Apple Butter Crumb Cake
These keto apple butter crumb cake bars are a cozy low carb dessert made with no added sugar and a buttery gluten free base. With warm fall spices and a crunchy streusel topping, this keto dessert is perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Looking for more easy keto dessert ideas? Browse our full collection of keto desserts.
Looking for a sweet keto breakfast cake to go with your morning coffee? Try this keto friendly apple butter crumb cake. Made with gluten free ingredients and absolutely no added sugar, you can start your day with this moist and delicious cake without worrying about a lunchtime sugar crash. While most apple-filled crumb cakes require you to make your own filling, we did that step for you! Our keto apple butter spread is great right out of the jar and can be baked into any dessert you’d like to use for it. We sweeten with monk fruit and mix in traditional apple butter spices to create a delicious spread that’s even good on a slice of keto toast!
Since this cake has a pillowy soft texture, we added a streusel topping to introduce a little crunch and more delicious flavor. Making sugar free streusel is an easy way to upgrade anything from muffins to cakes, so feel free to take this crumb recipe and use it on another delicious low carb dessert. We crumble the streusel over the cake batter and let the oven do the rest of the work.
We think you’re going to love the fall flavors of the apple butter and moist texture of the cake. Plus, this is a super easy dessert to whip up for the week as your meal prep breakfast. Who says you can’t have cake first thing in the morning? Not us!
Jump to recipe sections:
- How do I make an apple crumb cake keto friendly?
- What is apple butter?
- What’s the crumb mixture on top of apple butter crumb cake?
- Is there a difference between coffee cake and crumb cake?
- How can I make this a caramel apple butter crumb cake?
How do I make an apple crumb cake keto friendly?
Most apple crumb cakes are full of sugar and carbs, but with the help of our sugar free apple butter, you can make this keto friendly! We use low carb flours such as almond flour and lupin flour to keep this low carb and gluten free. Then, we don’t use any added sugar or sugar-filled jams. Instead, our keto apple butter is sweetened with monk fruit. It’s a low glycemic gourd that’s sweet without all the sugar.
What is apple butter?
Apple butter is a type of jam that’s made with spices such as cinnamon and clove that are mixed into stewed apples. It’s different from apple jelly, which is primarily just the flavor of apple with a more jelly-like texture. Apple butter has a delicious caramel flavor which makes it a perfect falltime treat and can be added to anything. Our sugar free apple butter can be baked and heated up like full-sugar jams, so it’s perfect for your next baking project.
We like using apple butter in this recipe because apples are not generally keto friendly. That means it’s really hard to make an apple dessert that can fit that lifestyle. Since our apple butter is keto friendly, all you have to do is scoop some out of the jar!
What’s the crumb mixture on top of apple butter crumb cake?
Whenever there’s a crumb topping to a cake, it’s usually a mix of butter, sweetener, flour, and spices. As we’re making this cake keto friendly, we’re using keto friendly flour and a brown sweetener substitute. Mix together the crumb layer and bake it with the cake, creating a wonderfully crunchy and sweet crust. Since this cake is so moist, a crunchy sweet crumble on top adds a wonderful texture to the entire dessert.
You’ll also hear this layer called streusel, which is commonly added to the top of sweet muffins or other baked goods. If you like how this streusel turned out, try adding it to your next keto baking project!
Is there a difference between coffee cake and crumb cake?
Folks tend to use the terms interchangeably, but technically speaking there is a difference! Crumb cake has the streusel layer thickly baked on the top of the cake. Coffee cake will sometimes have that topping, but you’ll find it also layered into the cake itself. Both sound yummy to us, but we wanted that rich and delicious apple butter taste, so we went the crumb cake route for this one.
How can I make this a caramel apple butter crumb cake?
Want to take this cake to the next level? After the cake has cooled, drizzle our keto caramel sauce on top for a caramel apple dessert. This would be perfect for a Halloween party or a fall festival treat.
