Brown Butter Caramel Apple Crumb Cake Recipe

This Brown Butter Caramel Apple Crumb Cake combines the warm, nutty aroma of brown butter with tender cinnamon-spiced apples and a buttery brown sugar crumble. It’s easy to prepare in a single bowl and perfect any time of year, especially in the fall when apples are at their best. The cake is soft and tender, layered with thinly sliced apples that bake down to a jammy filling and finished with a salty-sweet caramel drizzle for an extra-special touch.

Why this recipe works

• Soft, tender cake — a simple one-bowl batter made with brown butter produces a moist, flavorful crumb with a pleasant nutty note.
• Fresh apple layer — very thinly sliced apples on top of the batter bake down to a soft, jammy layer that adds texture and bright flavor.
• Buttery crumb topping — made from just flour, sugars and butter, the crumble forms crunchy clusters that contrast the tender cake and apples.
• Simple to make — despite having three elements (cake, apples and crumble), this recipe comes together quickly and can be mixed by hand—no stand mixer required.
• Salted caramel finish — a drizzle of salted caramel elevates the cake; serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a classic treat.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour — use unbleached all-purpose flour for the best tender texture.
• Unsalted butter — this recipe uses browned butter for the cake batter; use unsalted so you can control the salt in the recipe.
• Granulated sugar — keeps the cake light and lets the brown butter flavor shine.
• Brown sugar — adds caramel notes to the crumb topping.
• Eggs — two large eggs provide structure and richness.
• Vanilla extract — enhances the cake’s flavor; use a good-quality pure vanilla for best results.
• Sour cream — full-fat sour cream adds moisture and tenderness; Greek yogurt or crème fraîche are suitable substitutions.
• Milk — room-temperature whole milk works best to keep the batter smooth.
• Apples — fresh apples sliced very thinly; tart varieties like Granny Smith, Idared, Red Prince or Cortland are ideal.
• Caramel sauce — a salted caramel drizzle complements the apple and brown butter flavors.

Step-by-step instructions

• Preheat and prepare pan. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
• Make the crumb topping. Whisk flour, granulated and brown sugars (and a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter). Stir in melted, cooled butter and break into large crumbs with your fingertips. Cover and set aside.
• Brown the butter. Brown 6 tablespoons of butter, then let it cool until warm but not hot so it can incorporate into the batter without cooking the eggs.
• Make the cake batter. Whisk the cooled brown butter with granulated sugar and vanilla until slightly pale. Add eggs one at a time, whisking until light, then mix in the sour cream.
• Combine dry ingredients. Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together, then fold into the butter mixture until mostly combined. Stir in milk until smooth.
• Prepare the apples. Thinly slice apples and toss with sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.
• Assemble and bake. Spread batter in the prepared pan, arrange the apple slices evenly on top, then scatter the crumb topping in clusters to cover the apples. Bake 35–45 minutes until crumbs are golden and the center is set. Cool slightly, then drizzle with salted caramel before serving.

Expert tips

• Use room-temperature ingredients. This helps everything blend smoothly and reduces mixing time.
• Optional: sift dry ingredients. Sifting or whisking the flour and leavening helps reduce mixing and produces a finer crumb.
• Don’t over-mix. Fold gently until ingredients are mostly combined; a few streaks are fine before adding the milk.
• Salted butter for the crumble. Salted butter adds depth to the topping; if you use unsalted, add a pinch of salt to taste.

FAQ

Storing and freezing

If you enjoy fruit-forward cakes, try other recipes that pair fruit and tender cake for a similar comforting dessert experience.

More cake recipes

Looking for more cakes? Browse a selection of loafs, bundts and layered cakes that highlight seasonal fruit, citrus and chocolate for inspiration.

Baking with apples

Apples lend themselves beautifully to baking. Use tart varieties for balance and slice apples very thin for a tender layer that bakes into the cake.