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.
I removed the foil and turned the temp to 400 degrees for the last ten minutes and it came out perfect! My husband won’t let me take any of it to share with the people I work with! Thank you for the yummy recipe.
Haha! That’s awesome. I’m glad that you (and it sounds like your husband especially) love the cake recipe!
It is the best! I added chopped walnuts to the brown sugar mixture. but only used 1/4 cup of melted butter. both my grown sons thought it was awesome.
Oh I bet the walnuts were a delicious addition! So glad you all enjoy the cake!
hi, i made this and I haven’t eaten it yet. It smells delicious but I got little pools of oil in the sides. Ive never made coffee cake before so I don’t know whats normal and whats not. Also my cake batter was super dense, like a dough, I am not sure if I did it right. I added some milk to it to thin it and it became a little more manageable. I was wondering what the after care of the cake should be. Like how should it look coming out of the oven? How do I know when its done? Can I eat it straight away or do I have to wait? Thanks for the recipe, I’m very excited to try it!
Hi! Yes, the batter is supposed to be dense. So you did it right if the batter was dense. Adding a bit more milk is the perfect remedy if it was too dense to work with. After the cake comes out of the oven, you can let it cool a bit and then dig in. I like to eat the cake warm. But I know some people enjoy letting it completely cool off and eating it cold too. Either way! Hope you enjoyed the cake. 🙂
This was a really good coffee cake – we had to call it breakfast cake or the grandkids wouldn’t even try it they don’t like coffee. Nice and moist. It was a great size for a family of 6. Enough for 2nds for everyone. I made sure to save it in Pinterest so I could find it easily again. It’ll go in my breakfast rotation!
I wonder if cutting the butter into the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture would even out the puddling spots. I might try that next time.
So glad to hear you all enjoyed the cake. And I love the name change! 😉 Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is super delicious!! I’m soooo glad I found it! My husband and son finish this in a blink and then ask me to bake another so I almost always end up making back to back. Lately I’ve substituted half of the oil for apple sauce and added chopped pecans on top. Still amazing!! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
You’re welcome! The substitutions/additions sound tasty. I’m so glad that this recipe is a hit with your family!!
Wow! This recipe is amazing! I am always looking for an easy Sunday morning breakfast bread that I can make the night before. I’m happy to have found this one! I followed the recipe exactly as far as ingredients are concerned. I used a silicone spatula to spr ad each layer out. After I cooked it covered and then uncovered it, I cooked it the ten minutes stated and then let it cook another ten minutes. It was still moist on top but was cooked through. It is amazing how much this tastes like a much more complicated treat but it really is so easy! This will be in our regular special breakfasts rotation. Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it as much as we do! It’s on our special breakfasts rotation at my house too. Thanks for sharing what you did!
Really quick and easy to make. Added diced (canned) apples to base layer with chopped pecans on top. Soooo good! Thanks for sharing
The apples and pecans sounds like delicious additions! Thanks so much for sharing!
I thought the recipe read fine. Very good coffee cake, my family loved it. Tom as far as the aluminum foil goes just re-use it then recycle.
I’m glad to hear your family enjoyed the cake! Good suggestion with the tin foil. Thanks for sharing!
Best recipe ever!! Easy and SO GOOD!!!! Highly recommend everyone tries this recipe
Thank you so much!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake!
Light and delicious. Loved it.
Thank you!! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!