This tender brown sugar cinnamon cake with apples and a crunchy, spicy, and sugary topping is easy to make and perfect for having with coffee.
This brown sugar cinnamon cake is one of the easiest cakes I've ever made. You can mix it up in about 5 minutes, pop it in the oven, and wait for it to bake.
It's perfect to serve warm when friends drop by unexpectedly or when your kids have friends over-everyone loves it! Not to mention that kids love to help bake the sugar cake, which is the perfect activity on a rainy afternoon when they cannot go out to play.
And we just love cinnamon, so this one was a must! Try more easy cinnamon cakes, like Apple Cake with Stewed Apples,ย Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Oil, Sweet Rolls with Cinnamon Sugar, or thisย Apple Hazelnut Cinnamon Cake.
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Recipe ingredients
Sugar: You will need brown sugar for the batter and white sugar for the topping. Although this might seem like a lot of sugar, the cake is not overly sweet. Sweet enough, but not extremely so.
Oil: I love to use oil in baking. Oil adds moisture to cakes, and there is no danger of having a dry crumb. Use a neutral-tasting vegetable oil, like canola.
Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk in the fridge but still want to bake this dessert immediately, make your own buttermilk.
To make one cup of buttermilk, place one cup of milk in a bowl, add one tablespoon of vinegar, and let stand for five minutes. That's it!
Apples: You can use whatever apples you happen to have in the house. I mostly have crisp, sweet, tangy apples like Pink Lady, Jonagold, or Braeburn. Granny Smith or other sorts of apples are fine as well. Try this Apple Caramel Cake, too.
Spices: The spices in the batter are optional, but I love to use them; they add more depth and make the brown sugar cake more interesting. Here's another spicy treat: Toffee Apple Cake.
Other ingredients: All-purpose flour, baking soda, vanilla extract, one egg, and a little bit of butter for the cinnamon sugar topping.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make brown sugar cinnamon cake?
Step #1: Chop the apples and set them aside. Peeling is optional.
Step #2: Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
Step #3: In a large mixing bowl, whisk brown sugar, oil, egg, and buttermilk. Add the baking soda and vanilla extract.
Step #4: Add the flour mixture and apples to the sugar mixture and stir until just combined. I use a spoon or a spatula.
Step #7: Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Step #8: Mix the melted butter with white sugar and cinnamon.
Step #7: Mix and spread the topping on top of the cake.
Step #8: Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
How to store the cinnamon cake?
Store in an airtight container for 2 days at room temperature.
For longer storage, refrigerate the cake in an airtight container; it will be ok for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze the entire cake or the leftovers.
How to serve it?
This easy cinnamon and brown sugar cake is perfect to serve with a cup of coffee or tea.
You can serve the cake warm or at room temperature.
Optionally, you can top the warm sugar cake with vanilla ice cream.
When serving the cake at room temperature, you can top it with whipped cream or crรจme fraiche mixed with a little brown sugar.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cake
Equipment
- Baking dish about 9x13 inches/ 23x33 cm
Ingredients
Brown sugar cinnamon cake:
- 1ยฝ cups apples chopped, 200 g, Note 1
- 2 ยฝ cups all-purpose flour 300 g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- โ teaspoon nutmeg Note 2
- โ teaspoon cardamom
- 1 cup brown sugar 200 g
- โ cup canola oil 75 ml
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk 250 ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Brown sugar cinnamon topping:
- ยฝ cup granulated sugar 100 g
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ยฐF/ 165ยฐC. Butter the baking dish.
- Prepare apples: Peel (optional) and chop the apples into smallish cub1ยฝ cups apples/ 200 g
- Mix flour, baking soda, and spices in a bowl and set aside.2 ยฝ cups all-purpose flour/ 300 g + 1 teaspoon baking soda + 1 teaspoon cinnamon + โ teaspoon nutmeg + โ teaspoon cardamom
- Batter: Place the brown sugar, oil, egg, vanilla extract, and buttermilk in a large bowl and whisk well. Add the flour mixture and the apples and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.1 cup brown sugar/ 200 g + โ cup canola oil/ 75 ml + 1 large egg + 1 cup buttermilk/ 250 ml + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Topping: Melt the butter in a small pan. Remove it from heat and add the granulated sugar and the cinnamon. Stir to mix. Spread the topping over the batter in the baking dish. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter + ยฝ cup granulated sugar/ 100 g + 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Apples: 1 large or 2 smaller apples would make about 1ยฝ cups when chopped. 2 cups are ok, too.ย
- Nutmeg and cardamom are optional but so great.
- Buttermilk: You can make it yourself. To get one cup of buttermilk, place 1 cup of milk in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and let stand for 5 minutes.ย
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook says
I love anything cinnamon!