Introduction

Oh, coffee cake! Just the name itself brings back so many wonderful memories, doesn’t it? I can almost smell the sweet cinnamon and feel the tender crumb of a perfectly baked coffee cake, like the one my grandma used to make. This Cinnamon Coffee Cake with Streusel Crumb Topping is a recipe that’s close to my heart. It’s the kind of dessert that makes your kitchen smell like a cozy hug and tastes even better than it smells. And the best part? It’s surprisingly simple to whip up, perfect for those spontaneous brunch plans or just when you need a little something sweet to brighten your day.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: You can have this beautiful coffee cake ready from start to finish in under an hour and a half!
Easy: No fancy techniques here, just simple mixing and layering.
Giftable: Wrap it up beautifully and share the love with friends and neighbors.
Crowd-pleasing: Seriously, who can resist a warm slice of cinnamon-spiced goodness?

Ingredients

Gather ’round, everyone! Here’s what you’ll need to create this slice of heaven:

For the Cake:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened – Make sure it’s nice and soft, almost spreadable!
3/4 cup granulated sugar – For that perfect sweetness.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract – The secret to unlocking amazing flavor.
1 large egg – Room temperature eggs mix in much better.
2 cups all-purpose flour – Your classic pantry staple.
2 teaspoons baking powder – This helps our cake get nice and fluffy.
A pinch of salt – Just a tiny bit to balance all the sweetness.
3/4 cup milk – Any kind will do, whole milk gives the richest result.

For the Filling:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened – Again, soft is key!
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon – Get ready for that amazing cinnamon aroma!
1/2 cup all-purpose flour – This helps create that lovely gooey texture.
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar – For that caramel-y depth of flavor.

For the Topping:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened – Yes, more butter! It’s what makes the topping so delightful.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour – The base for our crunchy topping.
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar – More brown sugar, more deliciousness.
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon – Double the cinnamon magic!

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get our aprons on and bake something amazing!

For the Cake:

First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While that’s warming up, grab a 9×9 inch baking pan. Give it a good grease and then a light dusting of flour. This step is super important to make sure your cake comes out clean!
In a nice big bowl, get your softened butter and sugar together. Cream them until they look light and fluffy. I like to use an electric mixer for this, but a strong arm and a whisk works too!
Now, beat in that lovely vanilla extract and your egg. Just a quick mix until it’s all combined.
In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and that pinch of salt. This ensures your leavening agents are evenly distributed.
Time for the wet and dry ingredients to meet! Gradually add the dry ingredients to your butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until it’s just combined – don’t overmix, or your cake might get a little tough.
Pour about half of this lovely batter into your prepared baking pan. Spread it out gently to create an even layer.

For the Filling:

In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, cinnamon, flour, and brown sugar for the filling. Get your hands in there (or a fork) and mix it all up until it forms a crumbly texture. It’s going to smell so good already!

For the Topping:

In another small bowl, do the same for the topping: combine the softened butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mix until it’s wonderfully crumbly and ready to go. This is our streusel, folks!

Assembly and Baking:

Now, sprinkle that glorious cinnamon filling evenly over the batter you already have in the pan. Try to get it all the way to the edges.
Gently dollop the remaining cake batter over the filling. Again, spread it out as best you can, it doesn’t have to be perfect – the topping will cover any little imperfections!
Finally, sprinkle that beautiful streusel topping evenly over the entire cake. Make sure it’s nice and covered for maximum crunch!
Pop it into your preheated oven and bake for about 35-45 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Once it’s out of the oven, resist the urge to dive in immediately! Let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing. This helps it set up nicely.

Substitutions & Additions

Feeling a little creative? I love to mix things up! Here are a few ideas:

Nuts: Chop up some pecans or walnuts and mix them into the streusel topping for an extra crunch.
Spice it Up: Add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the cake batter or topping for a warmer flavor profile.
Citrus Zest: A little lemon or orange zest in the cake batter can add a bright, fresh note.
Glaze: Once cooled, you can whip up a simple powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar mixed with a little milk or lemon juice) and drizzle it over the top for extra sweetness and visual appeal.
Different Pan: While a 9×9 inch pan is perfect, you could also bake this in an 8×8 inch pan for a slightly thicker cake (you might need a few extra minutes of baking time) or in muffin tins for individual treats!

Tips for Success

Let’s make sure this coffee cake is absolutely perfect!

Butter Temperature: The key to both the cake and the streusel is properly softened butter. If it’s too cold, your batter will be lumpy and your streusel won’t come together. If it’s too melty, your streusel will be greasy. Let it sit on the counter for about an hour.
Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the cake batter develops the gluten in the flour too much, which can lead to a tough cake. Mix until just combined.
Even Streusel: Try to distribute the streusel topping as evenly as possible so you get that delicious crumb in every bite.
Prep Ahead: You can prepare the streusel topping and filling ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator. Just give them a quick stir before adding them to the cake.

How to Store It

This coffee cake is best enjoyed fresh, but it does store quite well!

At Room Temperature: Once completely cooled, store the coffee cake in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It will stay fresh at room temperature for about 2-3 days.
In the Refrigerator: If your kitchen is warm or you want it to last a bit longer, you can store it in the refrigerator. It should be good for up to 5 days. I find it’s best to bring it back to room temperature or give it a quick warm-up in the oven before serving.
Freezing: Yes, you can freeze coffee cake! Wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

FAQs

Can I make this coffee cake gluten-free?

Yes, you absolutely can! You can usually substitute a good quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend 1:1 for regular flour. You might need to adjust the liquid slightly, but generally, it works quite well.

My streusel topping is too dry, what did I do wrong?

This usually happens if the butter wasn’t soft enough or if you didn’t use enough butter. Try adding another tablespoon of softened butter and mixing it in. If it’s too wet, add a tablespoon of flour.

Can I use oil instead of butter?

For the cake batter, you could try substituting oil for butter, but it will change the texture. Butter gives coffee cake its classic tender and slightly crumbly texture. For the filling and topping, butter is essential for that delicious, slightly crisp crumb topping.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

A delicious and easy-to-make cinnamon coffee cake with a streusel crumb topping, perfect for any occasion.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Servings 9 slices

Equipment

9x9 inch baking pan Greased and floured
Large bowl
Medium bowl
Small bowls 2
Electric mixer Optional, hand whisk works too
Wire rack

Ingredients

For the Cake

0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened Make sure it’s nice and soft, almost spreadable!
0.75 cup granulated sugar For that perfect sweetness.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract The secret to unlocking amazing flavor.
1 large egg Room temperature eggs mix in much better.
2 cups all-purpose flour Your classic pantry staple.
2 teaspoons baking powder This helps our cake get nice and fluffy.
1 pinch salt Just a tiny bit to balance all the sweetness.
0.75 cup milk Any kind will do, whole milk gives the richest result.

For the Filling

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened Again, soft is key!
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Get ready for that amazing cinnamon aroma!
0.5 cup all-purpose flour This helps create that lovely gooey texture.
0.5 cup packed light brown sugar For that caramel-y depth of flavor.

For the Topping

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened Yes, more butter! It's what makes the topping so delightful.
0.75 cup all-purpose flour The base for our crunchy topping.
0.5 cup packed light brown sugar More brown sugar, more deliciousness.
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Double the cinnamon magic!

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
Beat in the vanilla extract and egg until combined.
0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined.
0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly.
In a small bowl, combine softened butter, cinnamon, flour, and brown sugar for the filling until crumbly.
0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
In another small bowl, combine softened butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the topping until crumbly.
0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
Sprinkle the filling evenly over the batter in the pan.
Gently dollop the remaining batter over the filling and spread as best as possible.
Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the entire cake.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

This coffee cake is best enjoyed fresh, but stores well at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and can be frozen for up to 3 months.