Cozy Applesauce Coffee Cake

Moist, tender, and warmly spiced, this applesauce coffee cake is a comfort-baking classic. The applesauce keeps it naturally sweet and soft, while the crumb topping adds irresistible texture. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon pick-me-up.

Ingredients

• Prep oven & pan – Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour an 8×8-inch baking dish or line with parchment paper.
• Mix dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
• Cream butter & sugar – In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, applesauce, milk, and vanilla; mix until combined.
• Combine wet & dry – Gradually stir dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined (don’t overmix). Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Make crumb topping – In a small bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over batter.
• Bake – Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool & serve – Let cake cool slightly before cutting. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Directions

1. Cake:
2. 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3. 1 tsp baking soda
4. 1 tsp cinnamon
5. ½ tsp baking powder
6. ½ tsp salt
7. ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted dairy-free butter, softened
8. 1 cup brown sugar, packed
9. 1 large egg (or flax egg for dairy-free/vegan)
10. 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
11. ½ cup dairy-free milk (such as almond or oat milk)
12. 1 tsp vanilla extract
13. Crumb Topping:
14. ½ cup all-purpose flour
15. ½ cup brown sugar
16. ½ tsp cinnamon
17. 4 tbsp dairy-free butter, cold and cubed