This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

With a quick prep, this crowd-favorite coffee cake recipe is a delicious go-to for any breakfast, brunch, or celebration!

Slice of coffee cake on 4 white stacked plates.
Save This Recipe!
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!

How to Make Coffee Cake

One of our FAVORITE things to make for a breakfast or brunch get-together is coffee cake! It’s quick, buttery, and so cinnamon-y that everyone loves it.

We first had this recipe when we were younger, but it was so good, we knew it had to become a go-to and it has. 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, Breakfast Potato Casserole and Cinnamon Roll Cake.

Why We Love IT!

  • Simple. The recipe comes together in no time and uses simple ingredients that most 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 moist and sweet cake has the perfect flavors of butter, cinnamon and sugar make it so tasty.
Coffee cake brown sugar topping mixed together in bowl.
  • PREP TIME: 15 MINS
  • COOK TIME: 45 MINS

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs – room temperature and lightly beaten will help bind them together best with the other ingredients
  • 1 cup vegetable oil or use an equal amount of applesauce or coconut oil instead of vegetable oil
  • cups milk adds moisture and helps to activate the baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract – rounds out the overall flavor
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour provides the structure for the cake, measure the flour correctly for the best texture. 
  • 1 cup granulated sugar – adds sweetness and tenderness to the crumb
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder – helps the cake rise to a fluffy texture
  • ½ teaspoon salt balances out the sweetness of the cake
  • 1¼ cups light brown sugar adds a deeper sweetness and a hint of caramel to the cinnamon mixture
  • 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 – adds flavor and moisture and helps bind the cinnamon mixture to the cake

How to Make Coffee Cake

  1. PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  2. BATTER. In a large mixing bowl, mix 2 eggs, 1 cup oil, 1¼ cups milk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla.
    • In a medium bowl, blend 3 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
    • Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Pour half the batter into the prepared baking dish.
  3. STREUSEL. In a medium bowl, combine 1¼ cups packed brown sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon and mix well.
    • Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar on 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.
  4. BAKE. Bake for 35–40 minutes and serve warm.
4.99 from 2535 votes

Coffee Cake Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
With a quick prep, this crowd-favorite homemade coffee cake is a delicious go-to for any breakfast, brunch, or celebration!
Servings: 15
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 55 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • cups milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • cups packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼-⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla together.
  • In a medium bowl, blend flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • Add dry 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 pour 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 and serve warm.

Video

Notes

Make ahead of time. This cake can be baked several days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat in the microwave, or in the oven at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.

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

  • Using a spoon or spatula to mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients can help with the density. If you’re really worried, add an extra egg or a little bit more milk to thin it out and make it easier to pour. 
  • Fruit. Fold blueberries, diced peaches, or chopped apples into the batter. Note the liquid from the fruit may cause the cake to have a more moist texture and need to be baked longer.
  • Chips + nuts. Fold some mini chocolate chips or cinnamon chips into the batter. Add sliced almonds, chopped pecans, or walnuts to the top of the cake to give it a delightful crunch.
  • Drizzle a glaze over the top. Make a glaze by mixing ½ cup confectioners sugar with 1 tablespoon milk. Mix until smooth and drizzle over the cooled cake.
  • Store this easy coffee cake recipe in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  • Wrap leftovers tightly with plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter.
  • Warm in microwave for 10-second increments until warm. To heat in the oven, remove any plastic wrap then wrap in aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 350°F and heat for 6-8 minutes or until warm.

MORE COFFEE CAKES TO TRY:

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

So Easy & So Yummy

Get my cookbook!

My new cookbook is the ultimate resource for feeding your friends and family with 200+ simple recipes including videos, tips & more!

4.99 from 2535 votes (1,783 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




1,754 Comments

  1. Farmer Paul says:

    Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It turned out very good. 5 stars !! 10 stars !! 11 stars !! I too needed some more time to get the center to cook all the way. I am a creative type, so next time I want to use some apple sauce to replace half the oil, and I want to add some diced apples as well to the batter and to the topping. So so glad to have come upon this tasty treat while hunkered down in the latest polar vortex storm. This brought smiles all around !!!

    1. Farmer Paul says:

      5 stars
      Adding as many stars as I can 🙂

    2. Kristyn Merkley says:

      That makes me so happy!! Love adding some different things! Stay safe out there!

  2. Gabby says:

    5 stars
    This is delicious. It makes around 24 muffins, I baked them for 20 min at 400° and they came out perfect.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Good to know! Thank you for sharing that!

  3. Mianya Jones says:

    5 stars
    I love this recipe.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      I am so happy you do! Thank you!!

  4. Avital Hochster says:

    5 stars
    Incredible! If I want to make it in mini bunt pans should I put the sugar on the bottom and batter on top of that? Additionally, How long would you suggest cooking it for?

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      I am so sorry, but I haven’t tried, so I don’t want to tell you the wrong thing. I would need to experiment with it. If you try, let me know how they turn out 😉

  5. Justine Mycue says:

    4 stars
    Taste good. When splitting the reciepe for the layers we found there wasn’t alot of it left to cover for the top. Also took way longer than suggested baked time. Took an hour. Just will know for next time to plan ahead as we ended up having it more as a brunch than breakfast.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Thank you for trying it 🙂

  6. Cynthia says:

    5 stars
    I made this wonderful recipe yesterday for a brunch I was invited to. It was a huge hit! My tweaks included using coconut oil, adding 1/2 cup of flour and 1c chopped pecans to the streusel, cooking it 5 minutes longer and using half of the butter (I used 1/2c like the recipe showed) on the first layer of streusel and the remainder on the top to eliminate the pooling I read about. I will definitely be using this recipe in the future.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Sounds good! Glad it was a hit! Thank you for sharing that!

  7. Tammy Loucks says:

    5 stars
    so easy to make! My house smells fantastic. Can’t wait to serve it to my friends 🤗

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      I hope they like it! Thank you for sharing the recipe!

  8. Sharon Gibbons says:

    5 stars
    I just finished eating a piece. It was really good. Mine didn’t get done in the middle but that could have been my oven. Everybody loved it.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      I appreciate you trying it! Thank you!

  9. Stace says:

    5 stars
    I use your recipes all the time. May I add I love them all. Thank you

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Awe, thank you so much!! I appreciate you letting me know!

  10. Celine says:

    Can I add a cup of coffee into this recipe ?

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      I personally have not tried, so not sure how it would change the recipe.