The Best Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This 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!

How to make The Best Coffee Cake Recipe

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

I hope you love this absolutely delicious recipe as much as I do!

Let me know where you decided to serve this in the comments. I added this to my list of brunch recipes, and family gathering desserts.

My favorite time to serve this is at a Mothers Day or Fathers Day get-together. Have a slice of Coffee Cake and a cup of coffee after dinner. I love it. HUGE fan of the after-dinner coffee!

Coffee Cake Ingredients

Oil – Preferably Canola Oil, it’s colorless and a bit healthier compared to Vegetable Oil. Avocado oil or light pressed olive oil will also work well.

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 measuring with a cup/scoop doesn’t always result in the proper amount. 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 creates more depth of flavor. Personally, I mix light brown sugar and dark brown sugar.

Cinnamon – 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

Mix it, Bake it, & Eat it!

Preheat oven to 350 F.

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 to combine.

Combine the flour mixture and egg mixture together in the large bowl. This will almost come together with a pancake batter consistency.

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

In a small bowl combine brown sugar and cinnamon sugar filling, whisk together and sprinkle half of this mixture on top of your cake batter. We’re not quite making a streusel topping, as we haven’t included butter or flour. Creating the brown sugar and cinnamon layer in the middle of the cake is going to, even more so, ensure a tender crumb to the cake.

Pour the remaining half the batter into your baking dish, then top with the last half of the brown sugar and cinnamon streusel mixture.

Drizzle the melted butter over the top layer before baking.

Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil then bake again for another 15 minutes. To check for doneness a toothpick inserted should come out clean.

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

Can you make Coffee Cake in muffin tins?

Yes! How fun!

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

Will make around 18 muffins, or mini coffee cakes if you will.

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 a cuppa 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!

Tips for Baking, Eating, & Storing

Baking

-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 pecans. You can add toasted pecans or raw pecans.

Eating

-Serve with a vanilla glaze or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

-Best served warm but is just as delicious at room temperature or cold. Re-heat in 10-second increments in the microwave.

Storing

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

-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.

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
• Easy Candied Pecans and Almonds
• Easy Nilla Wafer Banana Pudding Trifle
• The Best Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping

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