One of our FAVORITE things to make for a breakfast or brunch get-together is this coffee cake recipe! It’s quick, buttery, and so cinnamon-y that everyone loves it.
This was my favorite recipe when I was younger and I’d ask my mom to make it for my birthday because it was that good. Since then, we have made a few modifications but it is now a family favorite that gets made every month. It’s simple, it’s delicious, and it’s perfect for any occasion (even Khloe Kardashian agrees!)
We love to serve it with other breakfast casseroles and bakes like our Sausage Breakfast Casserole or Breakfast Potato Casserole.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Simple. The recipe comes together in 15 minutes and uses simple ingredients that most people usually have on hand.
- Event Perfection. Whether it’s for an Easter Brunch, Christmas Breakfast, baby shower, or bridal shower, this coffee cake recipe is perfect for any occasion.
- Delicious. This tender and sweet cake has the perfect butter, cinnamon, and sugar crumb topping, making it so tasty.
Coffee Cake Ingredients and Substitutions
- 2 large eggs – We find that eggs at room temperature and lightly beaten will help them incorporate best with the other ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable oil – or an equal amount of applesauce or melted coconut oil
- 1¼ cups milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour – Measure the flour correctly for the best texture. Gluten-free baking flour also works well in this recipe.
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups light brown sugar – This adds a deeper sweetness and a hint of caramel to the cinnamon mixture; dark brown sugar can also be used.
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon – easily adjust the flavor by adding spices like nutmeg, allspice, or Pumpkin Pie Spice to the cinnamon sugar streusel
- ¼-⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted – Adds flavor and moisture and helps bind the cinnamon mixture to the cake.
- optional fruit – fold about 1½ cups of blueberries or chopped apples into the batter; increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes if needed.
- optional crunchy topping – We sometimes like to add sliced almonds, chopped pecans, or walnuts to the top of the cake to give it a delightful crunch.
How to Make Coffee Cake
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- BATTER. In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Pour half the cake batter into the prepared baking dish.
- STREUSEL. In a medium bowl, combine packed brown sugar and cinnamon and mix.
- Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar evenly over the top of the batter in the pan. Carefully pour the remaining batter over the cinnamon sugar layer. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture over the top.
- Drizzle ¼-⅓ cup melted butter over the top, using more or less as desired.
- BAKE. Bake for 35–40 minutes and serve warm.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- While this cake is often served alongside coffee or tea, hence its name, we like to serve it with other favorite warm drinks like hot chocolate & apple cider.
- Our favorite way to more easily spread the thick batter over the cinnamon sugar layer is to first drop dollops evenly across the surface, then gently spread each dollop using a silicone spatula.
- For an easy variation, we fold about 1½ cups of blueberries, chopped strabwerries or chopped apples into the batter. Depending on your oven, you may need to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes.
- If you want to double or triple the recipe, we recommend baking each batch in its own 9×13 pan.
Coffee Cake Recipe
With a quick prep, this crowd-favorite homemade coffee cake recipe is a delicious go-to for any breakfast, brunch, or celebration!
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1¼ cups milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼-⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, blend flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the flour ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Pour half the batter into the prepared baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon and mix well.
- Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar on top of the batter. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the cinnamon-sugar layer. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture on top.
- Drizzle the melted butter over the top, using more or less as desired.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, and serve warm.
Notes
Recipe Tips.
- While this cake is often served alongside coffee or tea, hence its name, I like to serve it with other favorite warm drinks like hot chocolate & apple cider.
- To more easily spread the thick batter over the cinnamon sugar layer, first drop dollops evenly across the surface, then gently spread each dollop using a silicone spatula.
- For an easy variation, fold about 1½ cups of blueberries or chopped apples into the batter. Depending on your oven, you may need to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes.
- If you want to double or triple the recipe, we recommend baking each batch in its own 9×13 pan.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 264kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 101mg, Potassium: 175mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 32g, Vitamin A: 161IU, Vitamin C: 0.02mg, Calcium: 88mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
How to store coffee cake?
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for up to a week, or wrapped with plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to reheat coffee cake?
Small portions can be heated in the microwave for 10-second increments until warm. To heat in the oven, remove any plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 350°F and heat for 6-8 minutes or until warm.
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This recipe was originally published September 2011.
It’s not the best coffee cake recipe, but it’s still tasty! I ended up with a pool of butter in the middle of my cake, so my suggestion is to mix the brown sugar and cinnamon with a little flour and half the butter recommended and then lay it on top. I would also add some cinnamon and brown sugar to the dough. I did add pecans for extra crunch, just because I had a lot extra from baking over the holidays.
It’s sweet and moist, and good for a quick treat!
Thank you for sharing your suggestions!!
Absolutely delicious! Such a simple recipe
I am so happy you think so 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
The best recipe ever.
Awe, thank you so much for saying that!
Just made this this morning. The recipe turned out fine, cooked a little longer than specified but ovens/pan are different and vary. Added frozen mango chunks to bottom of pan and put 3/4 of sugar to make less sweet. Gonna file this one, delish and simple. Thank you Kristyn, beautiful family, God bless.
You are welcome! That sounds great! Thank you for sharing what you did!
Made this twice. The flavor is amazing. Everyone in the house loves it. Only marking this down because it states 30 minutes total, however, on the recipe card it calls for up to 40 minutes in the oven. Both times this has taken closer to 50 minutes + in my Bosch oven. I do live at elevation so that usually adds a few minutes, may try it on convection bake next time.
Thank you for trying it!
This batter did not pour into the pan. It was not that consistency at all. I had to spread it in the pan so I hope I did it right. I made sure I followed the recipe correctly but we will see how it turns out.
It is a thicker batter. I hope it turned out!
I love this recipe even though I feel like it is too much sugar. I made it ended up setting my oven on fire (literally) because the brown sugar and butter spilled in the oven. I use C temperature and I have no idea why I thought the recipe would be in C not in F. Thus the chaos haha I managed to save the cake comewhat I love it but too sweet. So I would suggest maybe less sugar in the batter if you don’t like really sweet flavours.
Thank you for the recipe 💞
Oh, no!! Glad you caught it! Thank you for trying it!
It’s in the oven and smells wonderful. So easy
Yay!! Happy to hear that! Thank you for trying it & for letting me know!
This is delicious.
Please note: I put the butter into the microwave to melt it. Forgot it there.
So not a drop of butter went into it and EVERYONE, myself included, went back for seconds.
Good to know! Glad you all liked it! Thank you!!
This is my FAVORITE coffee cake recipe! Read some of the other reviews that theirs didn’t set up, and I’ve cooked this 5+ times and never had that experience. I make the recipe exactly as written, except I don’t use foil during the baking process—I haven’t found that it overcooks the edges at all. I cook in a 9×13 glass pan that works great. The batter is definitely dense which I wasn’t sure about at first, but it bakes up great. Since it’s so dense, need to be careful when measuring out the bottom layer to make sure you’re using pretty close to half the batter. Some coffee cakes are handheld and I have not found that to be the case with this cake since it’s so moist and luscious, but it’s just as good with plate and fork!
I am so glad to hear this! I have never had issues either. Thank you so much for saying that!