Cakes Desserts Recipes
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Brown Butter Apple Cake
This Cinnamon Toast Crunch Brown Butter Apple Cake has a crackly, buttery cinnamon maple sugar crust, layers and layers of caramelized Honeycrisp apples and an almost obscenely moist brown butter Greek yogurt cake underneath. Four apples are sliced paper-thin and layered through the batter, so every slice looks like apple cake all the way through. The top bakes into a dark cinnamon toast crust before getting one final shower of fresh cinnamon maple sugar while it is still warm. It is basically apple pie, cinnamon toast and the softest brown butter cake in one giant fall slice.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Unsalted Butter: Browning the butter creates the deep, toasted flavor running through the cake and the cinnamon crust. A light-colored saucepan makes it easier to see when the milk solids are perfectly golden.
- Honeycrisp Apples: Honeycrisp apples are sweet, tart and firm enough to hold visible layers while still becoming soft and caramelized in the oven. Pink Lady or Braeburn apples will also work.
- 0% Greek Yogurt: Thick Greek yogurt keeps the cake exceptionally moist and tender without requiring additional butter. Use a strained yogurt rather than a thin or drinkable style.
- Maple Sugar: Maple sugar sweetens the cake, creates the thick cinnamon toast crust and keeps the recipe free from refined sugar. Its caramel flavor works especially well with brown butter and apples.
- Pure Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds moisture and a deeper maple flavor to both the cake batter and apple layers.
- Whole Milk: Whole milk loosens the Greek yogurt batter enough to make it creamy and spreadable while keeping the crumb rich and soft.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Vanilla rounds out the brown butter and maple flavors in both the cake and apple layers. Vanilla extract can be substituted in the same amount.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon appears in the batter, apples, baked topping and final crunchy finish. The generous amount is what creates the cinnamon toast flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Toast Crunch Brown Butter Apple Cake
Four full apples: Every slice contains distinct ribbons of soft, caramelized Honeycrisp apples from top to bottom.
An actual cinnamon toast crust: Brown butter, maple sugar and cinnamon bake into a thick, dark, crackly layer across the entire surface.
Ridiculously moist cake: Greek yogurt, whole milk, maple syrup and fresh apples keep the brown butter crumb soft for days.
Two layers of cinnamon crunch: The first layer caramelizes in the oven, while the second is sprinkled over the warm cake for fresh texture.
No refined sugar: Maple sugar and pure maple syrup provide all the sweetness.
The ultimate fall slice: It tastes like apple pie, cinnamon toast and moist brown butter cake at the same time.
A dramatic but approachable bake: The layered apples look beautiful when sliced, but the cake is assembled with one batter and one pan.
How to Make Cinnamon Toast Crunch Brown Butter Apple Cake
Step 1: Brown the Butter
Cook the butter until the milk solids are deeply golden and the butter smells intensely nutty. Reserve 3 tablespoons for the cinnamon topping and let the rest cool before adding it to the batter.
Step 2: Make the Greek Yogurt Batter
Whisk the cooled brown butter with the maple sugar and maple syrup, then add the eggs one at a time. Whisk in the Greek yogurt, milk and vanilla before gently folding in the dry ingredients.
Step 3: Slice and Season the Apples
Slice the peeled Honeycrisp apples approximately 1/8-inch thick and toss them with maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Keep the slices raw so they soften inside the cake rather than turning into applesauce.
Step 4: Build the Apple Layers
Layer one-third of the batter, overlapping apples, another third of the batter and a second apple layer. Finish with the remaining batter and arrange the final apple slices across the top.
Step 5: Create the Cinnamon Toast Crust
Brush the entire surface with the reserved brown butter, then cover it generously with maple sugar, cinnamon and sea salt. The layer should look substantial before the cake goes into the oven.
Step 6: Bake Until Set
Bake until the center feels set when gently pressed and no wet batter appears in the middle. Tent the cake loosely with foil if the cinnamon crust darkens before the center finishes baking.
Step 7: Add the Final Cinnamon Crunch
Brush the warm cake with a small amount of melted brown butter and sprinkle it with fresh cinnamon maple sugar. Cool before slicing so the soft apple layers and moist crumb can set.
Come Cook With Me
Tips for the Best Cinnamon Toast Crunch Brown Butter Apple Cake
- Use a mandoline to create thin, even apple slices that soften at the same rate.
- Pour the brown butter out of the saucepan as soon as the milk solids become deeply golden.
- Let the brown butter cool before adding the eggs so the warm fat does not cook them.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour.
- Spread each batter layer all the way to the edges before adding the apples.
- Judge doneness by the set center as well as the toothpick because moist apple layers can be misleading.
- Tent the top loosely with foil if the cinnamon crust becomes dark too quickly.
- Let the cake cool before releasing the springform or cutting the first slice.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Keep the cake tightly covered for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: Refrigerate the cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Wrap individual slices tightly and freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Bring a refrigerated slice to room temperature or warm it for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave.
- Make ahead: Bake the cake one day ahead and store it tightly covered. Add the final cinnamon maple sugar layer shortly before serving if you want the freshest crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use another type of apple?
Yes. Pink Lady, Braeburn or Granny Smith apples will work. Choose a firm apple that will soften without completely disappearing into the cake.
Do I need to use a mandoline?
No, but it makes the apple layers much more even. If slicing by hand, aim for slices approximately 1/8-inch thick.
Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste?
Yes. Replace the vanilla bean paste with the same amount of pure vanilla extract.
How do I know when the cake is fully baked?
The center should feel set when gently pressed and should not release wet batter. A toothpick may still look moist if it passes through an apple layer, so use several doneness cues.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
The center may have needed more baking time, or the cake may have been released from the pan while it was still too hot. Bake until the center is set and cool it for at least 30 to 45 minutes before removing the springform.
Can I make this cake gluten free?
Use a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking flour that contains xanthan gum. Because blends vary, check the center carefully and expect the baking time or texture to change slightly.
Other Dessert Recipes You'll Love
Recommended
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Brown Butter Apple Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Add the butter to a light-colored saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it smells nutty and the milk solids turn deeply golden brown. Immediately pour the brown butter into a heat-safe bowl so it does not burn.
- Measure 3 tablespoons of the brown butter into a separate bowl for the topping. Let the remaining brown butter cool for about 10 minutes.
- Whisk the cooled brown butter with the maple sugar and maple syrup until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the Greek yogurt, whole milk and vanilla bean paste until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. The batter should be thick, creamy and easily spreadable. Do not overmix.
- Peel and core the apples, then slice them approximately 1/8-inch thick. A mandoline works best for even layers.
- Gently toss the apple slices with the maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla bean paste and sea salt. Do not cook the apples first.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Spread one-third of the cake batter evenly across the bottom of the pan.
- Arrange a generous overlapping layer of apples over the batter.
- Spread another third of the batter over the apples and add a second overlapping apple layer.
- Cover with the remaining batter, then arrange the remaining apple slices across the top, overlapping them slightly.
- Brush the exposed apple slices and cake batter generously with the reserved brown butter.
- Mix the maple sugar, cinnamon and sea salt. Cover the entire surface of the cake with the cinnamon maple sugar mixture.
- Bake for 55 to 70 minutes, beginning to check the cake at 50 minutes.
- The cake is ready when the center feels set when gently pressed and no visibly wet batter appears in the center. A toothpick may look damp if it passes through an apple layer.
- If the cinnamon topping becomes too dark before the center is finished, loosely tent the cake with foil.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 30 to 45 minutes before releasing the springform.
- While the cake is still slightly warm, brush the top lightly with the optional melted brown butter.
- Mix the maple sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle the mixture lightly over the warm cake to create a second layer of fresh cinnamon crunch.
- Allow the cake to finish cooling before cutting it into 10 slices.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Did you love this recipe?
If you make this, please leave a star rating so I know you loved it. And if you share it on Instagram, tag @wideeyedgiant. Seeing your versions is the best part!
Give it a share:
