This cinnamon streusel coffee cake is bursting with cinnamon flavor! The vanilla cake is super soft and moist, while the streusel topping adds a sweet crunch. Plus, there's a ribbon of cinnamon in the center of this breakfast cake.
This recipe was originally published in April of 2020, but was updated on March 21, 2023 with newer content.
This homemade cinnamon coffee cake recipe features a tender, but sturdy, vanilla butter cake.
It's filled with moist crumbs, plenty of cinnamon flavor, and is so much better than Starbucks coffee cake!
Looking for more cinnamon desserts? Then check out these: cinnamon rolls, snickerdoodle cupcakes, and cinnamon brownies.
Why You'll Love This Cake
- It goes great with a hot cup of coffee.
- There's a cinnamon sugar layer in the middle.
- Each bite melts in your mouth because it's so soft.
- The brown sugar streusel topping adds extra sweetness and texture.
- It's a perfect treat for anytime of the day!
Unlike other cake recipes, this one is made in a baking pan. No decorating or stacking.
This is also your chance to have a buttery coffee cake for breakfast!
Expert Baking Tips
- Baking Pan: This recipe is baked in a 9x13-inch baking pan. To prepare the pan, line it with parchment paper and then non-stick cooking spray. This will make it extremely easy to remove the cake once it's cooled.
- Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: If an ingredient calls to be at room temperature before baking, do it. This helps to ensure the best quality in both flavor and texture.
- Cake Batter: This batter is thick so you'll need to use a silicone spatula to help spread it out in the pan. Be careful not to overmix the batter! Overmixing will result in a dense cake.
Ingredients Needed
Here are some notes on the ingredients we'll be using. For the full ingredients list, look at the recipe card below.
- All-Purpose Flour: Be sure to properly measure your flour (check out "Expert Baking Tips" above).
- Sugars: A mixture of brown sugar and white sugar is used throughout the entire cake.
- Leavening Agents: A combination of both baking powder and baking soda are used.
- Butter: Pay attention as to whether the butter needs to be melted or at room temperature before using. Unsalted butter is what I use in all of my recipes so I can control the salt content of the dessert.
- Yogurt: I used vanilla yogurt, but you could also use plain or greek yogurt. Sour cream would work too.
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions on how to make this moist coffee cake.
Step 1: Filling. In a small bowl, use a fork to mix the cinnamon, flour, and brown sugar. Set aside.
Step 2: Dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: Cream the butter. In the large bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on high speed until light and fluffy.
Step 4: Wet ingredients. Add the eggs one at a time on medium speed, mixing well after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla extract and yogurt.
Step 5: Combine the ingredients. Reduce the electric mixer speed to low and alternately add the flour mixture and milk, starting and ending with the flour (flour, milk, flour). Mix just until combined.
Step 6: Assemble. Scrape about half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon filling over the top and then scrape on the remaining batter.
Step 7: Make the streusel. In a medium bowl, use a fork to combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and mix until combined. Then mix in the flour.
Top the cake batter with the streusel topping.
Step 8: Bake. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Use a toothpick to check the center of the cake.
Cool on the counter for 10 minutes before moving it over to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Storing Tips
Keep any leftover cake slices in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.
You could also cover the whole baking pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here in America, we call it coffee cake because this particular cake pairs well with a cup of coffee. You would think that coffee would be an ingredient found within this cake, but it's not.
I simply place a piece of the cake on a plate and reheat it in the microwave for about 25 seconds. You can eat the cake cold, but I prefer it warm.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! Also, please tag me on Instagram and check out my Pinterest for even more recipe ideas.
It brings me so much joy to see you make my recipes. 🙂
Happy Baking!
More Sweet Breakfast Recipes
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9x13 inch baking pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Stand Mixer
- Silicone Spatula
Ingredients:
Cinnamon Filling
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Vanilla Cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup yogurt (vanilla or plain), room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
Streusel Topping
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and non-stick spray.
Cinnamon Filling
- In a small bowl, use a fork to mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Vanilla Cake
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on med-high speed until combined and creamy (2-3 minutes).
- Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then mix in the yogurt and vanilla extract.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternately add the flour mixture and milk, starting and ending with the flour (flour, milk, flour) and mixing just until combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in any loose ingredients with a silicone spatula.
- Scrape about half of the batter into the baking pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon filling over the top and then scrape on the rest of the cake batter. Use an offset spatula to spread out the cake batter evenly (it will be thick).
Streusel Topping
- In a medium bowl (you can use the same bowl that you mixed the flour in), use a fork to combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and mix until combined. Then mix in the flour.
- Top the cake batter with your streusel topping and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool on the counter for 10 minutes, then move the baking pan over to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Keep any leftover cake slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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