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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 there, I do not have a 9-inch bundt pan but I do have a regular 8-inch cake tin, can I use that instead? Also, if I would like to omit the cream cheese, how would you suggest to adjust the baking time?
Hey Jia,
I would recommend using 2 loaf pans and you and just omit the cream cheese and follow the recipe as is. I hope you love the cake! Thanks! xTieghan
I think the metric conversion is off. 100g of sour cream didn’t look right. I weighed 1/2 cup and it was 114g. The brown sugar was correct. I didn’t try checking anything else.
Thanks for letting me know Kevin!! xTieghan
I made this today and it was delicious. I cut the recipe in half and made it in a loaf pan. I also used 2 tbsp of brewed espresso and 2 tbsp of water in place of the coffee because I only have an espresso machine. It was so delicious! The best coffee cake I’ve ever made and I’ve tried a lot of recipes. 🙂 Thanks!
Hey Jessica,
I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Hi from Sweden!
Just tried this bake tonight and it came out really well. The texture of the cake is smooth and moist without being too dense. It was spot on toghether with the crumbly top layer!
As a lover of cinnamon I admit to have at least doubled the amount of spice to no disapointment 🙂
I know however from before that the coffe taste can be somewhat difficult to get to using brewed coffee, and I found it so also in this case. The coffee flavour is very sublte. I did not dare to mess with the ratios for a new bake but would be curious to hear your recommendation for upping the coffee flavour?
Can also mention that I used oat based creme fraiche instead of sour cream since that what was in the fridge and it turned out fine!
All the best, have a nice weekend!
Hey Emelie,
I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! I only wanted a subtle coffee flavor, but you could try adding more instant coffee next time. Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Great recipe, easy to follow! The smells from the cinnamon and cardamom when baking were heavenly!
My cream cheese started to split on one side, which I think was from it still being too warm when I flipped and also a little too close to the edge of the bundt. The cream cheese is perfect addition, I added 1 T sugar and splash of vanilla to mine. I also wanted a stronger coffee flavor so added in some Kahlua to the glaze. This is added to my list!! Thank you.
Hey Amy,
I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
Could I use almond milk, oat milk, or 2% milk instead of whole milk? Or would that ruin the consistency of the glaze?
Hey Brittany,
Any of those will work just fine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can’t wait to make this! Is using finely ground espresso okay instead of instant coffee? Not sure what the difference would be..
Hey Tamara,
I would stick with the instant coffee or just skip it:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Tried this recipe today. It’s really tasty! However, I do agree with another comment that cream cheese was not necessarily a good edition. Was indeed a bit tangy. Maybe mascarpone would work better, be milder. I will definitely be making it again in the future since the top half is delicious! Just won’t be adding any cheese =)
Hey Regina,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, it makes me so happy that it was enjoyed. Mascarpone would work well too. Happy Friday! xTieghan
Hi, your cake looks wonderful, can I substitute buttermilk for the yogurt ?
Hey Winnie,
I would recommend using sour cream or yogurt. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Any recommendation if I don’t have a Bundt pan?
Hey Bailey,
You can split the batter into 2 loaf pans. I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
Lovely recipe and I can’t wait to try it. Do you have any suggestions on replacing the eggs? I usually use greek yoghurt to replace the eggs but it’s already being used in the recipe. Would oil be a good replcement?
Thanks, H
Hey there,
So sorry, I have not tried this recipe without the eggs. I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
I made this today. I don’t mean to be critical but, it was lacking ump/flavor. Perhaps a half to 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt to the batter would bring out the flavor of the cake? The drizzle of glaze was very tasty and help to add to the flavor.
Hey Trisha,
So sorry you did not enjoy the recipe, please let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
Hi! ? My husband and I always have a cup of coffee at night with something sweet (cookies, cake…) and 2 days ago we didn’t have any sweet for our coffee, so I was looking my instagram and the first thing I saw was your coffee cake!!! I said I have to make it! I asked my 9 years old son if he can help me, so we made this coffee cake together and we loved it and enjoyed it very much. I didn’t have whole milk for the drizzle so I used peppermint moxa coffee mate and my husband was in heaven with every bite hahaha. Thank you for the recipe !
Have a great day ?
Hey Kareen,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, it makes me so happy that it was enjoyed. Happy Friday! xTieghan
Hi there! the taste and flavour of the cake was soooo great. Such a great breakfast/ afternoon coffee recipe.
However I did run into some trouble….the cake split at the cream cheese layer when I tried to flip it out the pan (which had been very well buttered). The crumble topping didn’t stay “crumbly” – it just melted into the cake, losing any texture and formed an outer crust. I followed the recipe in detail and I am quite a regular baker. Any ideas about why this might have happened? Xx
Hey Chloe,
So sorry to hear this. Was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? Did you use a different baking method? What kind of pan did you use? It is really hard for me to say exactly what went wrong without being there. Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
What a lovely ?
This is will be my first trial in 2021.
Due to the covid blue actually I’m not in mood do anything:( I think your fabulous recipe and awsome photo helps me a lot. Can I share this recipe on my blog?
Of course I will write the original link.
I’d like to translate this to let people know what a wonderful cake indeed. Thank you
Hey there,
I hope you love this recipe!! xTieghan