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A close-up square slice of Sourdough Apple Spice Coffee Cake, showcasing the moist texture and crumbly top.
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Sourdough Apple Coffee Cake

This tender coffee cake is packed with fall spices and juicy apples, making it the perfect companion to a cup of coffee on a crisp autumn morning.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Fall, Sourdough Apple Coffee Cake
Servings: 9 servings
Calories: 555kcal
Author: Katie

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • ½ cup butter (softened)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup sourdough starter
  • ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 1 large apple (peeled, cored, and diced, about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 tablespoons of boiled cider (optional, but adds great flavor)

For the Topping

  • ½ cup cold salted butter diced
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

  • Preheat Oven and Prep Pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with the rack in the center. Prepare a 9x9 or 8x8 square pan with non-stick cooking spray.
    An empty, greased square baking pan on a marble countertop, ready for the Sourdough Apple Spice Coffee Cake batter.
  • Mix Wet ingredients and Sugar. Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar in an electric stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, and continue beating until the mixture is well combined.
    A yellow mixing bowl with creamed butter and sugar, ready to be combined with other ingredients for the cake batter.
  • Mix Dry Ingredients. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
    A yellow mixing bowl filled with the dry ingredients for the Sourdough Apple Spice Coffee Cake, including flour and spices.
  • Combine Wet and Dry, Slowly Adding Starter and Sour Cream. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the sourdough starter and sour cream. Scrape the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is incorporated. The batter will be very thick.
    A mixing bowl with the thick, well-combined batter for the Sourdough Apple Spice Coffee Cake.
  • Add Apples. Fold in the diced apples.
    Diced apples being folded into the Sourdough Apple Spice Coffee Cake batter in a mixing bowl.
  • Make the Topping. In a small bowl, cut the cold butter into the flour until it resembles pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
    A yellow mixing bowl with the crumbly topping mixture for the Sourdough Apple Spice Coffee Cake.
  • Assemble. Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the topping over the batter.
    The Sourdough Apple Spice Coffee Cake batter spread evenly in a square baking pan, ready for the topping.
  • Bake. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes.
    The Sourdough Apple Spice Coffee Cake fresh out of the oven, with a golden-brown crumb topping, cooling in the square pan.
  • Serve. Serve the cake in squares directly from the pan.
    A close-up of a single square slice of Sourdough Apple Spice Coffee Cake, showing the moist interior and crumb topping.

Nutrition

Calories: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 426mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 777IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2mg