This Easy Apple Crumble Cake is soft, spiced, and topped with a buttery walnut streusel. Made with cake mix and canned pie filling, it’s a cozy treat you can whip up anytime with pantry staples.
This cozy Apple Crumble Cake is everything we love about coffee cake, but with a warm apple twist. It’s just as delicious for breakfast as it is for dessert. Especially if you serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (required, in my opion).
Unlike my Fresh Apple Cake, it starts with yellow cake mix and canned apple pie filling, making it a pantry staple recipe you can whip up any time of year. The aroma of apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg while it bakes? Outrageously good!
Keep this easy apple crumb cake recipe in your back pocket for unexpected guests or when you need a last-minute treat. But honestly, it’s so good, you won’t want to wait for an excuse to make it.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Apple pie filling: A 21-ounce can of store-bought apple pie filling works perfectly and makes this recipe super easy. No need to peel or chop fresh apples.
- Eggs: You’ll need three large eggs to bind everything together and add richness.
- Water and oil: A combination of water and vegetable oil gives the cake the right moisture and texture. Stick with neutral-flavored oil like vegetable or canola.
- Yellow cake mix: A standard 15.25-ounce box of yellow cake mix is the shortcut base of this recipe.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: These warm spices bring cozy flavor and pair perfectly with the apples.
- Walnuts: Finely chopped walnuts add a little crunch and nutty flavor to the crumb topping. You can leave them out if you’d like.
- Brown sugar and flour: These combine with the butter and nuts to create a sweet, slightly crisp crumble topping.
- Butter: Just a little melted butter helps bind the crumb topping ingredients and gives it a rich, buttery finish.
How to Make Easy Apple Crumble Cake
- Break up the apple pie filling in a bowl.
- Add eggs, water, and oil, then stir in the cake mix and spices.
- Pour the cake batter into a greased baking dish.
- Mix the crumb topping ingredients and sprinkle it evenly over the batter.
- Bake, covering loosely with foil if needed. Allow to cool 15 minutes before serving.
It’s just silly easy!
Storage Tips
This is a very moist cake thanks to the apple pie filling, so it’s best to cover the pan and store it at room temperature for no more than 1 to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 4 days.
More Easy Cake Mix Recipes You’ll Love
- Coconut Poke Cake
- Jello Cake
- Black Russian Cake
- 7UP Sheet Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Butterscotch Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
- Black Russian Cake
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Easy Apple Crumble Cake
Video
Ingredients
- 21 ounce can apple pie filling
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 15.25 ounce package yellow cake mix
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, divided
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Empty the apple pie filling into a large mixing bowl. Use a metal spoon to break up the apple slices into smaller pieces. Add the eggs, water and oil, and stir to combine. Add the cake mix, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and the nutmeg and stir until well combined. Spread the batter in the prepared baking dish.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the walnuts, sugar, flour, and remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Add the melted butter and toss to combine. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over batter.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs and the streusel is golden brown. If the streusel is getting too dark, lightly place a sheet of foil over the top of the baking dish towards the end of the baking time.
- Cool in the baking dish for at least 15 minutes before serving. Delicious served slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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Can I sub spice cake mix for the yellow cake mix? Also, can I make the crumble without nuts? My grandson is allergic.
Yes, a spice cake mix will work just fine in this recipe. It will give the cake a little extra fall flavor, but the texture will be the same.
And absolutely – you can make the crumble topping without nuts. Just leave them out and proceed with the remaining ingredients. The topping will still bake up nicely and add that sweet, crunchy finish.
I have been getting in the mood for Fall and was looking for recipes for an apple dessert. I am so happy I found this one! I had everything I needed for it already in my pantry and refrigerator and it came together so quickly. I did make my own apple pie filling but I’m sure it would be great with canned also.My kids aren’t fond of nuts so I only put the crumble topping on half. I made a quick icing for them but this cake didn’t really need it! My kids have already asked me to make it again and that’s an easy yes from this mom! Thanks for the great recipe!
Fantastic! So happy you loved it. 🙂
I baked this this morning and took it into work with me. Yummy! Everyone loved it. A great success. 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, Fred. So happy the cake worked out for you!
I don’t have any apple pie filling but I do have fresh apples. Would it work to substitute fresh chopped apples for the pie filling?
Hi Cyndy. Fresh uncooked apples wouldn’t work well. You would need to cook them down first. You could look for a recipe for homemade apple pie filling or just save this one until you can get a can of pie filling.
I don’t see it in the directions.. I’m confused about the flour….
Thanks for catching that! The flour is in the streusel topping. If you watch the video at the end of the post you’ll see it.
Is the flour in the batter mix or the streusel? In the oven and just noticed I never used it.
I love apple cake. I have never tried it with apple pie filling. It looks delicious and moist. Can’t wait to make this with my granddaughter 🙂
This is a great choice for baking with kids! I hope you both enjoy it, Laura 🙂
This cake looks so delicious and so easy to make. Thank you very much for sharing your recipe. I will be trying it very soon.
Thanks, Mary! Enjoy 🙂