Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (2024)

  • Recipes By Region
  • American Food
  • Southern Food

With Cinnamon Streusel Topping

By

Diana Rattray

Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (1)

Diana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Updated on 11/18/21

Tested by

Tracy Wilk

Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (2)

Tested byTracy Wilk

Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

(32)

Write a Review

Trending Videos

Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (3)

Prep: 35 mins

Cook: 55 mins

Total: 90 mins

Servings: 12 servings

Yield: 12 squares

community badge

32 ratings

Write a Review

Add a comment

A classic coffee cake is a fabulous cake to make for a holiday morning, meeting, or social gathering. This coffee cake is easy to prepare and bake, and it's an excellent alternative to donuts or quick breads. Plus, homemade is so much better than store-bought. The ribbon-like swirl of cinnamon gives the cake a unique look, and the crunchy streusel top adds delicious texture.

A coffee cake doesn't contain coffee—it's a moist and tender cake usually served along with coffee or tea or as a breakfast cake or brunch dessert. The American coffee cake may have originated with the German crumb cake that people served with coffee at informal gatherings or kaffeeklatsches.

Don't be put off by the list of ingredients—the cake is really very easy to put together and bake following the concise step-by-step directions, and you can prepare it a day in advance. Cover the prepared, unbaked cake and refrigerate it overnight. The next morning, remove the covering and bake the cake as directed. Since the cake will be cold, allow an extra 5 to 10 minutes of baking time.

"Coffee cake is one of the most underrated desserts—it is perfectly sweet, tender, and has all of those extra tasty crumbles you love. I could eat this every morning for breakfast alongside my morning coffee. Plus, this recipe is super easy to follow. It's sure to be a crowd favorite." —Tracy Wilk

Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (4)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon Layer

  • 3/4 cup (148 grams) packed brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup (33 grams) flour

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

For the Streusel Topping

  • 1 cup (198 grams) packed brown sugar

  • 1 cup (120 grams) flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened

For the Coffee Cake

  • Cooking spray, for the pan

  • 3 1/4 cups (396 grams) flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened

  • 2 cups (402 grams) granulated sugar

  • 4 large eggs, room temperature

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 1 cup sour cream, room temperature

  • 1/3 cup milk, room temperature

Steps to Make It

For the Cinnamon Layer

  1. Gather the ingredients for the cinnamon layer.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (5)

  2. Combine 3/4 cup of brown sugar with 1/4 cup of flour and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, mix thoroughly, and set aside.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (6)

For the Streusel Topping

  1. Gather the ingredients for the streusel topping.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (7)

  2. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of softened butter. Mix with a fork or your fingers to create a crumb mixture. Set aside.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (8)

Prepare and Bake the Cake

  1. Gather the cake ingredients.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (9)

  2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (10)

  3. Combine the 3 1/4 cups of flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (11)

  4. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine 1 cup butter and 2 cups of granulated sugar; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (12)

  5. Add the eggs and vanilla, and continue to mix for 1 minute until blended.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (13)

  6. Add about one-third of the flour mixture and half of the sour cream and milk, and beat just until blended with the mixer on low. Add another one-third of the flour mixture and the remaining milk and sour cream, and continue to beat just until blended; blend in the remaining flour mixture. Do not overbeat.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (14)

  7. Spread half of the batter in the prepared baking pan and top it evenly with the cinnamon sugar layer mixture.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (15)

  8. Spoon the remaining batter evenly over the cinnamon sugar layer; gently spread to cover and then top with the streusel crumb mixture.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (16)

  9. Bake the cake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (17)

  10. Remove to a rack to cool before cutting into squares.

    Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (18)

Tip

It may seem like there are a lot of components and steps to this recipe, but you can easily make the cinnamon layer mixture and the streusel topping ahead of time. Refrigerate the raw streusel topping until ready to use—just make sure to store it loosely in a container so that it stays nice and crumbly.

Recipe Variation

  • Add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the streusel topping mixture.
  • Gussy your coffee cake up with a simple glaze. Combine 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar with a few drops of vanilla and about 2 to 3 teaspoons of milk, or enough to drizzle. Drizzle the glaze over the cake just before serving.

How to Store and Freeze

  • The cake will last for 2 to 3 days, tightly covered at room temperature.
  • To freeze the cake, place portions on a baking sheet and place the pan in the freezer. When the cake squares are frozen solid, transfer them to airtight containers or zip-close bags. Defrost in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours.

What is the difference between cake and coffee cake?

A typical cake is frosted or glazed, while a coffee cake is usually topped with a crumb mixture or streusel. The difference between a crumb cake and a coffee cake is the amount of streusel topping. A crumb cake usually has a thicker layer of streusel topping.

20 Easy Christmas Morning Breakfasts

  • Southern Food
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
674Calories
29g Fat
98g Carbs
8g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories674
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g37%
Saturated Fat 17g86%
Cholesterol 135mg45%
Sodium 514mg22%
Total Carbohydrate 98g35%
Dietary Fiber 2g6%
Total Sugars 60g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 0mg1%
Calcium 117mg9%
Iron 3mg16%
Potassium 155mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • coffee
  • breakfast
  • american
  • fall

Rate This Recipe

I don't like this at all.It's not the worst.Sure, this will do.I'm a fan—would recommend.Amazing! I love it!Thanks for your rating!

Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes a coffee cake a coffee cake? ›

No, coffee cake does not actually have coffee in it. This is a sweet cake typically made with a ribbon of cinnamon and topped with nuts, glaze, or streusel. Early versions of this cake and many coffee cakes made outside the U.S. are coffee-flavored sponge cake.

What's the difference between coffee cake and regular cake? ›

Where regular cakes typically have frosting or glaze, coffee cake does not. Instead, it often has some type of crumb or streusel topping that is typically made with a combination of flour, sugar, butter, and cinnamon.

How do you keep coffee cake moist? ›

Melted butter is key for moist coffee cake, but this dessert tends to get drier over time. If you want to prevent coffee cake from getting stale for as long as possible, storing it in an airtight Tupperware is your best bet.

What is the difference between American and British coffee cake? ›

This is not the case with British coffee cake, which is far more similar to a traditional cake as compared to the recipe that's so beloved in America. Often referred to as coffee and walnut cake, this baked good features coffee flavoring both in the cake itself, as well as the buttercream icing used to adorn it.

What is the fancy name for coffee cake? ›

American Coffee cake—also referred to as gugelhupf or Austrian German: kaffekuchen—evolved from other sweet dishes from Vienna. In the 17th century, Northern/Central Europeans are thought to have come up with the idea of eating sweet cakes while drinking coffee.

What is a substitute for sour cream in coffee cake? ›

Yogurt is your best substitute for sour cream. Whether you're baking or making a dip or sauce, yogurt is a 1:1 sub. That means if your recipe calls for 1 cup of sour cream, you can replace it with 1 cup of yogurt. Full-fat Greek or natural yogurts work best, but low-fat or even nonfat can be used, too.

What is in a Bakers Treat coffee cake? ›

Sugar, enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate or reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, soybean oil, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter (cream, salt), contains 2% or less: modified cornstarch, glycerin, egg, cinnamon, tallow, palm oil, salt, natural ...

What makes coffee cake unique? ›

Coffee cake, or kaffekuchen, is a single layer cake with a sweet, cinnamon-infused flavor and streusel top made from flour, butter, and sugar. Streusel can also be layered inside of the cake like a filling. Fruit variations are prevalent, with blueberry being the most common.

What coffee is best in cake? ›

A dark roast or robust espresso will give rich, hearty treats plenty of depth, while a lighter, fruitier variety won't overpower a delicate dessert. Follow the recipe's instructions for coffee temperature, too.

Why do bakers soak cakes? ›

Let me introduce you to the cake soak.

When you do this, the cake integrates moisture and flavor, and the sweetened liquid helps preserve the cake's freshness, so a slice can taste just as delicious a couple days after baking.

Can I use both butter and oil in cake? ›

If you were to use exclusively oil, the cake would turn out much denser than you may have intended. If you're unsure, it's safest to use a 50/50 combination of butter and oil instead of replacing the butter completely.

Why is my coffee cake batter so thick? ›

It might be meant to be thick or you missed something or put too much of a dry ingredient in. You could just add a little water or milk to loosen it up. You could just bake it see what comes out. If it is very dense try soaking it with a bit of syrup.

What is the favorite kind of cake in USA? ›

Top 10 Most Popular Cakes in America
  • Classic Chocolate Cake: No list of popular cakes would be complete without the classic chocolate cake. ...
  • Red Velvet Cake: ...
  • Carrot Cake: ...
  • Lemon Pound Cake: ...
  • Vanilla Sponge Cake: ...
  • German Chocolate Cake: ...
  • Strawberry Shortcake: ...
  • Cheesecake:
May 25, 2023

Is a king cake a coffee cake? ›

The name “king cake” comes from the Biblical story of the three kings who bring gifts to Baby Jesus. A blend of coffee cake and cinnamon roll, king cake is usually iced in yellow, green and purple – the colors of Mardi Gras -- and is frequently packed with fruit fillings and decadent cream cheeses.

What is a fairy cake in England? ›

Fairy cakes are not, as their name might imply, themed cakes designed and decorated to the liking of fantasy and sci-fi fans. They are, simply stated, smaller versions of cupcakes. They're widely popular in the UK, and tend not to pile on the icing in the same way that American bakers do with cupcakes.

Why is it called coffee cake if it doesn't have coffee? ›

These were adapted from Kuchen (cookie/cake) and Gugelhupf (spice cake). Coffee and other ingredients to make the cake were expensive and a little rare so to have coffee in the cake was not needed.

Does coffee cake actually have coffee in it? ›

Curiously, coffee cake contains zero coffee itself. I think (and I am totally speculating here) that it's meant to be served with coffee, sort of in the tradition of tea. My sleuthing on the internet points to origins in German yeasted cakes, but it's not entirely clear.

What's the difference between coffee cake and tea cake? ›

Tea cakes are individual, coffee cakes are sliced. In the US, there's no functional difference. Size might be a factor when it comes to some labeling, but it's not consistent. Ingredients for either can be the same or change as any other pastry or cake recipe might change.

What does adding coffee to cake mix do? ›

Its rich, bittersweet flavour adds depth to cakes, cheesecakes, pies, cookies, muffins, loaves, and soufflés. It boosts the chocolatey appeal of Fudge Layer Cake with Chocolate Avocado Icing, Coffee Brownies and soft, fudgy Coffee Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Cheryll Lueilwitz

Last Updated:

Views: 6634

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (54 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Cheryll Lueilwitz

Birthday: 1997-12-23

Address: 4653 O'Kon Hill, Lake Juanstad, AR 65469

Phone: +494124489301

Job: Marketing Representative

Hobby: Reading, Ice skating, Foraging, BASE jumping, Hiking, Skateboarding, Kayaking

Introduction: My name is Cheryll Lueilwitz, I am a sparkling, clean, super, lucky, joyous, outstanding, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.