Coffee Cake Recipe
Coffee cake is a soft, buttery cake topped with a sweet, crumbly streusel and drizzled with glaze. Despite its name, it typically doesn’t contain coffee—it’s meant to be enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea, but for this recipe we will include coffee! Warm, comforting, and lightly spiced with cinnamon, coffee cake makes the perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.
In this blog post, you will learn how to make coffee cake!
How to Make Coffee Cake
In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda together. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together.
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and Greek yoghurt together and beat together for about 2 minutes on medium speed.
Slowly, pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and begin to beat on slow until all the ingredients are mixed together.
Lastly add the cooled coffee to the batter and beat together one last time.
Layer the coffee cake batter onto the bottom of a greased 9×13 loaf pan.
How to Make the Streusel Layer and Topping
In a small bowl whisk the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, and brown sugar together.
Take the cold unsalted butter and cut it into the dried ingredients.
Once it is fully cut in layer on top of the first layer of the coffee cake batter.
Take the rest of the coffee cake batter and place it on top of the streusel layer. Take care with place the batter on as it can stick easily and move place.
Lastly, take the rest of the streusel topping and sprinkle it on top of the batter.
Bake in the oven. Once a knife can be inserted without any batter on it, remove, let cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes then remove and let it finish cooling on a cooling rack.
How to Make the Coffee Cake Icing
You can make the coffee cake icing while your loaf is baking.
Take the icing sugar and add the vanilla extract and cooled coffee. Whisk on medium speed until fully mixed together. Keep in the fridge until needed.
Drizzle on top of the coffee cake once the cake if fully cooled.
Storage
To store coffee cake, let it cool completely before wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or placing it in an airtight container.
Keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain its soft, moist texture.
For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to a week, though bring it to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
You can also freeze coffee cake for up to 3 months. Just wrap it well in plastic and foil, then thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature before enjoying.
Ingredients
All-Purpose Flour: all-purpose flour forms the base of the crumbly streusel, giving it structure and texture. It also provides the structure for the cake, creating a soft yet stable crumb.
Unsalted Butter: unsalted butter is used in the streusel topping which creates that buttery, crumbly texture in the topping and filling when baked. It is used in the coffee cake batter which adds richness, moisture, and buttery flavour to the cake.
Cinnamon: cinnamon adds warmth, cozy spice that complements the sweetness and enhances the flavour of the coffee cake.
Brown Sugar: brown sugar sweetens the streusel while adding a rich, caramel-like depth and moisture.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: both of these ingredients help the cake rise and stay light and fluffy.
Eggs: eggs bind the ingredients together and add structure and moisture for a soft, rich cake.
Granulated Sugar: granulated sugar sweetens the batter and helps create a tender texture.
Vanilla Extract: vanilla extract infuses warmth and depth of flavor that enhances the sweetness of the cake.
Full Fat Greek Yoghurt: Adds tanginess and ensures a moist, tender crumb.
Coffee: coffee deepens the flavour and gives a subtle richness that pairs perfectly with the cinnamon streusel. It is used in the coffee icing to give it a deep flavour.
Icing Sugar: icing sugar is used in the coffee icing to sweeten the icing.
Heavy Cream: heavy cream is used in the coffee icing to thicken the icing and make it rich and flavourful. Full-fat milk can be substituted, but the icing consistency is thicker and richer when the cream is used.
Tips
Coffee Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Streusel Topping and Filling
- 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c. unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 c. brown sugar
Coffee Cake Batter
- 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 c. unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2/3 c. full-fat Greek Yoghurt
- 1 tbsp. coffee
Coffee Icing
- 1 c. icing sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tbsp. heavy cream
- 1 tbsp. coffee
Instructions
Streusel Topping and Filling
- In a small bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon and brown sugar. Cut in the cold cubed butter. Place into the fridge until ready to use.
Coffee Cake Batter
- In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking powder together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together. Add the 2 eggs, vanilla extract, and Greek yoghurt and beat for about 2 minutes.
- Add the coffee. You can use milk instead of the coffee if you don’t want the cake to have a coffee flavour to it.
- Pour half of the batter into a greased loaf pan.
- Take the streusel topping and sprinkle about half of it on top of the coffee cake batter.
- Add the rest of the batter on top of streusel filling and put the rest of the streusel on top of the coffee cake batter.
- Bake at 350℉/176℃/Gas Mark 4 for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry.
Coffee Cake Icing
- In a medium bowl, add the icing sugar, vanilla, heavy cream, and coffee. Beat with an electric mix on medium speed until the icing is smooth.
- Keep in the fridge until the coffee cake is finished baking and is completely cool.
- Remove the cake from the oven. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and continue to let cool on a cooling rack. Add the icing when completely cool and enjoy!
Notes
Author: Sarah Young