This Breakfast Cake recipe is the perfect cozy fall treat, baked with a moist crumb, buttery oat streusel, and layers of spiced apple pie filling. Serve it warm for brunch or enjoy a slice in the morning, and it instantly feels like a sweet little comfort baked right into your day.
For more breakfast treats, try my Pumpkin Waffles, Cereal Bars, and Berry Crumble Bars next.
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Cake for Breakfast
There’s something fun about starting the day with a slice that tastes like apple pie baked into cake form. It’s moist, sweet, and filled with juicy spiced apples, making every bite feel like a delicious little dessert for breakfast. The buttery streusel on top seals it as a special morning treat that always feels worth it.
Why You’ll Love this Apple Breakfast Cake Recipe
Tasty Fall Treat. With warm spices, juicy apples, and a buttery streusel topping, this cake captures everything cozy about fall in one bite. It’s perfect for mornings when you want something seasonal and comforting.
Dessert for Breakfast. This recipe has all the flavor of apple pie baked into a moist cake, making it feel sweet and special without being too heavy. It’s a fun way to start the day or share at brunch.
Stays Fresh and Delicious. The apples and yogurt keep the cake tender for days, so you can bake it ahead and enjoy an easy grab-and-go treat throughout the week.
What is breakfast cake?
Breakfast cake is a soft, moist cake often enjoyed in the morning. It’s similar to coffee cake, usually topped with a crumbly streusel and served with coffee or tea. Unlike a rich dessert cake, it’s lightly sweet, making it perfect for brunch or a cozy start to the day. This recipe fits right in with its spiced apple pie filling and buttery oat streusel, giving it that classic coffee cake feel while still feeling like a special treat.
Ingredients
- Old-fashioned oats & all-purpose flour: The oats add a hearty, nutty note while the flour keeps the cake soft and tender.
- Baking powder & baking soda: These give the cake lift and a light texture.
- Cinnamon & nutmeg: Warm spices that bring out the apple pie flavor.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and sharpens the other flavors.
- Unsweetened applesauce & Greek yogurt: Keep the cake moist while adding a touch of tang.
- Maple syrup or brown sugar: Sweeten the cake with either a rich caramel flavor (brown sugar) or a cozy fall note (maple syrup).
- Butter, eggs & vanilla extract: Butter adds richness, eggs hold everything together, and vanilla rounds out the flavor.
For the Apple Pie Filling
- Apples: Cook down into juicy, spiced bites that taste just like pie filling.
- Maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla & butter: Create a saucy, caramelized mixture that melts beautifully into the cake layers.
For the Streusel Topping
- Oats & flour: Form the base of the crumb, giving it texture and bite.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth to the topping.
- Butter, maple syrup or brown sugar, and vanilla extract: Combine for a sweet, buttery crumble that bakes into a golden, crunchy topping.
How to Make Breakfast Cake
Make the Apple Filling
I like to start with the filling so it has time to cool a bit before layering. In a small saucepan, I cook the diced apples with maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and a little butter over medium heat. After about 5 to 7 minutes, the apples turn soft and saucy, almost like pie filling. Once they’re ready, I set them aside.
Mix the Cake Batter
While the apples are cooking, I preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8-inch square pan by greasing and lining it with parchment paper. For the batter, I blend the oats into flour and whisk them with the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In another bowl, I whisk together the applesauce, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Then I stir in the dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix.
Assemble the Cake
To build the cake, I spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Then I spoon half of the apple filling on top and gently spread the rest of the batter over it. I finish with the remaining apple filling spread evenly across the top.
Make the Streusel Topping
In a small bowl, I mix the oats, flour, and cinnamon, then stir in the melted butter, maple syrup (or brown sugar), and vanilla until the mixture turns crumbly. I sprinkle this streusel evenly over the cake.
Bake and Serve Apple Breakfast Cake
The cake bakes for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. I let it cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing it into squares. It’s delicious served warm, and I sometimes drizzle a little extra maple syrup over the top for a cozy finish.
Storing Instructions
Once the breakfast cake has cooled completely, I like to store the squares in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want to keep it longer, refrigerate it for up to 5 days—the streusel stays crisp and the cake keeps its moist texture.
For even more convenience, you can wrap slices individually and freeze them for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, just warm a piece in the microwave or oven until soft and cozy again.
Tips
- Use the right apples. Choose firm, sweet-tart apples like Honeycrisp or Gala so the filling holds its shape and doesn’t turn mushy.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated—this keeps the cake tender and moist.
- Line the pan with parchment. It makes removing the cake much easier and ensures clean slices.
- Check doneness with a toothpick. Insert it in the center; if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, the cake is ready.
- Let the cake cool before slicing. Giving it at least 15 minutes helps the layers set and makes for neater squares.
- Try it warm with maple syrup. A quick drizzle takes it from a cozy breakfast bite to a dessert-worthy treat.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What kind of cake do you eat for breakfast?
Breakfast cakes are lighter, less sweet cakes like coffee cake or crumb cake, often topped with fruit or streusel. This apple version fits perfectly with its spiced filling and buttery oat topping.
Can I swap out the Greek yogurt?
Absolutely. Sour cream or regular yogurt will both work and still keep the cake moist.
Is the streusel topping necessary?
It adds great texture and flavor, but you can leave it off if you prefer a simpler cake. You’ll still have plenty of sweetness from the apples.
Do I need to peel the apples?
Peeling is recommended so the filling has a smooth, soft texture, but if you like a bit more bite and fiber, you can leave the skins on.
More Delicious Cake Recipes
DID YOU MAKE THIS APPLE PIE BREAKFAST CAKE RECIPE?
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Breakfast Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Saucepan to cook down the apple pie filling.
- Mixing Bowls at least two, one for dry ingredients and one for wet.
- Whisk for combining dry and wet ingredients smoothly
- Spatula or wooden spoon for folding everything together without overmixing
- Measuring Cups and Spoons to measure flours, spices, and liquids accurately
- Blender or Food Processor to blend oats into oat flour.
- 8-inch square baking pan the size specified for baking the cake.
- Parchment Paper to line the pan for easy removal
- Knife and cutting board to peel and dice the apples.
- Toothpick to check if the cake is baked through.
Ingredients
Apple Cake
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats blended into oat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup pure maple syrup or brown sugar
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsps unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Apple Pie Filling
- 2-3 medium apples peeled & diced
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 –2 tsp butter
Maple Streusel
- 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cup maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a saucepan, cook diced apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and butter over medium heat for 5–7 minutes until softened and saucy. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch square baking pan.
- Blend oats into flour. In a bowl, whisk oat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk applesauce, maple syrup, yogurt, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Then stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Spread half the batter into the pan. Evenly spoon half of the apple filling on top. Spread the remaining batter over the apples. Then top with remaining apple filling.
- Make streusel: Mix oats, flour, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter and maple syrup until crumbly. Then, sprinkle the streusel evenly over the cake .
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. Slice into 9 squares and enjoy warm (drizzle with extra maple syrup if you’d like).
