Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This is the best coffee cake recipe that you will come by! And you will love the cinnamon streusel topping!!

This is a classic Cinnamon Coffee Cake. Cinnamon streusel topping and a ribbon of brown sugar filling make this moist cake perfect for breakfast or brunch. #cinnamoncoffeecake #bestcoffeecake www.savoryexperiments.com


 

My mornings start at 5:30 a.m. and are usually pretty rushed… and zombie like. I try to get everything I need for the next day ready the night before so I can literally just jump into my clothes and make it into the office on time.

Do you know what the first thing I think of when my alarm clock goes off is? My first sip of coffee.

And do you know what pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee on a busy work morning? A slice of warm cinnamon coffee cake of course.

So instead of running through the drive thru for a quick breakfast sandwich, prep this coffee cake on Sunday and enjoy it all week long.

Switch your routine for one week and then come back and tell me how it went. I can’t wait to hear from you! I also hope you enjoy my Cinnamon Coffee Cake, which complements a cup of Joe perfectly.

Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Coffee Cake

An easy cake with moist crumbs and full of cinnamon flavor- what’s not to love!

  • Perfect texture – From kids to adults, this great recipe is a hit with family members of all ages with it’s light crumb and moist cake.
  • Versatile – You can serve this cake as an afternoon snack, a dessert after dinner or even with your morning coffee for breakfast.
  • Full of cinnamon flavor – The cinnamon sugar flavor is throughout the entire cake from the inside to the topping.
This is a classic Coffee Cake Recipe. Cinnamon streusel topping and a ribbon of brown sugar filling make this moist cake perfect for breakfast, brunch or serving with afternoon tea.

Ingredients

I bet you already have most if not all ingredients needed to make this homemade coffee cake recipe.

  • Brown sugar – We use both dark brown sugar and regular brown sugar for this recipe. Dark brown for the filling and regular for the cake mix.
  • Ground cinnamon – Because this is a cinnamon coffee cake, we use it in all three aspects- the filling, cake mix and crumb topping.
  • Unsalted butter – Unsalted butter is always better to bake with because it allows you to control the amount of salt. Room temperature butter is easier to work with.
  • Sugar – White granulated sugar provides the perfect amount of sweet to both the cake mix and the sweet cinnamon streusel on top.
  • Salt – If using salted butter, you can omit this ingredient altogether. 
  • Baking powder – We need a leavening agent to this cake, and baking powder does just that.
  • Vanilla – Vanilla extract adds such a warmth to baked goods like this homemade cinnamon coffee cake recipe.
  • Eggs – Eggs add a richness to a delicious cake like this. It also helps to create a tender crumb.
  • Plain yogurt – You can use Greek yogurt for more of a tang, but plain yogurt with no flavor or added sugar works as well.
  • Skim milk – I usually use full fat milk, but because we’re using yogurt, skim milk works just fine here. 
  • Flour – All purpose flour is perfect for making this flavorful cake. I’ve never tried cake flour or gluten free flour but would love to hear in the comments if you do!
This is a classic Coffee Cake Recipe. Cinnamon streusel topping and a ribbon of brown sugar filling make this moist cake perfect for breakfast, brunch or serving with afternoon tea.

How to Make Cinnamon Coffee Cake

You are going to love how easy it is to make this cinnamon crumb coffee cake.

  1. Prepare oven and pan. Preheat oven and coat or grease a baking pan.
  2. Cream butter and sugars. In a large bowl, whip butter until light and fluffy. Add both sugars and continue to blend well.
  3. Salt, baking powder, vanilla and yogurt. Add salt, baking powder and vanilla, mixing well. Add yogurt and continue to blend.
  4. Eggs. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing completely between additions.
  5. Combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients. Alternate adding milk and flour until fully incorporated. Set aside.
  6. Make filling. In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients for cinnamon layer. Mix will be dry and crumbly.
  7. Add to pan. Pour half of cake batter into prepared pan, spread evenly. Top with filling. Spoon remaining batter on top of filling. Gently spread out over filling.
  8. Streusel topping. In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients for cinnamon streusel topping, blend well until all dry ingredients have been moistened. Mixture will be dry and crumbly.
  9. Sprinkle streusel over top of the batter. Evenly sprinkle over cake batter, patting down lightly.
  10. Bake. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly on wire rack before serving.

Variations

Unfortunately with baking there aren’t many substitutes, but here are a few ways to make this coffee crumb cake your own.

  • Cream cheese glaze – In addition to the crumb topping you add to the top of the cake, you could make a simple cream cheese glaze to drizzle on top.
  • Coffee cake muffins – Instead of baking this perfect treat in a rectangular or square pan, try making muffins. Be sure to adjust your baking time accordingly.
  • Cinnamon swirl – Instead of just a ribbon of cinnamon in the middle, you can take a knife and swirl it around a bit to make more of a cinnamon roll coffee cake.
  • Nuts – If you’re nuts about nuts like I am, stir in some chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter. You could even sprinkle them on top.
This is a classic Coffee Cake Recipe. Cinnamon streusel topping and a ribbon of brown sugar filling make this moist cake perfect for breakfast, brunch or serving with afternoon tea.

Storage and Freezing

How to Store Leftover Coffee Cake

Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. It’s a good idea to wrap in plastic wrap to ensure the cake stays moist. I also give mine a quick 10-15 second zap in the microwave to heat it up.

Can You Freeze Coffee Cake?

You can also freeze this cake. Wrap individual slices tightly with plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cinnamon crumb cake the same as coffee cake?

Although they are very similar, a cinnamon crumb cake has a thicker streusel layer.

What makes a coffee cake a coffee cake?

In most of the world, coffee cake means it’s made with coffee. However in the United States, it’s just a dessert cake intended to be eaten with coffee.

What makes coffee cake different from cake?

The only real difference is that coffee cake isn’t topped with frosting or icing like regular cake is.

More Coffee Cake Recipes

There’s nothing like a moist coffee cake to pair with your morning cup of coffee. Here are some of our favorites.

Side view of a coffee cake with sliced strawberries

Maple Coffee Cake

4.45 from 36 votes
Maple Coffee Cake is an easy cake recipe using real maple syrup and pancake mix for a quick and easy breakfast cake recipe. 
See The Recipe!
basket of carrot cake muffins

Carrot Cake Muffins

4.50 from 12 votes
Carrot Cake Muffins are muffins loaded with carrots and stuffed with cream cheese frosting. Perfect for breakfast, brunch or a snack. Also freezer-friendly! 
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Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins-- like eating strawberries 'n cream cupcakes for breakfast!! Strawberry shortcake, in a muffin, super moist and creamy using fresh or frozen strawberries. www.savoryexperiments.com

Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

4.66 from 35 votes
Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins are soft muffins using fresh strawberries, rich cream cheese and a brown sugar streusel topping. 
See The Recipe!
This is a classic Coffee Cake Recipe. Cinnamon streusel topping and a ribbon of brown sugar filling make this moist cake perfect for breakfast, brunch or serving with afternoon tea.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

4.67 from 3 votes
This is a classic Coffee Cake Recipe. Cinnamon streusel topping and a ribbon of brown sugar filling make this moist cake perfect for breakfast, brunch or serving with afternoon tea.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients

Filling

Cake Mix

Cinnamon Streusel

Instructions

Coffee Cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat or grease a 9×13 baking pan.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or large mixing bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add both of the sugars and continue to cream until light and fluffy.
  • Add the salt, baking powder and vanilla, mixing well. Add the yogurt and continue to blend.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing completely between additions.
  • Alternate adding the milk and the flour until fully incorporated. Set aside.

Cinnamon Streusel Topping:

  • Using two forks or a pastry cutter, blend together the flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt. Mix will be dry and crumbly.

Assembly:

  • Pour 1/2 of the cake batter into the prepared 9×13 baking dish, spread evenly. Top with half of the cinnamon streusel. Spoon the remaining batter on top of streusel. It might not be totally covered, this is fine. Top with the remaining streusel topping.
  • Bake for 60 minutes, or until cake passes toothpick test. Allow to sit for 20 minutes before serving.
  • If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Nutrition

Calories: 471 kcal, Carbohydrates: 84 g, Protein: 6 g, Fat: 12 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 62 mg, Sodium: 253 mg, Potassium: 199 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 54 g, Vitamin A: 450 IU, Vitamin C: 0.1 mg, Calcium: 110 mg, Iron: 2.2 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 471
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: coffee cake recipe, coffee cake with struesel
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
This is a classic Cinnamon Coffee Cake. Cinnamon streusel topping and a ribbon of brown sugar filling make this moist cake perfect for breakfast or brunch. #cinnamoncoffeecake #bestcoffeecake www.savoryexperiments.com
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Jessica Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and food lover behind Savory Experiments. She is obsessed with butter, salt and bacon and spends all her time in the kitchen and behind a camera. Jessica is a contributor to PopKitchen by Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more!

Read More About Jessica

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Questions and Reviews

    1. Auntie Patch, my oversight, thank you for pointing that out! 3 eggs and it has now been added. Have a lovely day!