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, Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Oil, Sweet Rolls with Cinnamon Sugar, or this 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 crème fraiche mixed with a little brown sugar.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cake
Equipment
- Baking dish about 9x13 inches/ 23x33 cm
Ingredients
Brown sugar cinnamon cake:
- 1½ cups apples chopped, 200 g, Note 1
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 300 g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg Note 2
- ⅛ teaspoon cardamom
- 1 cup brown sugar 200 g
- ⅓ cup canola oil 75 ml
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk 250 ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Brown sugar cinnamon topping:
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 g
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F/ 165°C. Butter the baking dish.
- Prepare apples: Peel (optional) and chop the apples into smallish cub1½ cups apples/ 200 g
- Mix flour, baking soda, and spices in a bowl and set aside.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour/ 300 g + 1 teaspoon baking soda + 1 teaspoon cinnamon + ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg + ⅛ 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 + ⅓ 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 + ½ 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 1½ cups when chopped. 2 cups are ok, too.
- 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.
mjskitchen says
Just went through all of your recent apple posts and I'm having a hard time deciding which one I like the most. I want to make them all! This cinnamon cake and the pastry rolls look quite irresistible! Thanks for all of these recipes!
April says
I love the moistness apples lend to a cake, and that sugar crust topping sounds perfect. What a great Fall dessert.
grace says
perfect snack cake, adina!
Evi @ greenevi says
Absolutely love your apple recipes! Cinnamon and apple are so delicious, and simply all I want to eat this time of the year 🙂
Monica says
Your family and friends are very lucky to have all these amazing apple bakes coming out of your kitchen! This looks wonderful and so perfect for this time of year. I'm feeling inspired... : )
Stephanie says
This apple cake looks absolutely amazing. It seems to have just the right ratio of soft cake to crunchy crust. Wonderful SRC post!
Tara says
Both of those recipes look amazing! Love the fall flavors of the cake.
Nammi says
Oh the secret recipe club is over? I am not part of it but have followed it its fun new way to discover bloggers. Cake looks delish. Have to check saras blog now to see all the yummy stuff she has. Have anice day
sarah k @ the pajama chef says
we LOVE this cinnamon sugar apple cake! so glad you enjoyed it too! i actually made it over the weekend myself. 🙂 haha! thanks for the kind words 🙂
anne says
This looks delicious! just perfect for apple season.
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Oh well that stinks that the SRC is closing! I'd say you picked a fabulous recipe though to be one of the last you feature from the SRC! This cake looks delicious! I'm a HUGE fan of anything with apples, cinnamon and sugar!! Cheers!
Heather @ Join Us, Pull up a Chair says
I bought some apples over the weekend and might need to make this cake! Great SRC recipe!
Rafeeda@The Big Sweet Tooth says
I love cakes with apples... it's been long time since I have baked one and looking at yours, I am tempted to make some really soon! I will miss SRC too... 🙁
Jane, The Heritage Cook says
I've had Sarah's blog in the past and know how difficult it is to decide which recipe to make! I have been craving apple recipes lately and this cake is most definitely going on my list to make right away! And oh my, those cookies ... they are now on my list too! 🙂
Rosa says
Hi Adina! This sounds delicious and easy to prepare! I need to buy some apples today.... 🙂
It's too bad that the Secret Recipe Club is closing! I would have eventually liked to have joined the club. I've been enjoying your posts and discovering new blogs. I'm wondering if there is another group similiar to Secret Recipe Club?
Have a wonderful day!