Made by
Kendall

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This Brown Butter Apple Coffee Cake Loaf layers a warmly spiced brown-butter cake with caramelized apples, a buttery cinnamon swirl, and plenty of crumbly streusel. Finish it with an optional vanilla bean glaze for a cozy apple dessert that brings all the best fall flavors into one loaf.

Ingredients:

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1x

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For the Brown Butter Cake

•   1/2 cup salted butter
•   1/2 cup granulated sugar
•   2 large eggs (room temperature)
•   1 tsp vanilla extract
•   1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•   1 1/2 tsp baking powder
•   1/2 tsp baking soda
•   1 tsp cinnamon
•   1/2 tsp nutmeg
•   1/2 tsp salt
•   1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (room temperature)

 

For the Caramelized Apples

•   2 medium apples (peeled and diced)
•   1 tbsp butter
•   1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
•   3/4 tsp cinnamon
•   pinch salt

 

For the Cinnamon Swirl

•   1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
•   1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
•   1 tsp all-purpose flour
•   1 1/2 tbsp butter (melted)

 

For the Cinnamon Streusel

•   1/3 cup all-purpose flour
•   1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
•   1/2 tsp cinnamon
•   pinch salt
•   3 tbsp butter (melted)

 

For the Vanilla Bean Glaze (optional)

•   1/2 cup powdered sugar
•   1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
•   pinch salt
•   1 1/2 - 2 tbsp milk

Ingredients are subject to availability at local stores. Unavailable items will be automatically substituted at best-effort.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. Brown the butter: Add the 1/2 cup butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring or swirling frequently, until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty. Immediately pour the brown butter, including the browned bits, into a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.
3. Caramelize the apples: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3–5 minutes, until the apples are glossy and just beginning to soften. Transfer to a bowl or plate to cool.
4. If the apples release a lot of liquid, return most of the liquid to the pan and simmer until slightly thickened. Pour it back over the apples and allow them to finish cooling.
5. Make the cinnamon swirl: Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Stir in the melted butter until evenly moistened. Set aside.
6. Make the streusel: Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix with a fork until crumbs form, leaving some larger pieces for the top.
7. Make the cake batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
8. Once the brown butter has cooled but is still liquid, whisk in the granulated sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the vanilla.
9. Gently mix half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add half of the Greek yogurt and mix again. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and yogurt, mixing only until combined.
10. Assemble the loaf: Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Scatter the cinnamon-swirl mixture over the batter in small dollops, followed by half of the caramelized apples. Run a knife through the filling once or twice to create ribbons without completely mixing it into the batter.
11. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the filling. Add the remaining caramelized apples, gently pressing them into the batter, then cover the top with the cinnamon streusel.
12. Bake for 55–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
13. Cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes, then transfer the loaf to a wire rack.
14. Make the optional glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt together. Add the milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the glaze is thick but drizzleable.
15. Once the loaf has cooled, drizzle with the vanilla bean glaze and slice. If desired, serve warm with butter and a sprinkle of flaky salt.