Coffee Cake

This Coffee Cake is simply delicious. A moist and soft texture, with a Cinnamon Swirl Filling, topped with Streusel Crumb and Cream Cheese Glaze.

Coffee cakes don’t necessarily have coffee in the recipe itself. They are supposed to be served alongside a cup of coffee, for brunch, breakfast, or afternoon tea time.

Coffee cakes can also be served as dessert. They can also be made into different flavors. The flavor of this coffee cake is cinnamon. The warm spices and the soft texture of the cake make it perfect  to serve to your guests.

This cake has a very soft and tender crumb, with a delicious crunch on top, and a tangy taste provided by the cream cheese glaze. This is an easy coffee cake recipe that you will love to make and serve to your friends and family.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Recipe

I will show you how to make this recipe step-by-step. We are making a delicious sour cream coffee cake. Sour cream makes the cake so moist, with a very tender crumb.

The ingredients and instructions are below on the page.

Start by preparing the baking dish. I like to use a springform pan to make coffee cakes, it makes it easier to remove it from the pan. I used a 8-inch springform pan that’s 3″ in height. You can also use a 9″ springform pan if desired, or a 8×8″ pan.

To line the pan with parchment, I cut slits alongside the paper, so I can easily fit it on the bottom and sides of the pan. Make sure to spray the pan and parchment with oil.

Preheat oven to 350ºF while you prepare the elements of the cake: the Cinnamon Sugar Filling, the Crumb Topping, and the batter.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

In a small bowl mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. You can use light or dark brown sugar.

Set the bowl aside.

Streusel Topping

To make the crumble topping, add the flour, brown and white sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add the butter, and use a fork to incorporate the ingredients together.

Put the crumb topping in the fridge while you make the batter.

Cake Batter

Mix the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set it aside.

Beat the butter with a mixer. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment, or you can use a hand mixer.

Add the sugars to the butter, and beat again until the mixture is fluffy and light.

Follow with the eggs, adding them one at a time. Wait for one egg to be incorporated before adding the next egg.

Add the vanilla and the sour cream. Mix to combine.

Pour half of the dry ingredient mixture in the bowl, and stir on low.

Add the milk and mix.

Finish by adding the remaining flour mixture. Stir on low, or using a spatula, to avoid over mixing the batter. If you over mix the batter, the cake will turn out dry.

Assemble the cake

To assemble the cake, pour half of the batter on the bottom of the prepared pan.

Spread it with a spatula.

Spread the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture on top of the batter on an even layer.

Top with the remaining batter.

Spread the Streusel Topping over the cake.

Bake in the oven until a toothpick comes out clean. Estimate baking time is around 50 to 60 minutes.

Don’t over bake the cake, or it will become dry.

Let the cake cool down completely before drizzling the glaze on top and serving.

Cream Cheese Glaze

To make the glaze, beat together the butter and cream cheese.

Add the powdered sugar, and milk. Mix to combine.

If the glaze is too thick, add more milk to thin it out.

You can use a piping bag, or a spoon, or even a spouted cup to drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Storage

Store any cake leftovers in the refrigerator, in an airtight container. You can also freeze any leftover cake, by wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap, or foil.

Let the cake come to room temperature before serving.

Coffee Cake Variations

I have made this type of coffee cake in some different flavors, such as apples and blueberries. Here is the Apple Crumb Cake Recipe, and the Blueberry Coffee Cake.

You can also add chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans to the crumb topping.

Other ingredients you can add to the batter are: chopped peaches, chopped apples, blueberries, or chopped strawberries.

Square Coffee Cake

You can make this cake in a 8×8″ pan. Make the recipe the same exact way you would, but when it comes time to assemble the cake, use a square pan.

Spread half of the batter on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Top with the remaining batter.

Sprinkle the crumb over the batter.

Bake the cake in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I used a 8×8″ pan from USA Pan brand.

Tips for making moist coffee cakes

• Don’t over mix the batter. If you over mix the batter, the cake will turn out dry.
• When beating the sugar and butter, make sure to not over beat either, because that can make the cake dry too.
• Another thing that can make the cake dry is over baking it, so make sure to start checking the cake and seeing if it’s done baking at the 50 minute mark or so.
• When the cake comes out of the oven, let it cool down completely before cutting. While the cake cools down, it will continue to hydrate and cook.

If you like this recipe, here are some more recipes you may like:

• Apple Crumb Cake
• Apple Upside Down Cake
• Peach Cobbler Cake
• Lemon Bundt Cake
• Blueberry Coffee Cake
• Chocolate Orange Cake

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below or tag me on instagram. I love seeing your creations!

Coffee Cake

Camila Hurst

This Coffee Cake is simply delicious. A moist and soft crumb, with a Cinnamon Filling, topped with Streusel Crumb and Cream Cheese Glaze.

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 people

Calories 280 kcal

Ingredients

  

Streusel Crumb

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 76 grams
• 3 tbsp white sugar 42 grams
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar 42 grams
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter room temperature 75 grams

Cinnamon Filling

• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour 23 grams
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar 42 grams
• 1/2 tbsp cinnamon powder

Cake Batter

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 191 grams
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature 170 grams
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 grams
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 55 grams
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream 120 grams
• 3 tbsp milk 45 ml

Cream Cheese Glaze

• 1/4 cup cream cheese at room temperature 56 grams
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter 14 grams
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar 31 grams
• 1-3 tbsp milk

Instructions

 

Streusel Crumb

• Add the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon powder, and nutmeg to a bowl. Add the butter in. Use a fork to mix the butter and the flour/sugar until a crumbly mixture forms. All the butter should be incorporated with the dry ingredients.
• Place it in the fridge while you make the cake batter.

Cinnamon Filling

• In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set it aside.

Cake Batter

• Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.
• Line a 8” or 9” springform pan cake pan with parchment paper and spray it with oil. If using a 8″ pan, make sure it’s deep. Mine is 3” in height.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon powder. Set it aside.
• Use an electric mixer to beat the butter at medium speed for 1 minute. You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
• Add the granulated sugar, and brown sugar, and beat together with the butter for another 2 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Scrape the bowl every so often to ensure everything is getting nicely incorporated together.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding the next egg.
• Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
• Pour the sour cream in and mix.
• Add half of the dry ingredient mixture and mix on low to combine.
• Add the milk and mix.
• Finish by adding the last half of the dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
• You can also use the spatula instead of the mixer to fold the batter during this final stage. Avoid over mixing, to prevent the cake from turning out dry.

To assemble

• Spread 1/2 of the batter on the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Sprinkle the Cinnamon Filling on top of the batter on an even layer.
• Top with the remaining batter. Smooth it out gently.
• Sprinkle the crumb all over the top of the cake, on an even layer.

Baking

• Bake the cake in pre-heated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. If the crumble is browning too much towards the end, and the center is not yet cooked, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil.
• You will know the cake is done baking when you touch the top of the cake and doesn’t feel too jiggly in the center underneath the crumble layer. Also insert a toothpick in the cake, and should come out clean, without any gooey batter attached.
• Let the cake cool down before slicing.
• About baking: if using a convection oven bake at 325ºF. Baking time will vary depending on cake pan size and on your oven. Make sure to start checking at around 50 minutes, so you don’t end up over baking the cake.

Cream Cheese Glaze

• To make the glaze, beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and 1 tbsp of milk using a hand mixer. You can also use a whisk as long as you can vigorously whisk the mixture.
• Add more milk as needed to thin out the glaze. Or more powdered sugar in case it becomes too runny.
• Once the glaze is smooth, it’s ready.

Storage

• Store the cake in a sealed container without the glaze at room temperature for up to 2 days, or up to 5 days in the fridge. If you drizzle the glaze over the cake, it has to be stored in the fridge, because of the cream cheese.
• Once the cake has been stored in the fridge, it has to come to room temperature before being served.
• The cake can also be stored in the freezer. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and place it in an air-tight container. Store in the freezer for up to 1-2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and let it come to room temperature before serving it.

Notes

Sour Cream: Sour cream can be replaced by greek yogurt.

Baking: Time baking will depend on the size of pan you use. If you use a 9″ pan, it might cook faster, since the cake will be thinner. And if you use a 8″ cake pan, make sure it’s a deep one, to fit all the batter.

Cake pan: Line the cheesecake pan with parchment paper, and make sure to spray with oil. It helps if you cut slits around the parchment paper so you can fold the sides and tuck them in.

Keyword cake