Nothing beats a good slice of coffee cake. This Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake is buttery, moist, and full of hints of sweet cinnamon spice. It's great to enjoy with your morning coffee!
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About this Cake
I love going to a café or bakery and getting a nice big piece of coffee cake. Something about the moist, buttery cake with sweet sugar and cinnamon feels so nostalgic. In addition to the crumbs on top? Absolutely divine!
So, I set out to make my own. This Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake has that same buttery and moist flavor with deliciously sweet hints of cinnamon spice. And it's got the perfect coffee cake stickiness! I basically pounded out three different variations of this recipe to get it just right. Each one was better than the last, but this one is perfect!
Enjoy a nice slice of this Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake with a cup of coffee or tea, as a mini after-breakfast dessert, or a snack throughout the day!
And if you're looking for more brunch treats, also try these Cinnamon Toast Crunch Muffins, these Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls, or these Frosted Strawberry Puff Pastry Pop Tarts, which I'm sure you'll love, too!
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter: We will use it in the cake batter and the crumb topping.
- Sugar: I used cane sugar. But you could also substitute coconut sugar. This goes in the batter, the filling, and the crumb topping.
- Greek Yogurt: I love the moist richness you get when baking with Greek yogurt. You can also substitute sour cream.
- Vanilla Extract: Aside from bringing it's own warm flavor, vanilla extract helps bring our other sweet flavors together.
- Flour: I used all purpose flour and have not tried any alternatives, so substitute with caution.
- Cinnamon: A classic coffee cake ingredient! Gives off such a warm flavor.
- Powdered sugar: To sweeten the glaze. This creates the perfect silky texture as opposed to using regular white sugar, which would end up fairly grainy.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
This coffee cake is DELICIOUS on it's own, but there are ways you can make it a little extra if you wanted to! Here are some ideas:
- Drizzle some icing, caramel, or chocolate sauce across the top.
- Bake in chocolate or butterscotch chips.
- Mix some nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans into the batter.
- Add fruit like apples, peaches, or blueberries!
- Play with the spices. I bet a Chai spice would taste fantastic!
How to Make This Recipe
Preheat oven to 350°F. Then, line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
You will need three separate mixing bowls for this recipe ranging from small to medium size. The cake batter will be the most voluminous, so save the biggest bowl for that batter.
First, let's start the filling:
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, ground cinnamon, and flour. Whisk until completely folded together. Set the bowl aside.
Next, let's do the crumb topping:
In another mixing bowl, combine room temperature butter, sugar, and brown sugar. You can do this with a pastry blender or use a handheld mixer on low. Fold in ground cinnamon, salt, and all purpose flour. Set aside.
Finally, we'll make the cake batter:
In your largest mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to blend a stick of room temperature butter and cane sugar. Then, add in Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract. Blend until the wet mixture is completely combined. Next, add in all dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Blend again until combined.
Now, let's layer:
Cake Layer: Add half of the cake batter to your greased pan. It’s going to be sticky, so I suggest using a rubber spatula to dollop a little into the pan at a time.
Cinnamon Sugar Layer: Next, add all of the filling. It will feel like you're adding too much, but it’s good to have a solid cinnamon sugar filling to get that cinnamon line throughout.
Cake Layer: Add the remaining cake batter into the pan by dolloping with a rubber spatula. Take your time to really spread it all out. Try not to mix it with the cinnamon sugar layer. See the images below if you need a demonstration.
Streusel Topping: Lastly, add the crumb topping to the top of the batter and spread in an even layer.
Let's bake!
Bake: Bake for 30-40 minutes. Depending on what size pan you use, watch the coffee cake closely in the final minutes. (NOTE: oven baking time will vary!!) Put a toothpick through the middle to ensure it’s baked all the way through.
Mix the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle onto the slightly cooled coffee cake. Then, ENJOY!!
Recipe FAQs
Once the cake has COMPLETELY COOLED (if you store it hot, steam will create extra moisture and you'll end up with soggy cake), store in an airtight container on the counter for two to three days or in the refrigerator for one week. Be sure to keep it covered. If you don't, it'll dry out quickly.
Coffee cake is a term given to cake that is best enjoyed with a cup of joe. The cake doesn’t actually have coffee in it. It’s usually a pretty sweet dessert like muffins, mini baked donuts, cinnamon rolls, or biscotti and typically has a icing or light dusting of sugar on top.
Coffee cake batter is thickkkkk. That's what makes it so good! When you’re pouring the coffee cake batter into your greased pan, you'll find it fairly sticky. I recommend spraying a rubber spatula with cooking spray to prevent sticking and adding the cake batter to the pan in small clumps. This will allow for smooth spreading. Also, it's important you use three separate bowls! Keeping each layer separate is key.
More Recipes You'll Love
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Recipe
Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9x13 baking dish
- parchment paper
- 3 mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Handheld mixer or pastry blender
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
For the filling
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp all purpose flour
For the crumb topping
- 4 tbsp butter, room temperature
- ½ cup cane sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
For the cake
- 1 stick butter, room temperature
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- cooking spray
For the icing
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 2-4 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Then, line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- You will need three separate mixing bowls for this recipe ranging from small to medium size. The cake batter will be the most voluminous, so save the biggest bowl for that batter.
First, let's make the filling:
- In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, ground cinnamon, and flour. Whisk until completely folded together. Set the bowl aside.
Next, we'll make the crumb topping:
- In another mixing bowl, combine room temperature butter, sugar, and brown sugar. You can do this with a pastry blender or use a handheld mixer on low. Fold in ground cinnamon, salt, and all purpose flour. Set aside.
Finally, make the cake batter:
- In your largest mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to blend a stick of room temperature butter and cane sugar. Then, add in Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract. Blend until the wet mixture is completely combined.
- Next, add in all dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Blend again until combined.
Now, let's layer:
- Add half of the cake batter to your greased pan. It’s going to be sticky, so I suggest using a rubber spatula to dollop a little into the pan at a time.
- Next, add all of the filling. It will feel like you're adding too much, but it’s good to have a solid cinnamon sugar filling to get that cinnamon line throughout.
- Add the remaining cake batter into the pan by dolloping with a rubber spatula. Take your time to really spread it all out. Try not to mix it with the cinnamon sugar layer. See the images in my post above if you need a demonstration.
- Lastly, add the crumb topping to the top of the batter.
Time to bake!
- Bake for 30-40 minutes. Depending on what size pan you use, watch the coffee cake closely in the final minutes. Put a toothpick through the middle to ensure it’s baked all the way through.
For the icing:
- In a mixing bowl, use a high speed hand mixer to beat powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk together until a glaze icing forms. Add tablespoons of milk one at a time until desired texture is reached.
- Drizzle onto slightly cooled coffee cake and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
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I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Tracey Glaser says
This looks AMAZING!!
Annie says
Delicious! Perfect for Christmas morning! The perfect amount of sweetness! Thank you!
Kim says
The house smells so warm and sweet! Love!!!! Thanks for the recipe!
Macy Kerr says
This cake quite literally melts in your mouth! I am obsessed with it! While eating it I kept thinking about how I should replace my Birthday cake this year with this coffee cake!
Laura says
I don't see the ingredients listed or directions for the icing?
Courtney Paige says
Hey Laura, The post has been updated to reflect the icing ingredients and directions. Thanks so much!
Erin Agrusa says
Easy to make & absolutely delicious! I plan to make for our family Christmas brunch!
Courtney Paige says
Some people go to bed thinking about their morning coffee, I go to bed thinking about this morning coffee CAKE. WOW is it amazing!
Sydney Van Acker says
woah this was so tasty. the LAYERS were just amazing. light, fluffy, decadent. all the things coffee cake should be
Charlotte says
Made this for a long weekend trip into the mountains and was eaten before Saturday! Easy to make and delicious!