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!
I call this recipe the best coffee cake recipe because this 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 tastes 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!
For more coffee and cake treats try my Coffee Cake Cookies or these Espresso Chip Coffee Cookies.
Jump to:
Important Ingredients with Substitutions

- 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.
- Milk - Use your preferred milk option here. Whole milk will deliver the best results
- 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 the recipe below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
Instructions for coffee cake
Preheat oven to 350 F. Then lightly grease your chosen pan.

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl add oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Whisk or blend on medium speed to combine then set aside.

Step 2: In a medium bowl sift to combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the flour mixture to combine.

Step 3: Make the cake batter by combining the flour mixture and egg mixture together.

Step 4: Pour half the batter into your prepared baking dish or cake pan.

Step 5: 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.

Step 6: Pour the remaining batter into the prepared pan.

Step 7: Make your streusel layer with the last half of the brown sugar and cinnamon streusel mixture.

Step 8: Drizzle the melted butter mixture over the top layer before baking.
Step 9: 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.
Step 10: Remove the cake from the oven, set it aside, and allow it to cool completely before serving.
Level Up with a Top Tip!
Hint: Serve with a vanilla glaze or a scoop of vanilla ice cream or this tasty Affogato.
Storage Recommendations
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.
Best served warm but is just as delicious at room temperature or cold. Reheat in 10-second increments in the microwave.
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.

Level Up With Expert Tips & Tricks
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.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! 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.
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.
Similar Sweets
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Coffee Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F, prepare your baking dish by spraying a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl add oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Whisk to combine.
- In a medium bowl sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Combine mixtures together in the large bowl.
- Pour ½ of the mixture into your prepared baking dish.
- In a small bowl combine brown sugar and cinnamon, whisk together and sprinkle half of this mixture on top of your cake batter.
- Pour the rest of the batter into your baking dish and gently spread evenly, then top with the last half of the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
- Drizzle the melted butter over the top of your coffee cake batter before baking.
- Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil then bake again for another 15 minutes.
- Serve warm with a nice cup of coffee!
Francesca Knoch
Cannot wait to try this recipie! Looks so delicious !
april.brown0787
Thank you! <3
Dannii
I love anything with coffee and cinnamon and this did not disappoint. So much flavour.
Ieva
I love a good recipe that I can use for making a great cake with all the ingredients I already have at home! I found myself in desperate need of something sweet with my coffee so started searching for something to make with very basic ingredients that I had left at home. And I am so glad to have found your recipe! Great cake, perfect texture, and so easy!
Beth
Cinnamon and coffee are such a great flavour combination! This cake looks delicious and perfect with a cup of coffee!
Katherine
This looks like coffee cake perfection! Yum!