Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (2024)

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This Classic Coffee Cake Recipe is soft and tender with a ribbon of cinnamon in the middle and a crumbly buttery brown sugar topping!

Coffee Cake is one of our FAVORITE weekend breakfasts, served with fruit salad or a side of Fluffy Scrambled Eggs.

Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (1)

This recipe for coffee cake is tried and true, best eaten nice and warm with a tall glass of milk, coffee, or hot chocolate.

Classic Coffee Cake

My favorite thing about coffee cake is that it can be enjoyed for dessert, breakfast, or an afternoon snack! Coffee cake does not have coffee in it, but is meant to be eaten with tea or coffee.

I made this coffee cake recipe without sour cream and it is one of my favorites because of the lovely crumbly topping with brown sugar and the nice cinnamon sugar filling going right through the center of the cake. So delicious!

Ingredients Needed

Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need in order to make this Classic Coffee Cake. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.

  • Eggs
  • Sugar – brown and white granulated for the topping and cake
  • Flour – all-purpose
  • Vegetable Oil – or canola oil
  • Baking Powder – rising agent for the cake
  • Cinnamon – the star of the show, adds so much flavor!
  • Butter – for the topping
Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (2)

How To Make Coffee Cake

It’s easy to make the coffee cake batter and simple four-ingredient filling/topping. Don’t forget to preheat the oven to 350℉ before you start.

Mix Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk vegetable oil, and vanilla extra and mix until combined and smooth.

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Mix Dry Ingredients

Add into the wet ingredients the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk until combined. Set aside.

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Make Topping

In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, cold butter, and flour.

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Use clean hands to pinch the butter into the brown sugar and flour, creating a crumbly and coarse topping.

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Assemble the Cake

Pour half of the cake batter into a greased 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish.

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Sprinkle 1/3 of the brown sugar topping over the batter. Pour the remaining cake batter over the top, then sprinkle the remaining brown sugar topping over the batter.

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Bake Coffee Cake

Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool slightly before serving. You may serve the cake warm or let it cool completely, but I believe coffee cake is best when served warm.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

  • Once you add in the dry ingredients, mix the batter until combined and no flour pockets are left but don’t mix it too much. Overmixing can cause it to have a rubbery texture when baked.
  • The vegetable oil can be swapped for melted butter if you want an even more rich taste.
  • Switch out a teaspoon of vanilla for almond or rum extract for a different but delicious flavor profile!
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Make Ahead and Storage

It’s really easy to make this coffee cake ahead of time!

Make Ahead: You can make it the night before and bake it or simply refrigerate it before baking and bake it in the morning.

To Store: Cover with plastic wrap once cooled and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

To Freeze:Once cooled, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Common Questions

What makes a coffee cake a coffee cake?

It’s a single-layer cake meant to be enjoyed with coffee. Common variations include a cinnamon flavor and sugary streusel topping, or a fruit-filled center.

Can you bake it with sour cream?

Some variations call for sour cream, but this recipe does not have sour cream in it.

Does Coffee Cake have coffee in it?

Not necessarily. While some versions do, most versions don’t!

What is the difference between coffee cake and cinnamon streusel cake?

While both versions are similar, the coffee cake has a thinner layer of streusel on top or no streusel at all and sometimes has a filling in the middle, while streusel cakes have a nice thick layer on top.

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More Delicious Breakfast Cake Recipes

Sometimes cake for breakfast is the thing to do, especially for holidays or weekends! Here are some of our favorites. Make sure to try at least one!

  • Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake
  • Cream Cheese Raspberry Coffee Cake
  • Super Easy Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe
  • Buttermilk Cranberry Cake

This is a much loved coffee cake recipe in our house. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (11)

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Classic Coffee Cake Recipe

This Classic Coffee Cake Recipe is fluffy with a ribbon of cinnamon in the middle and a crumbly buttery brown sugar topping!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 people

Calories: 431 kcal

Author: Shawn

Ingredients

For The Topping

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13" baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

  • In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until combined.

  • Add in 3 cups all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt and whisk until combined. Set aside.

  • Combine the ingredients for the topping (brown sugar, cinnamon, cold butter and flour) in a medium bowl and use clean hands to pinch the butter into the brown sugar and flour, creating a crumbly and coarse topping.

  • Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and then sprinkle 1/3 of the topping over the batter. Pour the remaining cake batter over the top, then sprinkle the remaining brown sugar topping over the batter.

  • Bake the cake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool slightly before serving. You may serve the cake warm or let cool completely. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 332IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 2mg

Keywords: coffee cake

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?don’t forget to share a picture and mention @iwashyoudry on Instagram or tag #iwashyoudry!

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Classic Coffee Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes a coffee cake a coffee cake? ›

The difference between coffee cake and regular cake is the topping. Coffee cake and regular cake are made with the same ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, and butter and a leavening agent like baking powder. The difference is that instead of frosting on top, coffee cakes have crumble or streusel.

How do you keep coffee cake moist? ›

Add syrup or glaze: To keep a coffee cake moist and add extra flavor, consider brushing it with a simple syrup or glaze made from sugar, butter, and coffee. This will help to lock in moisture and prevent the cake from drying out.

What is the difference between American and British coffee cake? ›

Despite what the name suggests, American versions of coffee cake rarely include coffee flavoring these days. This is not the case with British coffee cake, which is far more similar to a traditional cake as compared to the recipe that's so beloved in America.

What is the difference between crumble cake and coffee cake? ›

The main difference between the two cakes is the amount of streusel topping. Crumb cake has a thicker layer of streusel topping than coffee cake. Coffee cake can also be made without the streusel topping. You might also see that there's a New York-style crumb cake as well, which has much bigger crumbs.

What is the fancy name for coffee cake? ›

American Coffee cake—also referred to as gugelhupf or Austrian German: kaffekuchen—evolved from other sweet dishes from Vienna. In the 17th century, Northern/Central Europeans are thought to have come up with the idea of eating sweet cakes while drinking coffee.

Why is a coffee cake called a buckle? ›

A buckle is a funny name for an old fashioned fruit studded coffee cake. Like many other desserts in the extended cobbler family buckles take their name from their appearance—grunts grunt as they cook, slumps slump when served, buckles—you guessed it—buckle.

Why is my coffee cake so dry? ›

A dry cake is usually the result of one of the following pitfalls: using the wrong ingredients, making mistakes while measuring or mixing the batter, or baking the cake too long or at too high a temperature. Once you understand which common cake-baking blunders to avoid, you'll know how to bake a moist cake every time.

Why is my coffee cake batter so thick? ›

It might be meant to be thick or you missed something or put too much of a dry ingredient in. You could just add a little water or milk to loosen it up. You could just bake it see what comes out. If it is very dense try soaking it with a bit of syrup.

Can I use both butter and oil in cake? ›

Oh yes, you sure can. This recipe has a combination of butter and oil to give off that nice buttery taste while keeping it soft and moist at the same time. Cake using pure butter tends to be more dense and dry compared to adding oil into the batter.

What is the favorite kind of cake in USA? ›

Top 10 Most Popular Cakes in America
  • Classic Chocolate Cake: No list of popular cakes would be complete without the classic chocolate cake. ...
  • Red Velvet Cake: ...
  • Carrot Cake: ...
  • Lemon Pound Cake: ...
  • Vanilla Sponge Cake: ...
  • German Chocolate Cake: ...
  • Strawberry Shortcake: ...
  • Cheesecake:
May 25, 2023

Is a king cake a coffee cake? ›

The name “king cake” comes from the Biblical story of the three kings who bring gifts to Baby Jesus. A blend of coffee cake and cinnamon roll, king cake is usually iced in yellow, green and purple – the colors of Mardi Gras -- and is frequently packed with fruit fillings and decadent cream cheeses.

What is cake called in England? ›

Sponge - The word sponge is sometimes used interchangeably with cake, but specifically refers to a cake made with butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and a rising agent to make the texture light and airy. Strong Flour - Strong flour is the same thing as bread flour or hard flour.

Is cinnamon crumb cake the same as coffee cake? ›

Additionally, the texture varies between crumb cakes and coffee cakes. Because the crumbs on a coffee cake are smaller in size and amount, coffee cakes are rather soft. Crumb cakes, on the other hand, have a crunchy texture. Keep in mind that the best bakeries do not sacrifice moistness for crunch.

What is the difference between a smash cake and a regular cake? ›

A smash cake is a mini cake made just for your baby. It's called a “smash'' cake because babies just can't resist digging in when given their very own little cake. These cakes are usually four to six inches in diameter and anywhere between one to three tiers. When it comes to flavor and decor, the sky's the limit.

What is birthday cake coffee? ›

It's our birthday too, yeah…” Celebrate your birthday with our newest flavor, Birthday Cake. This sweet flavored coffee tastes so much like the real thing it should have a candle! Delight in the scrumptious flavors of rich vanilla and creamy butter found in a traditional sugar-coated birthday cake.

What makes coffee cake different from cake? ›

Where regular cakes typically have frosting or glaze, coffee cake does not. Instead, it often has some type of crumb or streusel topping that is typically made with a combination of flour, sugar, butter, and cinnamon.

Why is it called coffee cake if it doesn't have coffee? ›

These were adapted from Kuchen (cookie/cake) and Gugelhupf (spice cake). Coffee and other ingredients to make the cake were expensive and a little rare so to have coffee in the cake was not needed.

Does a coffee cake have coffee in it? ›

Curiously, coffee cake contains zero coffee itself. I think (and I am totally speculating here) that it's meant to be served with coffee, sort of in the tradition of tea. My sleuthing on the internet points to origins in German yeasted cakes, but it's not entirely clear.

What's the difference between coffee cake and tea cake? ›

Tea cakes are pastries to be eaten with tea. They are usually individully sized. Coffee cake is a cake made with brewed coffee as ingredient or flavoring. Some coffee cakes are just spice cakes or dense cakes with a glaze meant to be eat...

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