Classic Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake is a classic and scrumptious breakfast or snack cake made with a tender vanilla cake and a brown sugar and cinnamon topping.

It’s an easy recipe that’s ready in less than an hour with just 10 minutes of prep! Serve it with Homemade Whipped Cream, vanilla ice cream, or Irish Coffee.

People usually wonder why coffee cake doesn’t actually have any coffee in it. In some regions, like the UK, it’s a sponge cake flavored with coffee. But here in the US, it is generally a sweet cake that is served with coffee or tea.

What Is Coffee Cake?

Coffee Cake comes in many different forms. Make a classically flavored cake like this one or indulge in a Blueberry Coffee Cake or Cherry Cheesecake Coffee Cake. However, the base will almost always be the same: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and milk. There may be different add-ins or it may have a simple sugar topping like this recipe does or a high crumble topping.

What I love about this recipe, the best coffee cake recipe, is that it’s very hands off. It takes about 10 minutes to prep the batter and there’s no need to let the butter soften or milk come to room temperature either!

How To Make Coffee Cake

It looks fancy, but coffee cake is really easy to make. As with any recipe, begin by preheating the oven and greasing the pan. Then gather the ingredients and start mixing!

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and cut in butter until crumbly.
2. Add in the wet ingredients and transfer into the prepared pan.
3. Make topping and sprinkle over top the batter. Use a butter knife to swirl the topping into the batter.
4. Bake until a toothpick comes clean from the center of the cake.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving. How simple is that?

This coffee cake recipe is best within 2 to 3 days stored at room temperature in an air-tight container. But you can also store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze it.

Does It Freeze Well?

Yes, it does! Once baked, allow the cake to cool to room temperature before wrapping in plastic wrap and placing inside an air-tight container. I love these 2-gallon freezer bags for storing larger baked goods in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy your cake, simply remove from the freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature for several hours.

More Breakfast Baked Goods We Love!

• Boston Cream Donuts – you’ll LOVE this donut hack!
• Blueberry French Toast Bake – great to feed a crowd
• Easy Banana Bread Recipe – made with mayonnaise!
• Sausage Breakfast Casserole – perfect for prepping overnight!
• Favorite Breakfast Cookies – great for busy mornings

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Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake is a classic and scrumptious breakfast or snack cake made with a tender vanilla cake and a brown sugar and cinnamon topping.

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Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 9 people

Author Rebecca

Equipment

• 8 x 8-inch Baking Pan
• Pastry Cutter
• Rubber Spatula
• Mixing Bowls

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Ingredients  

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Cake

• ▢ 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter cubed
• ▢ 1 large egg beaten
• ▢ ¾ cup whole milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

• ▢ 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ cup light brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped walnuts optional

Glaze

• ▢ 1 tablespoon water
• ▢ 6 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease an 8x8" square baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
• Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until a coarse crumb forms.
• Add in the egg, milk, and vanilla and mix with a rubber spatula just until combined. The batter will be lumpy. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
• In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar, then sprinkle it over the top of the batter in the pan. Use a butter knife to cut lines through the batter. Sprinkle the top with the chopped walnuts, if desired.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, then allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes on a cooling rack.
• Whisk together the water and powdered sugar to make the glaze and drizzle over the top of the cake before slicing and serving.

Notes

• Walnut may be omitted or swapped for chopped pecans instead. 
• Granulated sugar may be used in the topping instead of light brown sugar if you don't have any on hand.

4.97 from 155 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 286 | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 84mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

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