The Best Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This delicious Coffee Cake is a sweet accompaniment to a bold cup of coffee or cappuccino. Fluffy center with a crunchy top, this coffee cake will be a hit for any coffee, breakfast, or brunch date!

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Mix it, Bake it, & Eat Cinnamon Coffee Cake

I call this recipe the best coffee cake recipe because this cinnamon streusel coffee cake recipe is a perfect balance of moist coffee cake and that signature cinnamon sugar streusel topping that is layered throughout the cake.

Removing the foil during baking allows the sugars on top to caramelize and let coarse crumbs form giving the appearance of a crunchy cinnamon swirl. It truly taste amazing and is the perfect breakfast treat.

My favorite time to serve this is at a Mother’s Day or a Father’s Day gathering. Start your Christmas morning make this coffee cake with your kiddos. Or have a slice of coffee cake and a cup of coffee after dinner. I love it. My husband and I are HUGE fans of the after-dinner coffee!

Coffee Cake Ingredients

Oil – Preferably Canola Oil, it’s colorless and a bit healthier compared to Vegetable Oil. If you prefer, you can replace the oil with sour cream.

Large Eggs – Room temperature is best, pull eggs out of the fridge about 30 minutes before prepping the coffee cake.

Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract will bring the best flavor. Using imitation vanilla will also work just fine.

Milk – Use your preferred milk option here. Whole milk will deliver the best results

Sugar – White granulated sugar

All-purpose flour – As with most recipes that require all-purpose flour, the best practice is to weigh it, as measured with a cup/scoop sometimes results in too much flour. If you do not have a kitchen scale, fluff up your flour, with a spoon, scoop the flour into the measuring cup then level off with a butter knife.

Baking powder

Salt – A bit of salt in a sweet dessert is perfect for balancing out flavors, and even enhancing flavors as well.

Brown sugar – Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, whichever you have available to you will do. I enjoy dark brown sugar, the added molasses create more depth of flavor. Personally, I mix light and dark brown sugar together.

Ground cinnamon

Unsalted Butter -Unsalted melted butter.

*see recipe card for detailed measurements

Kitchen supplies you’ll need

• 9×13 baking pan
• Hand whisk
• Sifter
• Rubber spatula or large spoon
• Mixing bowl
• Aluminum Foil

How to make The Best Coffee Cake Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 F. Then lightly grease your chosen pan.

In a large mixing bowl add oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Whisk or blend on medium speed to combine then set aside.

In a medium bowl sift to combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the flour mixture to combine.

Make the cake batter by combining the flour mixture and egg mixture together.

Pour half the batter into your prepared baking dish or cake pan.

In a small bowl make the cinnamon streusel topping by combining brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle half of crumb topping on top of your cake batter.

We’re not quite making a streusel topping, as we haven’t included butter or flour, but more like a sweet crumb topping. Creating the cinnamon sugar layer in the middle of the cake is going to, even more so, ensure a tender crumb cake with that yummy cinnamon flavor layered throughout.

Pour the remaining batter into the prepared pan, then make your streusel layer with the last half of the brown sugar and cinnamon streusel mixture.

Drizzle the melted butter mixture over the top layer before baking.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil then bake again for another 15 minutes. To signal doneness, a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven, set it aside, and allow it to cool completely before serving.

Expert Tips For A Perfect Cinnamon Coffee Cake Recipe

• Optional – Bake in a greased or lined muffin tin for individual potions
• Change up the spices! Swap cinnamon for ground nutmeg and allspice.
• Add diced apples and replace the cinnamon with apple pie spice. Baking time may be longer due to the added moisture of the apples.
• For a bit of crunch add chopped toasted pecans.

Cinnamon Crumb Cake Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a vanilla glaze or a scoop of vanilla ice cream or this tasty Affogato.
• Best served warm but is just as delicious at room temperature or cold. Reheat in 10-second increments in the microwave.

Storage Suggestions

Store in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap either at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.

Can I freeze coffee cake? You can freeze coffee cake. Wrap in either aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place in a freezer Ziploc bag. This will store for 2 – 3 months.

Can you make Coffee Cake in muffin tins?

Yes! How fun! Check on the cake often as the timing may be different than the actual cake. Just to note, I have not tested this recipe as muffins.

Make the coffee cake recipe and the cinnamon brown sugar filling the same way. Then layer your muffin pans appropriately with a layer of cinnamon filling.

Will make around 12 regular sized coffee cake muffins.

Why is it called Coffee Cake?

Surely you were expecting this recipe to have actual coffee in it right?! Nope!

Coffee cake, like a tea cake, is meant to eat alongside a strong cup of coffee or tea. The coffee cake can have many variations but typically consist of a streusel topping with a spiced cake. Added fruit, nuts, or custard are among a few additions to a coffee cake.

Truly, if you eat a cake alongside a coffee, does that make it a coffee cake as well? Looks like all of my cakes are coffee cakes then! Ha!

Tools I use

9 x 13 baking pan

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Kitchen scale

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Sifter

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Try these other delicious recipes!

• Easy Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake with Sour Cream
• Oreo Cheesecake No Bake
• Easy Tiramisu without Alcohol
• No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake with Cool Whip
• Crockpot Cake
• German Cake Muffins

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