Chef notes

The humble coffee cake is perfect any time of day. You can eat a warm slice for breakfast with a mug of coffee or alongside a cup of tea for an afternoon pick-me-up. It is also great as a sweet treat at the end of a long day. This coffee cake has a special autumnal twist, thanks to the addition of chopped Granny Smith apples and plenty of warming spices. No matter which way you cut it, each slice has tender apple-studded sour cream cake and brown butter-walnut streusel, making for one perfect bite

Spices such as ground cardamom, cinnamon, allspice and cloves go into both the cake batter and the streusel topping. Together, they create a flavor profile that’s similar to the United States’ take on traditional chai. In India, chai means “tea”, but across the pond, the term came to be associated with this blend of spices (and more!). This mix has all the warming spices we love to consume during autumn and complements the sweet-tart flavor of in-season apples. For the cake batter, butter, granulated sugar and eggs are mixed together and moistened with sour cream. Sour cream keeps the cake moist and tender, but also adds a touch of tang. A generous amount of streusel gets piled over the batter before baking. To make it, start by warming the butter until it is browned and smells nice and nutty. It helps toast the spices as it is stirred into a mixture of flour, brown sugar and walnuts. The nuts continue to toast as the coffee cake bakes so they’re perfectly crunchy when it comes time to cut a slice.

Technique Tip: Some stores sell pre-made chai spice mix, or you can make your own for future use. Combine 3 parts cardamom, 2 parts cinnamon, 1/2 part allspice and 1/2 part cloves.

Swap Option: Other nuts such as pecans or almonds can be used instead of walnuts.

Ingredients

For the Streusel

14 tablespoons (1¾ sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

For the Batter

2 cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 medium Granny Smith apples (10 ounces), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For the Glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

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Preparation

Make the streusel:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush a 12-cup Bundt pan generously with butter. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until golden brown and nutty, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

To the bowl with butter, add flour, brown sugar, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and walnuts and stir until well combined and evenly moistened. Sprinkle streusel into an even layer in the prepared Bundt pan; press gently to compact slightly.

Make the batter:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Place butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. On low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the mixer bowl as needed. Fold in apples.

Spread batter evenly over the streusel in the pan with an offset spatula. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

Make the glaze:

In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed. Drizzle glaze over the cooled cake. Let stand until set, about 30 minutes.