Caramel Apple Coffee Cake is a simple but delicious twist on coffee cake, made with fresh apples and brown sugar and cinnamon topping.

I am all about the caramel apples during the fall and there’s no better way to enjoy that flavor combination than in this amazing coffee cake. A slice of this caramel apple coffee cake is perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.

a slice of Caramel Apple Coffee Cake on a plate.

I love coffee cake. Especially during the fall and winter seasons when we have more gatherings in our home. In addition, I love taking a coffee cake to family and friends. It is one of those treats that everyone loves and yet, isn’t expected.

I really am obsessing over this caramel apple coffee cake and have now claimed it as my favorite. My daughter Jersey, claims the pumpkin spice one is the best while my husband Jake said the classic can’t be beaten. Doesn’t matter – coffee cake is easy to make and we can rotate through all of our favorites this fall, baking up one every Sunday.

Easy Apple Coffee Cake

This twist with caramel and apples is just a fall classic. It’s full of apple flavor from applesauce in the batter and the caramel apple topping.

For this recipe, I like to cook the apples first so they are nice and soft. They are combined with caramel all of which can be made ahead.

Then I used a spice cake mix which added a ton of fall flavors. It’s my favorite secret ingredient that makes the cake a breeze to make.

Ingredients

  • Chopped apples
  • Butter
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Boxed spice cake mix – I prefer Duncan Hines
  • Eggs
  • Canola or vegetable oil
  • Water
  • Apple sauce
  • Instant vanilla pudding
  • Vanilla
  • Brown sugar

Recipe Steps

Place the apples, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan and cook on medium-high heat until a caramel sauce forms and the apples soften. Set aside to cool completely.

a bowl of caramel apples.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13″ metal pan.

Combine the cake mix, eggs, oil, water, apple sauce, pudding mix, and vanilla in a mixer and mix them for seven minutes (this is key to make the pudding set).

While the batter is mixing make the topping by combining brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar mix over the batter.

the batter and topping swirled together.

Pour the rest of the batter into the pan and then sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar over the top.

Place in oven and bake the cake for 15 to 20 minutes. Open the oven and sprinkle the caramel apples over the coffee cake.

caramel apples being spooned over the top of the coffee cake.

Close the oven and bake the coffee cake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the cake is set and is pulling away from the edges. 

Allow it to cool completely before slicing and serving.

overhead shot of the baked coffee cake in a pan.

Recipe Tips

Just a reminder that you are using the dry cake mix – no need to prepare the cake! Just add the dry mix to your batter.

The same for the pudding mix. Add the dry mix and then thoroughly mix the batter. The pudding mix makes the coffee cake really soft and delicious.

I like to swirl the cinnamon sugar into the batter – just run a dinner knife through it. Or, you can just sprinkle on the topping and leave it as is.

Feel free to prepare the caramel apples in advance. You can make them and keep them in the refrigerator for several days before you make the rest of the cake.

a fork on a plate with two slices of cake stacked on top of each other.

I am welcoming fall with open arms and a slice (or two) of this Caramel Apple Coffee Cake. Enjoy friends. XOXO San

More Recipes to Try

If you love coffee cake recipes, be sure to check these out: 

Don’t forget to pin this for later to your favorite Pinterest board.

caramel apple coffee cake pinterest collage.

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 12
Calories: 339 kcal
Caramel Apple Coffee Cake is a simple but delicious twist on coffee cake, made with fresh apples and brown sugar & cinnamon topping.
a slice of coffee cake.

Ingredients
 

Coffee Cake

  • 1 spice cake mix just the dry mix! I prefer Duncan Hines
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup apple sauce
  • ½ cup instant vanilla pudding
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon Swirl

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Caramel Apple Topping

  • 2 apples peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2" pieces
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • sprinkle cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Add all the apple topping ingredients to a sauce pan and cook on medium-high heat until a caramel sauce forms and the apples soften. Set aside to cool completely.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 metal pan.
  • Mix all the coffee cake ingredients in a mixer for 7 minutes (this is key to make the pudding set). I love to use my Kitchen Aid mixer for this!
  • Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
  • Pour half of the batter in the greased 9 x 13 metal pan. Sprinkle ½ of the brown sugar mix over the cake in the pan.
  • Pour the remaining batter on and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Do not add apples yet.
  • Place in oven and bake 15-20 minutes. Open oven and gently sprinkle the apples over the coffee cake. Close oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the cake is set and is pulling away from the edges. 
  • Let it completely cool. Then, cut, serve and devour.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Best Ever Coffee Cake
Calories: 339kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 345mgPotassium: 98mgFiber: 1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 95IUVitamin C: 1.5mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 1.3mg
a slice of coffee cake.
Tried this recipe?Let us know what you think!
 

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11 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This coffee cake sounds incredibly delicious and very tasty! My family is going to be all over this cake. Can’t wait to make this tomorrow!

  2. I will try this apple coffee cake; it is simple and easy.
    You have explained many points to which I was unaware, like the recipe tips part. I hope this will work for me!! Thanks for sharing this article.

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