Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
This Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake has a moist dense crumb with a thin layer of cinnamon sugar and is topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel. Serve it for breakfast, at brunch, or for a midday pick-me-up!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The streusel topping is more sugar and butter than flour making it heavy. As the cake bakes the topping crisps and cracks and somewhat caves into the cakey layers below. It’s a decadent treat worthy of serving next to a hot cup of coffee.
- This version of coffee cake is sweet and buttery and does not shy away from cinnamon.
- Simple ingredients come together to make a truly indulgent treat that everyone will love.
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour is perfect for this recipe. You could also use cake flour if you’d like.
- Whole milk will result in the moistest and richest cake flavor. However, you could use a lower fat or dairy-free milk if you prefer.
- I like to use oil in long baking desserts as it will keep the cake incredibly moist.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan and place it on the baking sheet. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the cinnamon sugar layer:
In a bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: Make the cinnamon streusel:
Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, melted butter, and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside.
Step 4: Make the cake batter:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 5:
In a large bowl, cream together sugar and softened butter until light and creamy. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar and mix until well combined.
Step 6:
Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Then, mix in half of the milk. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix in the other half of the milk. Then, finish with the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients.
Step 7: Layer The Cake:
Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared springform pan.
Step 8:
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the cake batter.
Step 9:
Place spoonfuls of the remaining batter over the cinnamon sugar layer. Then, carefully spread the cake batter into an even layer.
Step 10:
Crumble the cinnamon streusel over the cake.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Step 11:
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes then run a knife around the edges before releasing the springform pan. Continue cooling the cake for another 2 hours before serving.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Technically, there is “too much” butter (is that possible?) for the amount of flour in the streusel. The result is a streusel that cracks and slightly sinks into the cake.
- When you pull the cake out of the oven, you’ll notice little puddles of butter on top. Don’t worry! That’s how it’s supposed to look. The butter will soak down into the cake making it extra moist and flavorful and the streusel topping will still be nice and crunchy.
Storage & Reheating
Storage
Store the cake in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.
Reheating
You can lightly warm cake slices in the microwave in 20-second increments or in a 325-degree F oven for 3 to 5 minutes or until warm but not hot.
Freezing
You can freeze the cake by wrapping it in aluminum foil. Use it within 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coffee cake is named that because it is traditionally served alongside coffee and not because there is coffee in it.
For this particular recipe, you will find that parts of the top of the cake do sink because of the streusel topping. However, if the whole cake collapses then that is likely a result of either too much air beaten into the cake batter or from underbaking the cake.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt fine kosher or sea
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk
Cinnamon Sugar Layer
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt fine kosher or sea
Cinnamon Streusel
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt fine kosher or sea
- 1 stick unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan and place it on the baking sheet. Set aside.
Make the Cinnamon Sugar Layer
- Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Make the Streusel
- Whisk together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Then, mix in the melted butter. Set aside.
Make the Cake
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until they are light and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until combined.
- Mix in 1/2 of the milk.
- Continue with another 1/3 of the dry ingredient, then the rest of the milk, and finally the last of the dry ingredients.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the batter. Spoon the rest of the batter in and carefully spread it out.
- Crumble the streusel over the top of the cake.
- Bake the cake in the springform pan on the baking sheet for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes. Then, run a knife around the edges before releasing the cake. Cool for another 2 hours before slicing.
Notes
- When you pull the cake out of the oven, you’ll notice little puddles of butter on top. Don’t worry! That’s how it’s supposed to look. The butter will soak down into the cake making it extra moist and flavorful and the streusel topping will still be nice and crunchy.
- Allow the cake to fully cool for the cleanest cuts.
- Store the cake in an airtight container. It will keep for 2 days at room temperature and up to a week in the fridge.
Hands down my favorite coffee cake I have ever had. This one is something special!
Thank you!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!