Classic Homemade Coffee Cake Recipe
Published January 28, 2022. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This delicious easy-to-make classic homemade coffee cake recipe is the perfect sweet treat to serve up for breakfast or brunch. I make mine extra thick with extra streusel for the most delicious coffee cake ever.
I’m a huge breakfast fan and am a firm believer in trying out new things to help keep them fresh so that it isn’t so mundane. If you want to expand your breakfast recipe repertoire then definitely check out my shakshuka or frittata.
Coffee cake has been around for generations and is said to have originated in Dresden, Germany. The Danish however was responsible for enhancing the cake to make it sweet and introduced eating it with coffee.
This simple to make cake is one of my favorite things to enjoy with coffee in the morning time as it can balance out the flavors of sweet cake with bitter coffee, much like how you enjoy beignets with chicory coffee.
Coffee cake can have many variations of flavors so don’t be afraid to alter a few of these ingredients to help make it your own.
Coffee Cake Ingredients
- Butter – Always use unsalted butter so you can control the salt content in your recipes.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is best for this recipe but if you only have bread flour you will need to increase the amount of milk by 5%.
- Eggs – Large fresh cold eggs.
- Baking Powder – Any brand of baking powder will do for this recipe.
- Salt – I use sea salt in all my recipes, but you can substitute for kosher salt.
- Vanilla – A good pure vanilla extract is best.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar is perfect for this.
- Brown Sugar – I use light brown sugar and make sure to pack it in when measuring.
- Cinnamon – Any good ground cinnamon is perfect.
How to Make Coffee Cake from Scratch
Follow along with these instructions to make this easy coffee cake recipe from scratch:
In a bowl mix together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon until combined and no visible chunks.
Using a pastry knife cut the butter into the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon until the butter is about the size of small little balls about a ¼” in diameter to make a streusel. It’s ok if there are some bigger and some smaller. Set aside.
Next, cream the butter for 5 to 7 minutes until light and fluffy.
Pour in the sugar and cream together for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add in the vanilla and then add in 1 egg at a time until mixed in.
While everything is mixing, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate medium-size bowl. Set aside.
Turn the speed to low and add half of the flour mixture to the stand mixer and mix until completely mixed in.
Next, slowly pour in all the milk until combined.
Add the remaining flour and mix until mixed in. Stop and scrape the mixture and then continue for a further 1 to 2 minutes.
Transfer ½ of the cake batter to a 13×9 casserole dish that’s been sprayed with non-stick spray and evenly spread it out until flat.
Taking the middle layer filling, generously sprinkle it all over the batter and pat it down to flatten slightly.
Add the remaining cake batter on top of the streusel and gently spread it out completely covering the streusel.
Finish by sprinkling on the streusel covering the cake batter completely and then bake at 350° for about 50-55 minutes or until it is firm in the center or reaches 190°-195° internally in the center of the cake.
Cool on a rack slightly before slicing and serving.
Variations
There are many ways to alter this coffee cake to customize it and make it your own. Here are a few things you can add:
- Pecans – Replace a ½ cup of flour and a ¼ cup of brown sugar in the streusel with ¾ cup of chopped pecans.
- Blueberries – Add 1 cup of fresh blueberries each to the middle and top of the streusel.
- Lemon Zest – Add the zest of 1 lemon to the cake batter right after mixing in the eggs for a lemon flavor.
- Oatmeal – Replace a ½ cup of flour and a ¼ cup of brown sugar in the streusel with ¾ cup of rolled oats.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 1 day ahead of time.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount to a sheet pan and cover with foil. Bake at 325° for only 5-7 minutes or until warm. It also reheats very well in the microwave by heating a serving at a time on high until warm.
How to Store: Cover and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating and serving.
chef notes + tips
- If you do not have a stand mixer you can use electric hand beaters.
- Make sure the butter is softened before whipping it in the stand mixer.
- To make the streusel, you can also add the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until the butter is cut in.
More Breakfast Recipes
Video
Classic Homemade Coffee Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Filling Layer:
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Streusel:
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the Cake Batter:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 5 large eggs
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Filling Layer: Combine all ingredients together in a bowl until combined and no visible chunks.
- Streusel: Add the ingredient to a large bowl using a pastry knife cut the butter into the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon until the butter is about the size of small little balls about a ¼” in diameter to make a streusel. It’s ok if there are some bigger and some smaller. Set aside.
- Coffee Cake Batter: Next, cream the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed for about 5-7 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Add in the sugar and cream for 3 to 4 minutes on medium-high speed.
- Pour in the vanilla and then add in 1 egg at a time until they are completely mixed in. Stop and scrape the bowl before going to the next step.
- While everything is mixing, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate medium size bowl. Set aside.
- Turn the speed to low and add in half of the flour mixture to the stand mixer and mix.
- Next, slowly pour in all the milk until combined.
- Add the remaining flour and mix until everything is completely mixed in. Stop and scrape the mixture and then continue mixing on low speed for further 1 to 2 minutes.
- Transfer ½ of the cake batter to a 13×9 casserole dish that’s been sprayed with non-stick spray and evenly spread it out using a spatula until flat.
- Evenly sprinkle the middle layer filling over top of the batter in the pan and gently press down to flatten and smooth out.
- Add the remaining cake batter on top of the streusel and gently spread it out completely covering the streusel.
- Finish by sprinkling on the streusel covering the cake batter completely and then bake at 350° for about 50-55 minutes or until it is firm in the center or reaches 190° to 195° internally in the center of the cake.
- Cool on a rack slightly before slicing and serving.
Absolutely perfect coffee cake. Everyone loves it. Thirty to 45 seconds in the microwave will nicely warm a big piece.
fantastic!
This recipe is super tasty! It was the best coffee cake I’ve ever made.
This is hands down the very best coffee
cake recipe. I added pecans to the streusel and it was AMAZING!!
Excellent! So easy to follow. Chef Billy makes every step simple to understand and execute
many thanks!
Our whole family really loved this coffee cake. It will be made again.
appreciate you trying it
Why do so making recipes no longer say to sift or not sift flour. Recipes my mom used usually specified. If not specified should it be unsifted?
Not sure. I don’t sift too many things.
Sifting is always specified so, if not needed if unlisted. However, sifting was more of an issue for baked goods like cakes years ago when there were issues with densities so sifting would break them up…unless you see that issue with your flour, you don’t need to 😊
What a fabulous coffee cake! This will be my “Go To” recipe from now on. It’s moist, tender and buttery. I added some frozen Blueberries that I dusted in flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom. I first put the middle filling on, then the Blueberries and followed the rest of the recipe as written. Thank you Chef Billy!!!
my pleasure!
I just KNOW this is going to be delish!
I had to throw in about a cup of dark chocolate chips, because…well, it’s chocolate! 😋😋
I love this coffee cake! I’ve made it 3 times now, the last one got a couple of chopped apples, super delicìous and moist. Baking and pastry making is my specialty. I’ve learned so much from you so don’t ever think it goes unnoticed or unappreciated because you rock!! My dream is to open up a bakery, but I need to believe in myself for me to be successful, I’m a work in progress it seems. Thank you for doing what you do!
my pleasure!
The added apples sound yummy! Did you mix it in one of the layers, or add it as a layer on its own? Thank you!
Would love to make this today but low on AP flour. Could I use SR flour, leaving out baking powder and salt?
Without testing it, I’m not 100% sure.
This is truly the best Coffee Cake I’ve ever tasted or baked. I used toasted pecans in the streusel layer and it was so delicious! I couldn’t recommend it more!!
Appreciate it
So delicious and so easy to make. Love it!
so good!!
Great directions and delicious coffee cake!
appreciate you trying it
Very delicious, instructions had me confused so I ad lib the steps but turned out great anyhow. Very light cake and delicious layer/topping
thanks for giving it a shot!! What was confusing?
What confused me is the interchange of verbiage “streusel “ when describing middle layer and top layer which are not the same. (One has butter). So when you read the recipe the term streusel was used in describing the middle layer as well as top layer. I wound up putting some of each one each layer. Turned out fantastic anyway so I was pleased!
In the step by step you referred to filling as streusel interchangeably so I added some of both to the middle. Turned out great in any case. I made it again today, this time with filling in middle as intended. Best recipe ever!
video is there for you as well to sort out anything not understandable in the directions
LOVE this recipe! It shines above all others that appear similar. Now part of my regular repertoire.
Fantastic!
So easy and delicious !!
thanks for making it!
May I substitute buttermilk for the whole milk?
I think you could probably could, but without testing myself I can’t be 100% sure.
I made this yesterday, and it was delicious, I say was because it’s almost gone! Thank you Billy, this will be my go to recipe for coffee cake.
excellent!
Delicious better than Starbucks 💖😁☕️Thanks Chef Billy
Great!
This coffee cake is amazing delicious! I added blueberries to the middle layer!
Nice
Outstanding recipe! Rave reviews from guests.
thanks for giving it a shot!!
This coffee cake just melts in your mouth! Even after several days I like to warm it for 10-15 seconds and it tastes just as great as it did on day one. I always add pecans or walnuts to the streusel, whichever I have. Absolutely 5 stars!
Thank you!
This was THE first recipe from Chef Billy I made and it got me hooked on following his website. I’ve since made a number of his dishes and each one has turned out really well.
Thank you so much!
Would buttermilk work in place of the milk?
I think it probably could. Make make it a little more dense.
Tastes just like the same coffee cake my grandmother made! Tender! Delicious! My family asked me to make it again the same week, and is their favorite sweet in the evening!
Made this 3 times already chef and it’s a crowd pleaser!!!! Thank you!
I tried this recipe for the first time and it was delicious! Moist and flavorful with the perfect crunch on top. I will definitely be making it again.
This coffee cake was delicious.. just the right amount of cinnamon .. it made a lot so I shared with the neighbors..thank you for the recipe ..
Would love to know if anyone has baked in a bread pan? Time?