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Welcoming the start of a new month with this Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Coffee Cake. Coffee cake infused with…coffee! Then swirled with sweet cinnamon sugar and cream cheese. This coffee cake is no fuss, easy to mix up, and SO DELICIOUS! Every bite is layered with sweet cinnamon streusel and vanilla coffee cake crumbs. Finish the cake with a light drizzle of vanilla coffee glaze for a cake that no one can turn down. Bonus? It’s simpler to make than you’d think, and so very pretty…with very little effort.
I’m not sure how this could be, but this is only my second coffee cake recipe I’ve ever shared. A few years ago I shared a pumpkin coffee cake, but that’s my entire repertoire of coffee cakes on HBH. You see, growing up coffee cakes were not a thing at our house. You all know the story, if it wasn’t chocolate, it wasn’t something my mom was baking. So we never enjoyed coffee cake as kids.
However, when I was in middle school, I slept over at a friend’s house (which was SO rare of me to do). The next morning, we were served a chocolate chip coffee cake. I don’t recall questioning the coffee cake name, but I do remember thinking it was pretty delicious. And that was my first experience with any kind of coffee cake. And for a long time, it was also my last. Pretty sure I didn’t enjoy another coffee cake until that pumpkin cake I created a few yes back.
So until recently, coffee cake was rather new to me, which makes this recipe feel especially fun to share.
(cream cheese layer in the middle of the cake before baking)
The Idea.
The idea is simple. I’ve never understood why they would call coffee cake, coffee cake, if there wasn’t even a splash of coffee in the cake. Yes, I understand that it’s meant to be enjoyed with coffee. But still, why call it coffee cake if there’s no coffee inside?
It just never made sense to me.
And that brings me to this cake. It’s coffee cake, but with actually coffee in the batter…and even in the glaze. So it’s extra special coffee cake.
Here are the details.
There are three steps to this cake, the batter, the streusel, and the glaze. The batter is pretty simple, but the two special ingredients are the coffee (of course), and a bit of sour cream to give the cake the perfect moist crumb.
Simply mix the wet ingredients, then add the dry…simple simple, nothing fancy.
For the swirl of the cake, you’ll need to make a streusel and you’ll need some cream cheese too (though the cream cheese can be optional if you prefer).
I swirled the middle of the cake with a thick layer of cinnamon sugar, then a layer of cream cheese. It’s a little decadent, but oh so delicious. And it’s March, a little decadence is needed to keep things fun and exciting until those flowers pop up.
Then, for the very top of the cake, I made a more classic streusel with sweet brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. It’s so delicious and perfect atop this coffee cake.
Now on to that glaze…it might just be my favorite.
I don’t love a straight powdered sugar glaze. I find it to be pretty bland and re ally, it’s just too sugary for my taste.
With this glaze, I wanted it to be exciting, but not overpowering. I wanted the flavors within the glaze to help highlight the flavors in the cake. And naturally, I thought the glaze needed to be flavored with coffee. The perfect pairing for a coffee, coffee cake!
I used my favorite espresso powder, a nice splash of vanilla, and just a touch of powdered sugar, to create a coffee glaze. Not too strong, not too sweet, but just right. Especially when drizzled over this warm cake.
Delicious.
When you put everything together, you have a truly special coffee, coffee cake. This is going to be so perfect for all the upcoming spring holidays from Easter Sunday to Mother’s Day.
But my suggestion? Test this cake out this week, or maybe this weekend. Enjoy it with your favorite steaming latte for a sweet morning…or afternoon treat. Such a perfect way to keep the week feeling fun!
Looking for other springtime brunch recipes? Here are some favorites:
Herby Everything Cheddar Swirl Buns
Berry and Cream Cheese Croissant French Toast Bake
Lastly, if you make this Cinnamon Streusel Coffee 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 Streusel Coffee Coffee Cake
Servings: 12
Calories Per Serving: 445 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 (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brewed coffee
Streusel
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, grated
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
Glaze
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-3 teaspoons instant coffee, to your taste
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a 9-inch bundt pan.2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the sour cream and vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Slowly mix in the coffee until just combined, being careful not to overmix. 3. To make the streusel. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Add the butter and use your fingers to mix the butter into the flour until a crumble forms.4. Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the batter. Then, gently dollop the warmed cream cheese over the batter and spread in an even layer. Spoon the remaining batter over the cream cheese in an even layer. Top evenly with the buttery streusel mix. 5. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool 30 minutes and then invert the cake onto a plate, flipping it back upright onto a serving plate. 6. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and coffee powder. Add a pinch of flaky sea salt. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake and let set 10 minutes. Serve the cake slightly warm or at room temperature. Keep cake stored, covered in the fridge.
This post was originally published on March 2, 2021
Hi Tieghan! This looks delicious. Can you use a loaf pan instead? Thank you, can’t wait to make it.
Hey Kathleen,
I would divide this between 2 loaf pans. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions!! xTieghan
Yum! I slightly underbaked (my fault) and messed up the glaze (my fault, again! More like a soak!), and the coffee cake was still delicious. Perfect for a breakfast/brunch. Also did mine in a domed bundt (not flat), but it was fine and looked lovely. Thank you. Taking off one star because the cream cheese was a bit too tangy on its own.
Hey Aimee,
I am so thrilled this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a try!! xTieghan
Hi there! Would this recipe required adjustment to be baked at ~5000 feet?
Hey Hayley,
No adjustments needed, you can follow the recipe as is. I hope you love the cake, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Hi, I don’t have a bundt pan, could I use a loaf pan or maybe muffin tin? How would this affect the bake time? Thanks!
Hey Holly,
I would recommend using 2 loaf pans. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions!! xTieghan
Hi! I don’t drink coffee or use it. Can I substitute it for something else?
Hey Trish,
You can use water in place of the coffee. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I am not a coffee fan, what do you think of making this with strong Chai Tea instead?
Hey Daniella,
I would just use water in place of the coffee. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks incredible!! I’d love to try this over the weekend. I know you usually recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour to make your baking recipes GF which I always have on hand- do you think that Cup4Cup would work for this recipe as well? Thank you! <3
Hey Hillary,
Yes, I think this would work well with Cup4cup. I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out!! xTieghan
What would happen if I left out the Cardamom? I have never used it.
Hey Charlotte,
Is there a reason you don’t want to use it? The cardamom really adds great flavor, so I would recommend giving it a try. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
First of all, you’re a genius. I have always been confused about the name of coffee cake as well, but you went the extra mile and made a real coffee cake with coffee in it, so go Tieghan! Secondly, I just got some fair trade organic cinnamon and cardamom in the mail this very day, the exact same day you posted this amazing recipe. So, this is meant to be and I will definitely be making this recipe in the near future, and I will report back with my rating and feedback! But considering the stars are so aligned for me over this, I know it’s going to be awesome. Thank you SO much! You make my life rich and delicious.
Hey Courtney,
Thanks so much for your kind message, I hope you love the recipe!! xTieghan
Can you substitute oil for all that butter?
Hey Lorraine,
Sorry, for this recipe I would recommend sticking with the butter:) I hope you love the cake, let me know if you have any other questions!! xTieghan
Can you share your favorite espresso powder?
Hey Sarah,
Here you go: https://shopstyle.it/l/biNBa
I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
I also am a Cleveland girl (Cleveland Heights)! Sugar is a food group in my life so I pound pavement to offset my addiction. It’s worth every step so I can bake and eat recipes like this. I cannot wait to try it. My elderly neighbor always gets a slice of the action and a review will be forthcoming!
I hope you love the recipe Deborah! xTieghan
This looks so good! Would it be okay in a 10-inch fluted Bundt pan?
Hey Kaley,
Yes, that should work just fine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Oh my life 1) This looks amazing, 2) I adore coffee cake, one of my favourites and 3) Yes, I have a bundt tin for this. I have definitely pinned this for a weekend bake. Thank you for this wonderful recipe 🙂
Thanks so much Colleen, I hope you love the recipe!! xTieghan
I remember you did a few cofee cake muffins. I will definetly try this one, it really sounds amazing!
I hope you love the recipe Miriam!! xTieghan