Sweet caramelized apples baked between layers of moist sour cream cake with pecan and brown sugar crumble. This apple sour cream coffee cake is the perfect fall dessert!

Love fall desserts? Try our Pear Cake.

Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake

A cozy apple sour cream coffee cake with apples, cinnamon, and decadent pecans is the perfect fall dessert! Soft, tender, and easy-to-make coffee cake to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

The cake layer is thick and rich. Sour cream makes the cake incredibly moist and lush. It’s layered with diced apples and half of the brown sugar and pecan crumble. The rest of the crumble goes on top.

sour cream coffee cake with apples

Don’t Skip the Main Ingredient

The main ingredient in this apple coffee cake is sour cream.

What does adding sour cream to cake do? Sour cream is high in fat content and therefore will make the cake rich and moist. For best results, use good-quality full-fat sour cream.

Substitute for sour cream? Plain Greek yogurt is a great substitute. Use whole milk Greek yogurt.

How do you use extra sour cream? If you have leftover sour cream, try these other dessert recipes with sour cream: Cherry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake or Lemon Poppy Seed Cake.

ingredients for sour cream coffee cake

How to Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake

  • Prepare the Cake

With an electric mixer, on high speed, beat together the eggs and sugar until light and thick.

eggs and sugar in a bowl

Add sour cream, avocado oil, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until well combined.

sour cream coffee cake batter in a bowl

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

wet and dry ingredients in a bowl

Add flour mixture to the batter in thirds, beating after each addition. It will be thick. Do not overmix.

  • Prepare the Topping

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cane sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.

brown sugar and pecan crumble in a bowl
  • Combine together and Bake

Spray an 8X8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour half of the batter into the pan. Add half of the diced apples and then half of the topping. Pour the remaining batter, layer with the rest of the apples, and then the topping.

apple coffee cake batter in a baking pan

Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

What to Do if Cake is Browning too Much?

If the cake is starting to brown too much on the top and around the edges, simply cover it lightly with aluminum foil. This will ensure that the inside of the cake continues to cook but the outside doesn’t.

sour cream apple cake

Storing Leftover Coffee Cake

Does sour cream coffee cake need to be refrigerated? This coffee cake will keep for up to 3-4 days at room temperature in an airtight container, without refrigeration. Thereafter, keep stored in the refrigerator.

Cake can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

More Apple Dessert Recipes

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sour cream apple cake

Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 mins
  • Yield: 810 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Soft and flavorful apple sour cream coffee cake bursting with delicious apple flavor, cinnamon, and brown sugar. 


Ingredients

Units Scale

Cake

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup cane sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, measured properly
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced

Topping

  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup cane sugar
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Topping

  1. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients. Set aside.

Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray an 8X8 square baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat eggs with sugar on high speed until light in color and thick.
  3. Add sour cream, avocado oil, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until well combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to the batter in thirds, beating after each addition. Scrape down the sides as needed. The batter will be thick. Do not overmix.
  5. Pour half the batter into the baking pan. Layer with half of the diced apples and then half of the topping. Pour the remaining batter, layer with the rest of the apples, and topping.
  6. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. 

Notes

  • Sour Cream: Substitute with whole milk Greek yogurt.
  • Avocado Oil: Substitute with another neutral tasting oil.
  • Apples: Substitute with other sweet-tasting apples, such as Fuji, Honeycrisp, or sweet-tart apples, such as Pink Lady or Granny Smith.
  • What other baking pan can I use? 9-inch springform pan works great for this recipe. 
  • Leftovers:  This coffee cake tastes the best the next day. Keep covered and store at room temperature for up to 3-4 days, thereafter, store in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 2 months. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 537
  • Sugar: 40 g
  • Sodium: 97.4 mg
  • Fat: 29.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 65.6 g
  • Protein: 6.4 g
  • Cholesterol: 64 mg

Original recipe published 8/28/14.