, they’re absolutely delicious and definitely worth making.

I’ve mentioned their tender, buttery texture, but they’re also packed full of crispy, smoky bacon, melt-y pockets of sharp cheddar cheese and variety of spices including garlic, cayenne and lots of black pepper. I add a bit of onion-y flavor, freshness and a pop of green by mixing in some fresh chives. Savory scone perfection. The cayenne in the recipe isn’t overwhelmingly spicy, but just adds a touch of heat and bit of flavor to the scones. Both my girls love these scones and request them all the time – they love the slightly spicy flavor. However, you can definitely reduce the amount of cayenne in the recipe or omit it if you wish.

Like with pie and tart dough, I use a food processor to cut in the butter for cheddar, bacon and chive scones. Using a food processor ensures that you’re not overworking the dough, and that the butter is evenly distributed. It also prevents warming or melting the butter with your hands and it’s much faster than cutting in the butter with a pastry blender. But, feel free to cut in the butter with the method that you prefer. Once the butter is cut in, the mixture is turned out into a bowl and the bacon, chives and cheddar are stirred in, followed by cold buttermilk. If you find that you still have flour that is unincorporated and the dough still seems dry, add buttermilk a tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together. You want a mixture that is well combined and holds together, but not wet. Use a light hand when shaping with your scone dough. Overworked dough can result in tough scones.

You can cut out the scones with a circle biscuit cutter or you can cut them into the traditional American-style wedge shape. If you wish to cut out the scones into wedges, shape the dough into a disc that is 1- 1 1/2 inches tall and cut into 12 scones. For the photos in this post, I actually cut my scones into smaller wedges to make 24 scones so that Matt could take them to an event he was attending. To make smaller scones, cut the scones into wedges, then cut in half again. Keep in mind, the scones will puff up quite a bit when baking.

Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Scones

Chill the scones before baking. This allows the butter and the cheese to firm back up so they don’t melt out of the scones while baking. Brushing the tops of the scones with heavy cream before baking will help them bake to a lovely golden brown color. I like to sprinkle the tops with a bit of flaky sea salt before popping them into the oven.

These bacon, cheddar and chive scones can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days in a zip top bag. Bake them as needed for fresh, warm scones. I usually make an entire batch on Sunday so that I can bake them off Monday and Tuesday morning for breakfast sandwiches for Matt and the girls. They can also be frozen for up to two  weeks. Be sure to add an additional 10-15 minutes of baking time if you’re baking the scones frozen.

Bacon Cheddar and Chive Scones

If you try these bacon, cheddar and chive scones, let me know! Leave a comment in the comment area below and be sure to snap a photo and tag it #littlevintagebaking on Instagram. I love seeing your Little Vintage Baking creations!

For another quick and delicious breakfast idea, check out this recipe for my Blueberry Streusel Muffins!

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Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Scones

Spicy, buttery and tender bacon cheddar and chive scones perfect for breakfast sandwiches, or served with soups and stews. 

Course Breakfast
Keyword bacon, cheddar and chive scones
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chill 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 12 scones

Ingredients

  • 4 3/4 cups (680g) all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for sprinkling the tops before baking
  • 3/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
  • 1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 cup + 1 tbsp (255g) unsalted butter, very cold or frozen, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 cup (80g) bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled - I used a 12oz package of center cut bacon
  • 1 1/2 cups (171g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1/4 cup (17g) fresh chives, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cup (375ml) buttermilk, cold
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream, for brushing the tops

Instructions

  1. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, sugar and black pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine thoroughly.

  2. Scatter the butter cubes over the dry ingredients. Pulse the butter into the mixture until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-size chunks of butter mixed throughout. 

  3. Dump the mixture out into a large bowl. Stir in the cooled bacon, shredded cheddar and chives.

  4. Drizzle the cold buttermilk over the mixture and use a spatula to mix. Mix the dough until it just seems to hold together. If the dough still seems dry and isn't fully incorporating, add more buttermilk, a tbsp at a time. 

  5. Dust your work surface with a light coat of flour. Turn out the scone dough onto the floured surface. With a light hand, shape into a disc, about 1 inches thick. 

  6. Use a biscuit cutter to cut out scones. Alternatively, cut into wedges for the traditional American-style scone shape. 

  7. Place the scones onto a baking sheet, leaving 2-3 inches apart between then. Place the scones into the refrigerator to chill for 30-45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400F.

  8. After the scones are chilled, brush the tops with the heavy cream and sprinkle with fine sea salt. Bake until the scones are golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. 

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from Tartine by Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson