No one makes a sweet treat quite like Grandma. From thumbprint cookies to caramel rolls to white chocolate snack mix, the holidays are our grandmas’ time to shine.
My grandma’s signature holiday show-stopper is her apple coffee cake. A sweet-yet-subtle treat topped with a simple walnut-coconut sprinkle, this cake is rich but not too rich, thanks in part to the small portion of butter used and the addition of shortening. I won’t ever skip it—and it’s worth every penny of the ticket to fly home for the holidays. Luckily for all of us, she’s shared the recipe with me—so now you can make it, too.
Keaton Larson
How to Make My Grandma’s Apple Coffee Cake
This recipe is fairly simple: core and cut the apples, mix the sugars and wet ingredients, then add in the dry ingredients along with the chopped apples. The batter is baked in a 9×13-inch pan.
The topping is a simple mixture of powdered sugar, finely chopped walnuts, and coconut, which is sprinkled atop the cake when it’s about halfway through baking. However, the batter does most of the delicious work, so feel free to add whatever topping you like. A scoop of your favorite ice cream makes this dessert one of the best, most comforting out there.
If you want a richer cake, use 1/2 cup of butter, instead of a combination of shortening and butter. You can also try substituting in crème fraîche for the sour cream, which has a higher fat content and more flavor, as a result.
In regards to what apples to use, choose whichever are your favorite to bake with. I like to use two different kinds of apples to bring both tartness and sweetness—like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith, for example—when making this recipe.
My Grandma’s Apple Coffee Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups apples
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping:
- 1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Prepare the cake: Core apples and cut into small pieces. The apples should be cubed, a little larger than a small dice.
- Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
- Add white and brown sugar, butter, and shortening into another bowl or stand mixer and beat until the mixture is soft, uniform, and stays together when squeezed.
- Add in eggs one at a time, letting the first fully incorporate before adding the next. Add in sour cream and vanilla and mix to combine. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Lastly, fold in cubed apples and add the batter to your prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes.
- While the cake is baking, make the topping: Finely chop walnuts, and mix with coconut and powdered sugar. About 25 minutes into baking, carefully pull the cake out of the oven, sprinkle on the topping, and place back in the oven.
- Continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Related: Get more coffee cake recipes here.