Apple Pie Coffee Cake

This easy apple pie coffee cake recipe begins with boxed cake mix and ends with a homemade apple pie filling. It’s the perfect combination of flavor and simplicity.

We love this apple coffee cake from a cake mix! Sometimes you just need something quick and easy, and this fall favorite is just the ticket.

We’re smack dab in the middle of fall and I still can’t quite believe we’re here. This year has been one for the books (and I certainly imagine it will be in the history books in the future) and I’m still not entirely sure how this year can possibly feel like it just began while simultaneously feeling like it’s been going on for-ev-er (Sandlot status).

With the lack of events happening, it’s given me a lot of time to take some of my old favorite recipes and give them a facelift. (“What’s a facelift?!” …Can anyone name that 90’s movies?!)

This Apple Pie Coffee Cake with a maple glaze is one of those recipes. It was first made a little over 11 years ago for my sister’s bridal shower. Since then, it’s been a recipe my dad has always brought back up again, subtly (or not so subtly 😆) hinting he’d love to test it out again.

I made it for Father’s Day a few years ago, and subsequently posted it on the blog. The photos have been in dire need of a makeover and with all of the unexpected time I seem to have on my hands, this seemed like the perfect time to give this recipe the facelift it deserves.

Why This Recipe Is The Best:

• It begins with boxed cake mix! So incredibly simple and you can use white cake mix, yellow cake mix or spice cake mix.
• The homemade apple pie filling is only a few ingredients and really transforms the flavor of the recipe.
• It has a maple glaze on top, which tastes just like a homemade maple bar.
• The recipe serves about 12-15 people, so it’s perfect for a fall brunch or gathering.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of cake mix: white cake mix, spice cake mix, or yellow cake mix works (I used white cake mix for these photos)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 eggs, large
• 1/3 cup water
• vanilla extract
• ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves
• apples
• brown sugar and granulated sugar
• butter, unsalted
• salt
• cornstarch
• powdered sugar
• maple syrup

All of these ingredients are used in 3 ways: to doctor up the cake mix, make the apple filling and make the maple glaze on top.

How to make coffee cake with boxed cake mix:

• Making coffee cake with cake mix is a really simple shortcut, especially when you doctor up the cake mix.
• Instead of following the instructions on the back of the cake mix box, you are going to use sour cream, eggs, water, vanilla extract and cinnamon in combination with the dry cake ix to make the coffee cake batter.
• It creates a rich flavor and texture with a denser crumb than if you followed the instructions on the back of the box.
• By adding a layer of homemade apple filling and topping the baked coffee cake with a glaze, the fact that you used cake mix instead of a homemade batter will totally remain a secret. 😉 (Although, truthfully, while I love a cake from scratch, cake mix has a special place in my heart.)

FAQS

What kind of cake mix can I use?

• As mentioned earlier, you can use white cake mix, yellow cake mix or spiced cake mix.
• Just a couple things to note: I used white cake mix for these pictures so if you use spiced or yellow, the coloring will look different. Additionally, if you use spiced make mix, you can omit the cinnamon in the cake batter, if desired.

Why is this called a coffee cake if there’s no coffee in the recipe?

• I get this question a lot. There’s a lot of history to coffee cake, but the simplest answer is that it’s called coffee cake because it is meant to be served with coffee. While some recipes do have coffee in them, many, like this apple pie coffee cake, are a brunch-type cake to pair with a cup of coffee.

Can I make this with canned apple pie filling?

• Actually, yes! You can swap the homemade filling for canned and this already easy-as-pie- recipe just became even easier.

How long does this cake mix coffee cake last?

• Given the apples in the filling, this coffee cake is really meant to be eaten the day of or within a day or two of being baked.

What apples should I use?

• I prefer a sweet apple, like a Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji or Ambrosia. You can use a Granny Smith or Pink Lady if you’re looking for something a little more tart (Granny Smith is very tart, and the Pink Lady is slightly tart and slightly sweet).

Apple Coffee Cake Baking Secrets:

• The batter is going to be very thick. Unlike a typical cake mix cake batter, this will take a little more effort to spread in your pan.
• I used a rectangular baking pan (11×8), but you can use a 9×13 rectangular baking dish or a 9×9 square baking dish. If you use the 9×13 baking dish, you will probably need to reduce the bake time by a few minutes. Alternatively, if you use a 9×9 square baking dish, you will probably need to add a few minutes to the overall bake time.
• You can substitute a vanilla glaze for the maple glaze, if desired. Or you can leave plain.

Here are some other recipes to try next:

• Cinnamon Roll Cake
• Maple Apple Blondies
• Apple Crumb Cake
• Blackberry Swirl Coffee Cake
• Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Happy baking!

Print

Apple Pie Coffee Cake

Prep Time

35 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

This easy apple pie coffee cake recipe begins with boxed cake mix and ends with a homemade apple pie filling. It’s the perfect combination of flavor and simplicity. 

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple pie coffee cake

Servings: 12 slices

Author: Michelle

Ingredients

Apple Filling

• 1 large apple (or 2 medium apples), diced in small pieces*
• 2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp water

Cake Batter

• 1 box white cake mix (yellow or spice cake will work as well)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 eggs, large
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup water

Maple Icing

• 2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350, and grease an 11x8” baking dish with baking spray (alternatively, you can use a 9x9 pan or a 13x9 pan**). Set baking dish aside.

Apple Pie Filling

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, salt, cornstarch and water, whisking occasionally. Once melted, add in the diced apples. 

2. Allow the mixture to cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the apples have softened and the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Cake Batter

1. While the apples are cooling, mix together dry cake mix, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and water. Mix until well combined. 

2. Spread half of the cake mixture in the bottom of the baking dish (the mixture will be very thick).

3. Spread the cooled apples evenly over the cake batter.

4. Lastly, spread the remaining cake batter over the top of the apples (it’s fine if some of the apples aren’t fully covered).

5. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

6. Allow the cake to cool for about 5-10 minutes.

Maple Glaze

1. Melt butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a saucepan over low heat. Once everything is melted together, remove from the heat.

2. Add in the powdered sugar and whisk until combined. (If the mixture is lumpy and won’t smooth out, strain the glaze into a bowl with a sieve—it’ll be perfectly smooth!)

3. Allow the glaze to cool 5-6 minutes in order to thicken. Once thickened, give it a quick whisk before pouring over the coffee cake.

4. Allow glaze to set before cutting into pieces.

5. Enjoy!

6. Store leftovers in the fridge.

Recipe Notes

*I left the peel on, but you can peel the apples if you prefer.

**If you use a 9x9 dish, you will need to increase the baking time by a couple of minutes. If you use a 13x9 pan, you will need to reduce the baking time by a couple of minutes.

Photos and text updated 2020.

Here are some other fall favorites:

Maple Glazed Banana Bread

Maple Candied Pecans

Pumpkin Pecan Banana Bread