by Kristen Whitby 22 Comments
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A delicious coffee cake recipe that is easy to mix in 5 minutes with just a few staple ingredients. This family recipe has been passed down for 3 generations and is perfect for breakfast, snack time or even dinner!
Coffee cake is one of our very favorites around here! We find ourselves making it more often in the fall along with pumpkin pecan coffee cake and walnut and apple coffee cake. When the weather becomes a little more crisp, we also tend to make more breakfast foods (and baked goods in general) and love our cinnamon rolls and apple pie cinnamon rolls too!
We have been making this coffee cake in my family for as long as I can remember. Back to my childhood, this is the recipe that my mom would always make for us, and now I make it for my family. We love to make it for breakfast and also "breakfast for dinner" which is our favorite! This recipe is easy to double and make for a crowd as well. It is also delicious as leftovers.
What is Coffee Cake?
American coffee cake is traditionally a mildly sweet cake with a cinnamon streusel crumb layer. It is given that name because it pairs well with a cup of coffee and not because it has coffee in it. Coffee Cake has a different texture than other cakes. The crumb is more moist and dense like a light pound cake.
How to Make Coffee Cake
The great thing about coffee cake is that it is SO easy to make! You can whip up the batter in just a couple minutes with a few staple ingredients. You don't need any special equipment or mixers. Just use a mixing bowl and spoon.
Cake Steps
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Beat egg in mixing bowl. Add sugar, milk, oil, salt and vanilla. Spoon flour into measuring cups and then dump on top of the batter. Sprinkle baking powder over flour and mix into the top half of the flour. Mix flour into batter until combined, but not over-mixed.
- Pour into a 9x9 baking dish.
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in microwave. Remove and mix in brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour and stir until combined. Add nuts if desired.
- Sprinkle streusel onto the cake.
- Use a finger or the small end of a wooden spoon to poke the streusel halfway down into the cake batter, randomly in 12-18 different spots.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs (not runny batter).
- Lightly drizzle with icing if desired.
Walnuts and Icing
The walnuts and icing in this recipe are totally optional. You can use (or not) based on preference.
We love walnut coffee cake, so I always include the nuts. Pecans are also a great option.
If I am being honest, I rarely make the icing drizzle. It is yummy (and pretty), but the cake is so good by itself that it doesn't necessarily need it.
5 from 20 votes
Coffee Cake
The BEST moist coffee cake recipe that is easy to make 5 minutes prep time with just a few staple ingredients.
CourseBreakfast, Dessert, Dinner
CuisineAmerican
Keywordbreakfast, cake
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 9
Author Kristen | Ella Claire & Co.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1egg
- 1/4cupoilvegetable or canola
- 1tsp.vanilla
- 3/4cupsugar
- 1/2cupmilk
- 1/4tsp.salt
- 2tsp.baking powder
- 1 1/2cupsflour
Streusel
- 2Tbuttermelted
- 1/2cupbrown sugar
- 2tsp.cinnamon
- 2TFlour
- 1/2cupwalnutschopped, optional
Icing Drizzle
- 1Tbutterroom temperature
- 3/4cuppowdered sugar
- 1Tmilkextra, if needed
Instructions
Cake
Preheat oven to 375°.
Beat egg in mixing bowl. Mix in sugar, milk, salt, oil, and vanilla.
Spoon flour into measuring cup. Dump flour on top of the batter. Sprinkle baking pwder over flour and gently mix into the top half of the flour. Stir flour mixture into batter until combined. Pour into greased, or parchment lined, 9x9 baking dish.
Streusel
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in microwave. Remove and mix in brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour and stir until well combined. Add nuts if desired.
Sprinkle streusel onto the cake.Use a finger or the small end of a wooden spoon to poke the streusel halfway down into the cake batter, randomly 12-18 times.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs (not runny batter). Do not overbake or it will be more dry!
Icing (optional)
(optional step) Mix butter and powdered sugar. Thin with milk until desired consistency. Lightly drizzle cake with icing.
Recipe Notes
Note: Spoon flour into the measuring cup for the cake batter. For the flour in the topping, I just scoop it straight with the measuring spoon.
Tip: Do not over-bake or it will dry out the cake.
I hope you love one of our favorite family recipes, and here are 5 more delicious fall breakfast recipes for you to try!
Delicious Coffee Cake by Ella Claire & Co. | Apple Pie Crepes by Tidy Mom | Apple Cranberry Baked Oatmeal by Inspired by Charm
Baked Pumpkin Maple French Toast by Freutcake | Cinnamon Apple French Toast by anderson + grant | Granola Brunch Baked Apples by Handmade Farmhouse
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Katrina Carrico
I wanted a coffee cake that was quick, simple, and not massive. This was definitely the move! I had to substitute milk with sour cream but it still turned out great. I also used some cold coffee instead of milk in the icing and it gave it some nice extra flavor. Thank you for sharing this recipe!Reply
Gigi R.
First time making a coffee cake. I picked this recipe. I'm so glad I did. It is soo delicious. My family is requesting for me to make a 2nd one in the same week.Reply
Cecilia
I made this and it turned out so good! I didn’t have a 9x9 pan so I used a 9x13, I just baked it for about 5 mins less. Still turned out great but I would definitely use a smaller pan next time.Reply
Kristalyn
This turned out great! It was really easy to make, and it came out so good!Reply
Sam
DeliciousReply
Michelle
Really good, and easy to make.Reply
Olivia
Delicious! Used a larger spring roll pan, buttermilk and left out nuts. Glazed while warm and it covered the top so sealed in moisture. Ten stars quick, easy and a hit!Reply
Lori
This was an easy and delicious coffee cake! I doubled the recipe and used whole wheat pastry flour, its all I had on hand. I was worried it would be dense but it turned out great! That streusel!Reply
Rebecca Morgan
Made for myself and boyfriend and we are obsessed! I’m very bad at baking and this was simple and quick.Reply
Liz
Delicious cake! My husband also loved it. I doubled the recipe and baked in a 9x13" dish for 30-35 min and it came out great. I did keep the icing recipe the same and it was enough for me. Will be making again in the future, and pretty sure that my husband will be requesting it again!Reply
Bonnie
All I can say it was divine! This is a definite keeper. Easy and delicious. Can't go wrong with this family recipe. Thanks so much for sharing.Reply
Annie
So delicious. I followed the recipe exactly except I used a 8x8 glass pan and baked it 10 minutes longer. Thinned the icing way down & used the tines of a fork to run icing all over the top of cake. My boyfriend said it was the best he's ever had. Yeah!Reply
dave
I needed to warm the kitchen today. -2 outside plus Hellish windchill. I needed something to bake fast and easy ,and found this recipe. I wasn't expecting that it would be so good. Followed exactly, except I used pecans as I didn't have walnuts. Will make again!Reply
Josh
Perfect! Easy to follow. Gonna be breakfast for a few days!Reply
Mae
This cake is very delicious! It’s the simplest recipe and shortest cooking time I could find. I whipped it up just this morning. I accidentally used baking soda instead of baking powder so I added some lemon juice to activate it. I couldn’t taste it at all in the end. I also added more cinnamon cause that’s my favorite part. Thanks for sharing!Reply
Shelbi
I doubled this recipe for my large family and it was delicious. Took about 40 minutes total.Reply
Ann Crawford
This was easy to make and best tasting coffee cake ever. The icing is a must for me. It made it look so much more decadent and pretty when cut it into squares and put on a cake stand. I made this for guests to have in am with coffee and everyone raved about it. Saying it reminded them of cinnamon rolls. It’s a keeper!Reply
Linda C
Love the streusel topping! I poked fresh blueberries into half and it turned out great. Agree, do not over mix or over bake and it will turn out perfect. My oven runs hot so I watch it carefully. Thanks for a great recipe. Just the right size and easy for making in the morning.Reply
Sharon
OK, that was by far the best coffee cake I have ever eaten. I included the walnuts and the glaze. Thank you, I'll be making it in the future for my overnight guests. I'm a cake for breakfast kind of person.
Reply
Sara
I made this for Thanksgiving at my boyfriend’s parents house. It was an instant hit! The recipe is simple to follow and delicious.Reply
Michael Wurm Jr.
I can almost taste this through the screen. Wow! It looks SO delicious! (Beautiful photography too!)xo Michael
Reply
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