Easy Coffee Cake Recipe

We are obsessed with this Easy Coffee Cake Recipe! I’ve made it twice already and every time, I’m impressed by how fluffy the cake gets. The streusel pairs so well with the fluffy cake. Each time I made it, I used Greek yogurt and it works great. This coffee cake is perfectly sweet and that’s great for my family because we don’t like things that are too sweet.

— Eva

You can never go wrong with a perfectly sweet, scrumptious, tender Coffee Cake! And you’re going to love this easy-to-follow recipe. You’ll notice this homemade version is not like the overly-sweet, fake-tasting store-bought ones you may have tried. The cake has a wonderful buttery, vanilla flavor with the perfect soft and moist texture. And the crunch from the cinnamon sugar crumb topping is quite irresistible. In fact, my daughter told me this is her favorite thing I’ve ever made!

Because my daughter loves this coffee cake recipe so much, we’ve made it more times than I could count. She even makes it herself now! I love to enjoy a piece with a morning (or afternoon) cup of coffee or hot tea. Such a wonderful treat!

Ingredients needed

This crumb cake recipe is made with simple ingredients to give it an incredible soft, moist crumb, plus delicious sweet flavor. Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need to make it:

• Streusel topping. A simple mix of all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon and melted butter makes for a sweet crunchy layer that pairs so well with the tender cake. So good!
• Flour. For the perfect texture, you need regular all-purpose flour. I have not experimented with using different flour varieties for this recipe.
• Baking soda and baking powder. Helps the cake rise!
• Salt. Really brings all of the flavors together!
• Cinnamon. We’re adding plenty of cinnamon for that warm, cozy taste.
• Unsalted butter. Adds incredible moisture and lightens up the crumb. If you only have salted butter, reduce the 1/2 teaspoon salt called for in the recipe to 1/4 teaspoon.
• Granulated sugar. Sweetens the cake and gives it amazing flavor and texture. You could use brown sugar, if you’d like.
• Egg. One egg is needed to add moisture and bind the ingredients together.
• Sour cream. Feel free to use full fat or light sour cream to achieve the perfect moist texture. Plain whole milk yogurt or Greek yogurt works great too!
• Vanilla extract. Flavor booster!
• Glaze. Optional, but highly recommend (not seen in photos). A simple mixture of powdered (confectioners’) sugar and milk drizzled over the top is incredible.

How to make this recipe

Coffee cake looks fancy, but it is really easy to make. Before starting the recipe, preheat the oven and either grease the baking dish or line it with parchment paper. Then, grab all of the ingredients and start mixing!

Make the cinnamon streusel

1. Dry ingredients. In a small bowl whisk together flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
2. Melted butter. Stir in melted butter. Use your hands to really mix it up good.
3. Set it aside and make the cake layer.

Make the cake

1. Dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar. Add the butter and sugar to a separate mixing bowl and use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer (with the paddle attachment) on medium speed to combine ingredients for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add wet ingredients. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed and then add the egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix for 1 minute until combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on low speed and gradually add the flour mixture to the butter/sour cream mixture. Mix until just combined and smooth, again, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Assemble & Bake

1. Pour batter into pan. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Spread it out with a spatula. It will seem very thin, but don’t worry, it will bake up nice and fluffy.
2. Streusel topping. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the top and gently press down with your fingers. It might seem like too much streusel, but we really enjoyed the amount.
3. Bake. Place in an oven that has been preheated to 350ºF and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Mine is done in 30 minutes.
4. Enjoy! Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes. Once cool, you can add stir together the optional glaze and drizzle it over the top. Slice and enjoy!

Expert tips

This coffee cake recipe with crumb topping is really straight-forward and easy to make, but here are a few tips so it’s perfect every time.

• Follow the recipe. For best results, I highly recommend following the recipe and using the exact ingredients I’ve listed.
• Correct measuring. To ensure the correct amount of flour and best cake results, whisk the flour, then spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the top with a straight edge.
• Room temperature ingredients. We recommend bringing the butter, egg, and sour cream to room temperature before getting started. All of the ingredients will mix together more easily and you won’t have to worry about over-mixing the batter.
• Do not over-mix the batter. Over-mixing the batter can result in a dry, tough baked goods. You can even mix in the last little bit of the dry ingredients by hand. Here’s more info on over mixing and why it should be avoided.
• Leftovers. If you’re enjoying this the next day, give it 10-20 seconds in the microwave. We love it a bit warm!

Frequently asked questions

Variations

This easy coffee cake recipe is perfect as-is, but it’s also easily adaptable to include other spices and add-ins. Here’s some tasty options:

• Spices. Swap the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice.
• Nuts. Add 1/3 cup of finely chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans to the streusel topping for a delicious crunch.
• Glaze. Highly recommend! Make a glaze by mixing 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar with 1 to 2 teaspoons milk. Mix until smooth and drizzle over the cooled cake.
• Powdered sugar. Dust the top of the cooled cake with a bit of confectioners’ sugar.
• Fruit. Give my apple coffee cake a try. So good and perfect for the fall season!

Storage recommendations

• Leftovers. This is best within 2 to 3 days, stored at room temperature in an airtight container. I doubt it will last much longer than that, but you can also store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze it.
• To freeze. Allow to cool to room temperature and then wrap it in plastic wrap, put it inside an airtight container and into the freezer for up to around 2 months. When you’re ready to eat, let it thaw at room temperature for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
• To reheat. If you’d like to enjoy warm, reheat in the microwave for 10 second increments until desired warmth. To heat in the oven, remove any plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and heat for 6-8 minutes or until warm.

This is the best coffee cake I’ve ever tasted, it’s perfect for an everyday dessert, birthday parties, wedding showers, you name it! You better believe, I’ll be serving it for Christmas morning brunch!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.