Who doesn't love coffee cake with cinnamon streusel? It's a timeless treat that's been passed down from generation to generation. And for good reason! The heavenly scent of cinnamon and nutmeg wafting through the air as you bite into a moist, tender cake is pure bliss. And let's not forget about the pièce de résistance: the sweet, crunchy streusel topping made with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. It's the perfect addition to the already amazing cake.
Unlike the name might lead you to believe, this delightful cake doesn't actually contain coffee. Instead, it's designed to be served with coffee. But if that's not your beverage of choice, it's just as good with tea or by itself!
Ingredients in Coffee Cake
For the Vanilla Cake
- Milk: adds moisture and helps to create a tender crumb
- White vinegar: reacts with the baking powder to help the cake rise and create a light texture
- Unsalted butter, softened: if using salted butter, omit the added salt
- Caster / superfine sugar: provides sweetness and helps to create a light texture by incorporating air into the butter. You can use white sugar instead, if required.
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Plain / all-purpose flour: provides structure and helps to create a light and tender crumb
- Corn starch / cornflour: helps to tenderize the cake and create a finer texture
- Baking powder: NOT baking soda. Make sure it's in-date as this helps the cake to rise and become light and fluffy
- Salt: enhances the flavour and balances the sweetness of the cake
For the Cinnamon Streusel
- Plain / all-purpose flour: provides structure and texture to the streusel topping
- Brown sugar, lightly packed: provides sweetness and moisture to the streusel topping
- Ground cinnamon
- Unsalted butter, softened: binds the streusel together and adds richness and flavor.
How to Make Coffee Cake
This recipe is much easier than it looks. There are two key components: the vanilla cake batter and the cinnamon streusel. After you have made the vanilla cake batter, you layer it with the cinnamon streusel for a delicious flavour all the way through the cake. Trust me, nothing smells better than this cake fresh out of the oven! Follow the simple steps below:
- Cream together the wet ingredients.
- Sift over the dry ingredients and slowly combine.
- Make the streusel.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared tin. Top with half the streusel. Top with remaining cake batter then top with remaining streusel.
- Bake until lightly golden and cooked through.
Troubleshooting and Tips
Why is my cake dry?
The cake may have been overbaked or too much flour may have been added. To fix this, try reducing the baking time and make sure to measure the flour accurately.
My streusel sinks to the bottom
The streusel may have been too heavy or too moist. To fix this, try reducing the amount of streusel or adding more flour to the streusel mixture.
My cake is too dense
Too much flour or not enough leavening agent may have been used. To fix this, make sure to measure the ingredients accurately and check the expiration date of the baking powder.
The streusel is too dry or crumbly
The streusel may not have had enough butter or the mixture was overmixed. To fix this, add more butter to the mixture or mix the streusel by hand until it is crumbly.
My cake didn't rise
The leavening agent may be expired or not enough was used. To fix this, make sure to use fresh baking powder and check the measurements of the ingredients. Additionally, make sure the oven temperature is correct and that the cake is placed in the centre of the oven.
Storage
You can keep the cake un-refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze the cake, wrap the whole cake tightly in clingfilm or foil then place in a ziploc or freezer-bag. Keep frozen for up to 6 months. Allow to defrost for 6 hours at room temperature or overnight before serving.
Serving Suggestions
The best way to enjoy coffee cake is as the name suggests, with a hot cup of coffee! Otherwise, try any of the below options:
- Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert.
- Top with fresh berries or a fruit compote for a fruity twist.
- Drizzle with a glaze made of powdered sugar and milk for a sweet finishing touch.
- Cut into small pieces and serve as finger food at a brunch or party.
Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel
The classic coffee cake is a moist and fluffy vanilla cake with a cinnamon filling and a crunchy cinnamon streusel topping. As the name suggests, this cake is perfect with a hot cup of coffee!
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Cake
- 1 cup (250 mL) milk
- 1 tablespoon (20 mL) white vinegar
- 125 g (4.5 oz / ½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (240 g) caster sugar / superfine sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon (10 g) vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (225 g) plain flour
- ½ cup (68 g) corn starch / cornflour
- 1 tablespoon (16 g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
For the Cinnamon Streusel
- 1 cup (150 g) plain flour /. all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (88 g) brown sugar, loosely packed
- 2 teaspoon (6 g) ground cinnamon
- 100 g (3.5 oz / ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
For the Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F (fan/convection) or 180°C / 355°F (standard). Grease and line a 20 cm (8 inch) square cake tin with baking paper, ensuring there is at least 3 cm (1 inch) overhanging for easy removal of the cake.
- In a large jug, stir together the milk and vinegar. Set aside until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer (or you can use a handheld electric mixer). Beat together on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until the mixture is pale and creamy. Add vanilla and beat for 30 seconds or until incorporated.
- Sift over the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Beat on low speed for 1 minute or until the batter is somewhat crumbly and the flour is incorporated into the butter mixture. Add the thickened milk and beat for another 1-2 minutes or until the batter is pale, fluffy and well combined. Be careful not to overbeat the batter.
For the Cinnamon Streusel
- Stir together flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the rest of the ingredients. The mixture will look consistent in colour and texture. If you pinch a piece of the streusel together, it should hold its shape.
To Assemble
- Spoon half of the cake batter into the prepared tin and spread out evenly. Top evenly with about ⅓ of the cinnamon streusel. Spoon over the remaining cake batter and spread out carefully. Top evenly with the remaining cinnamon streusel.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. You can also gently shake the tin: the top of the cake should not wobble if the cake is cooked. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Measurement
- Please note that my recipes are measured in metric cups and spoons which are larger than US cups and spoons. Most recipes will be fine if measured in US cups and spoons, but please use the weight (grams) measurement for the most accurate result.
Storage
- You can keep the cake un-refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To freeze the cake, wrap the whole cake tightly in clingfilm or foil then place in a ziploc or freezer-bag. Keep frozen for up to 6 months. Allow to defrost for 6 hours at room temperature or overnight before serving.
Substitutions & Tips
- Milk: I use whole dairy milk. Instead of combining the milk and vinegar, you can replace both of these ingredients with buttermilk. This step helps the cake rise and become fluffy.
- Vinegar: you can use any type of vinegar or use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. You can also omit the vinegar completely if necessary.
- Why did my cinnamon filling layer sink/rise to the top? Make sure you use approximately half of the cake batter for each layer. Spread the second layer of cake batter CAREFULLY over the cinnamon sugar to prevent it from rising up.
- Why is my cake dense? If your cake is dense then you have most likely overbeaten the batter at some stage. Make sure after adding each ingredient, you only beat the mixture until it is just incorporated.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1/12th of Cake with StreuselAmount Per Serving: Calories: 372Total Fat: 16.7gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5.1gCholesterol: 71.1mgSodium: 332.8mgCarbohydrates: 47.2gFiber: 0.9gSugar: 26.6gProtein: 4.6g
Kayla says
Can you use a square glass dish instead of a tin cake pan?
Chloe says
Hi Kayla! You absolutely can use a glass dish instead. Just be wary that the cooking time might take a little bit longer depending on the thickness of the glass. As long as you test the cake with a skewer to make sure it's cooked, glass will be fine 🙂 Hope that helps!
J says
Hi, there is no mention of coffee in the ingredients list or instructions. How much coffee do you add and at what point do you add it in? Thanks!
Chloe says
Hi J, this coffee cake takes its name from being served WITH coffee, rather than containing coffee. It's definitely confusing! I'll let you know if I publish a coffee flavoured cake in the future 🙂
anani says
hi do you think it will be possible to make cupcakes with this recipe or should i just keep it one big cake? 🙂
Chloe says
Hi Anani, this recipe should work out well as cupcakes! Don't over-fill your cupcake tins (I fill them 1/2 way). Sprinkle the streusel on top of the batter. Bake for 18-22 minutes at 160C/320F (fan/convection) or 180C/355F (standard). Hope you enjoy!