Moist Apple Buttermilk Cake with Cinnamon Crumble

This apple buttermilk cake is an easy, single-layer cake with warm spice and fresh apple flavor. It’s delicious on its own or served with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This cake captures the flavors of autumn without a lot of fuss. It uses just a few pantry staples, requires a single pan, and comes together quickly.

• Butter: Browning the butter adds a nutty, caramelized depth. Cool it before mixing.
• Flour: Whisk the flour with the dry spices and leavening to avoid lumps.
• Buttermilk: Full-fat buttermilk yields a moister cake; use what’s available if necessary.
• Apples: A tart, firm apple like Granny Smith works well for grating and balances the sweetness.

Recipe Instructions

Step 1: Brown the butter. Melt ½ cup (one stick) of butter in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Continue cooking past the foaming stage until the butter turns golden brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Stir and watch closely so it doesn’t burn. Pour into a bowl and let cool completely.

Step 2: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Prepare an 8 or 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray and parchment paper.

Step 3: Whisk together 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ginger and ¼ teaspoon allspice. Set aside.

Step 4: In a large bowl, whisk the cooled browned butter with ½ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 2 room-temperature eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla until light and slightly fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Step 5: Add half of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk to combine. Stir in ½ cup room-temperature buttermilk, then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Step 6: Grate one large apple on the large side of a box grater, or finely dice it. Fold the grated or diced apple into the batter.

Step 7: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with a mixture of 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Step 8: Bake 33–37 minutes, until the edges are golden and beginning to pull away from the pan. The top will form a slightly crisp cinnamon-sugar shell; a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool before slicing.

Expert Baking Tips

• If you prefer not to brown the butter, melted butter or neutral oil will work, though browning adds extra flavor.
• Use firm, crisp apples—Granny Smith, Pink Lady or Honeycrisp grate easily and keep texture in the cake.
• Bringing ingredients to room temperature helps the batter mix smoothly and promotes even rise.

FAQ

Storing & Freezing

Store the cake at room temperature in an airtight container. Wrapping in foil helps keep the cinnamon-sugar topping from getting too sticky.

Freeze wrapped tightly for up to 3 months. Thaw to room temperature before serving.

Other Popular Recipes to Try

For more treats, follow me on Instagram @thesaltedsweets. Tag me and share a comment if you make this cake—I’d love to hear how it turned out!