Brown the Butter: In a small saucepan, melt ½ cup of unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns a deep golden brown and smells nutty (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. NOTE – if you do not want to brown the butter, you can use melted butter!

NOTE – if you do not want to brown the butter, you can use melted butter!

NOTE – if you do not want to brown the butter, you can use melted butter!

Prepare the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the browned butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Mix until smooth. Add the 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, and whisk together. Stir in the ⅓ cup of milk and ½ cup of sour cream until the mixture is well combined.

Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, folding until just combined. Be careful not to overmix – you want the cake to be tender. Grease a 9-inch round pan or line it with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread it evenly.

Prepare the Spiced Apples: In a small bowl, toss the 2 cups of peeled and diced apples with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Once coated, sprinkle the apples evenly over the batter.

Make the Crumble Topping: In another bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of melted butter, ½ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon until a crumbly texture forms. Sprinkle this mixture over the apples and cake batter.

Bake Apple Crumb Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the apple crumb cake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Glaze: While the apple crumb cake is cooling, make the glaze. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of room-temperature butter and 2 tablespoons of room-temperature cream cheese. Mix until smooth. Gradually add ½ cup of powdered sugar, adjusting the consistency with 1 teaspoon of milk until you reach your desired glaze thickness.

Finish and Serve your Apple Crumb Cake: Once the apple crumb cake has cooled slightly, drizzle the cream cheese glaze over the top. Slice into 12 pieces and serve. Enjoy!