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Cinnamon Crunch Yogurt Coffee Cake. Vanilla yogurt coffee cake swirled with sweet cinnamon and espresso CRUNCH. This middle layer of CRUNCH throughout the cake creates a perfectly gooey center. Then simply top the cake with the remaining CRUNCH and bake! This is such a delicious, perfectly moist, and light cake. It’s especially delicious when eaten warm! Each soft, sweet slice has a little cinnamon espresso crunch with every bite. It’s easier to make than you’d think! Everyone loves this special yogurt coffee cake!
This might feel like a slightly indulgent recipe for January. But as I’ve been saying, just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean we should ignore winter baking.
These bitter-cold, short winter days are some of the best of the year to cozy up in the kitchen and bake your favorite banana bread or chocolate-filled cookies! Life, especially in January, is a balance. You have to treat yourself too!
And when it snows here, which has been a lot this month, all I crave is a baking day.
I made this loaf cake during those laid-back days between Christmas and New Year’s. I was feeling a little sad that Christmas was over, but the snow was still falling, and I was left with the baking bug.
Something so comforting to me in the winter is the smell of cinnamon baking away in the oven. I just love it so much. So, I decided to start jotting down different ideas with cinnamon. When I read my list over, this cinnamon-heavy cake was just what I wanted to bake.
I decided to make a lighter variation with the thought of the new year and reducing the sugar. I made this cake a little more wholesome, using honey, plain Greek yogurt, and whole wheat flour.
This cake is just a little more special, thanks to the thick cinnamon and espresso crunch swirl. Yes, there’s a pinch of espresso powder in there, too…it actually is a coffee, coffee cake!
Here are the details
Ingredients – for the yogurt coffee cake
- salted butter
- honey – or you can use granulated sugar, but I like honey
- plain Greek yogurt
- vanilla extract
- eggs
- whole wheat flour – you could also use all-purpose flour
- almond flour – again, you can use all-purpose flour
- baking powder
Ingredients – for the cinnamon CRUNCH
- dark brown sugar
- cinnamon
- espresso powder
- salted butter
Special Tools
You need a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Or you can use a 9-inch bundt pan too. You’ll also need a mixing bowl.
Steps
Step 1: make the cake batter
Cream one stick of room-temperature salted butter with the honey. Then add eggs, vanilla, and plain Greek yogurt. Having your ingredients at room temperature allows for the best and most even mixing of ingredients.
The Greek yogurt is the secret here. The yogurt adds delicious flavor and gives the cake moisture. It’s such a wonderful addition to this sweet cinnamon cake. It provides a nice tangy balance!
Once all the wet ingredients have been mixed, simply beat in the whole wheat flour, almond flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. You can use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat and almond flour, but I love the flavor that both these flours provide. I find that the almond flour keeps the cake from becoming too heavy.
Step 2: make the cinnamon crunch
The cinnamon crunch topping consists of brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and butter mixed together until clumps form.
Step 3: create the layers.
Layer half of the batter into a loaf pan. Sprinkle a handful of the cinnamon crunch mixture over the batter. Spoon over the remaining batter, then cover the top of the cake with the remaining cinnamon crunch mixture.
1st layer – coffee cake batter.
2nd layer – cinnamon CRUNCH.
3rd layer – another layer of coffee cake batter.
4th layer – a very thick layer of cinnamon CRUNCH on top.
And then you bake – this coffee cake will take about an hour in the oven.
As the cake bakes, the cinnamon melts into the sugar and butter, becoming nice and gooey. At the same time, the cinnamon topping begins to caramelize, becoming crunchy.
So yummy!
I opted out of a glaze for this coffee cake to keep the sweetness down, but an espresso glaze would be over-the-top delicious if you wanted to try that! Yum!
Looking for other winter baking sweets? Here are a few to try:
5 Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake
Dirty Horchata Tres Leches Cake
Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake
Bursting Blueberry Cardamom Buckle
Coconut Banana Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Lastly, if you make this Cinnamon Crunch Yogurt Coffee Cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Cinnamon Crunch Swirled Coffee Cake
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 403 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup honey or granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 3/4 cup almond flour (or 1/2 cup all-purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Crunch
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Butter a 9×5 inch loaf pan.2. In a bowl, beat together the butter and honey until combined. Add the yogurt and vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. 3. To make the crunch. Mix the butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and espresso. 4. Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with a 1/3 cup of the crunch mix, reserve the remaining crunch mix for topping. Evenly spoon the remaining batter over. Sprinkle over the remaining crunch mixture.5. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the center is just set. Remove and let cool for 30 minutes before cutting…or eat it warm with a smear of cinnamon butter. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on January 17, 2025
I just took the loaf out of the oven after 55 minutes and the brown sugar top is completely burnt. The cake also did not rise at all. Very disappointed by this recipe (I followed every step as written). This is the first time that a HBH recipe fails for me…
after cooling the loaf for 30+ min, I had to completely discard the layer of cinnamon crunch on top since it was totally burnt. At least the loaf underneath is nice and moist and has a good flavor. But, I am overall still very disappointed that the recipe did not turn out as intended and that I had to throw away a pretty large part of the bake.
Hi Jeanne,
So very sorry to hear this. I wonder if the loaf was on a rack that was too high in your oven? Again, so sorry to hear the top burned for you. xx
Hi Tieghan,
No, my loaf was in the middle of the oven. I think if I made the recipe again I would either cover the sugar pretty early on in the baking process or just add it on top in the last 20 minutes or so.
I just made this following the recipe to the T for one hour. The loaf came out burned on top, guessing it was the brown sugar. I flipped the loaf over and let it cool for 30 minutes. My vets did like it, one had 3 slices! Next time I will make it for just 55 min and maybe reduce the amt of brown sugar to reduce the burned top layer.
Thanks so much, Tim! I appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, I’m glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
I made it tonight and some of my top burnt too. I turned down the temperature and lowered the oven rack. I used hazelnut flavored instant coffee instead of the espresso powder. I still look forward to trying it in the morning.
Absolutely a keeper!!! I can’t wait to share this with others. I also made a quick Brown Sugar and Butter spread to put on top.
Thanks so much! So glad to hear you enjoyed this coffee cake, I appreciate you making it! Have a wonderful weekend! xT
Tieghan, I’m so sorry you have a bully after you. It breaks my heart. Hang in there, hopefully this horrible human will get some help soon. They obviously are just jealous of you.
This coffee cake looks so yummy! I can’t wait to make it! Have a wonderful day and know that millions of us love and respect you. Big…HUGs!
Thanks so much for your kind message, Sara:) I hope you love this coffee cake. Let me know how it turns out! Have a great weekend! xT
Looks good but don’t have expresso coffee…what else can I use
Helen
Hi Helen,
You could just skip it, no big deal:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
How do I make sure my loaf isn’t so sunken in like yours? Is that normal?
So, you’re giving one star because you think it looks sunken? Seriously? It looks moist and delicious to me. I know you get on here and use like 5 different names and leave 5 horrible comments. If you used this much energy into something good, maybe you’d be happy too!
Sara – people have given five star reviews on a recipe that they haven’t even made yet, so I think I am perfectly entitled to give my own rating as well. 🙂 asking a question about baking & a sunken loaf isn’t being a bully. I don’t want my loaf looking like that. Hope that helps!
Exactly!!!’
Hey Diane! Yes, it’s normal for me, my cakes always have a dip! I don’t adjust for the elevation.
That cake will come out rounded for you.
Let me know if you have other questions! Have a great Sunday!
I’m a little confused, because you continually tell people that recipes will work & that there is no need for any elevation adjustments, that it doesn’t impact your baking. So if you know it does, why would you not adjust for it? I’m not trying to be rude just trying to understand your process.
Tieghan – Baked goods are not meant to have a dip or look like they were hit by an asteroid. It’s normal for you because you don’t adjust for elevation. Why don’t you learn to adjust for elevation so that your bakes look better and you can provide people with better recipes?
I read the comments, and decided to just go with all purpose flour, instead of whole wheat or almond. It came out fine and was delicious!
Hi Heather,
Thanks so much for making this recipe! Love to hear it turned out well for you! Have a great Saturday! xT
I love this recipe although I have not tried it yet. My mother loves a treat with her afternoon tea but is allergic to eggs. What can we use instead of eggs? Any suggestions.
Hi Lalitha,
So sorry, I have not tested this recipe without eggs, so I can’t say for sure. You could certainly try an egg replacement like a chia or flax egg. I hope this helps! x
I just came here to say I’m sorry people are bullying you on the internet. I think those cranky commenters really need a hug or something. I tried this recipe and thought it was solid. Not my favorite thing ever, but not everything you eat needs to be your favorite. 🙂 Would make this again if I was having people over, not as a regular staple.
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your kind message:) Glad to hear you would make it again! Have the best weekend! xT
This recipe didn’t work for me. Plus, the number of ads are really too much!!
Hi Dee,
So very sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed. Was there something specific that didn’t work or something that I can help with? Please let me know! xx
Girl, i am once again asking you to stop pretending your sunken loaves are your intended aesthetic. Learn how to bake.
Girl, I am once again asking you to chill TF out and learn your stuff. “Sunken” loaves are a problem for bread, not for quickbreads… The airier you make your quickbreads, the drier they will be on the inside. You can enjoy your dry puffy quickbreads, but the rest of us would prefer a dense but moist loaf 😉
Most people prefer their baked goods to be baked through and not raw
So, you’ve started using my name. Please get off the internet and find something else to do. It’s really getting old and it just shows us how sad you are. Please get some help.
Girl, I am once asking you to stop fronting for a 30 year old adult with whom you have a weird parasocial relationship. Competent bakers can make cakes and loaves that are both dense and moist and not completely sunken and underbaked in the middle, but i suppose you and T don’t qualify as competent.
Seems like the easiest thing for you to do then is not follow her right? It’s a lot of effort to keep posting about some site you don’t like
This recipe and the Cinnamon cake are so delicious; I am not a cook and don’t enjoy mixing and measuring but this was simple and easy to bake. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks so much!! I am so glad you enjoyed this coffee cake, I appreciate you making it! Happy Friday! xxT
This sounds yummy but I’m concerned with how sunken your loaf looks in the middle. I’ve noticed this in a lot of your bakes, is this because you are at elevation? If I am at sea level will mine look better?
Hey Sarah! Yes my cakes always have a dip! I don’t adjust for the elevation.
That cake will come out rounded for you.
Let me know if you have other questions! Have a great Sunday!
I used honey, whole wheat flour, and almond flour as I was in search of a “healthier” recipe and it did not work well for me. So dense and gummy with an off flavor! This might be a great baked good with sugar + all purpose flour but these swaps did not work and should have known because these are not interchangeable in baking.
Hey Claire! I am so sorry you had trouble with the recipe not baking properly. Did you bake a full hour? Were your ingredients at room temperature?
Just curious if maybe there is a solution as others have made this and really enjoyed!!
Regardless, so sorry you had trouble!! Let me know how I can help!
Have a great Sunday!! And week ahead!
This looks yummy, and I enjoy your recipes and photography. But the ads? They are constant and like whack-a-mole. Makes it hard to get thru your blog. How many sponsors do you need?!
What can be used instead of espresso powder if I don’t have it on hand?
Cocoa powder works!
Hi Samantha,
You can just skip it, no big deal:) I hope you love this recipe! Have a great Sunday! xT
So agree on the ads! Ads on top of ads, preventing the recipe from loading sometimes, but for me and I’m probably alone on this,I despise Jupiter!!
This was a complete fail. It’s very evident you don’t eat the food you make, because if you did you would realise that ingredients cannot just be switched from one thing to another without completely changing the end result.
Hey Elisabeth! This is a go to recipe for me that I’ve used with many other cake recipes. I have used the same base measurements and ingredients that I always use. I didn’t swap anything. Just changed flavors and added my cinnamon crunch mix!
Yes it’s been well tested and very well enjoyed many times!!
Did you have trouble with the recipe?
Let me know how I can help! Have a great Sunday!!!
Hi Kay,
Thanks so much for your feedback regarding the ads, I am very sorry for any frustrations caused by them. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx