I’ll be the first to admit: I’m completely powerless around a slice of cinnamon coffee cake. The soft, buttery crumb, the thick, gooey ribbons of cinnamon sugar running through the middle, that crumbly brown sugar topping… I mean, how do you even say no to that?
I’ve made a lot of coffee cakes (my blueberry sour cream coffee cake is my husband’s favorite), but nothing quite hits the spot like the classic cinnamon swirl. It’s cozy, simple, and just sweet enough to count as dessert with your morning coffee!
Some days I’m all about a thick slice of coffee cake, but other mornings? A classic cinnamon roll muffin hits the spot. Still loaded with cinnamon, just a little sweeter, and of course, topped with cream cheese icing!
Step-by-Step Baking Process
1
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. For that rich and buttery bakery-style flavor, I recommend using a European-style butter, such as Kerrygold. Its higher butterfat content makes the cake extra moist and tender.
2
Mix in the wet and dry ingredients. Stop mixing when they are just combined; you don’t want to overmix the batter, as this will cause it to lose its soft and tender texture.
3
Spread one-third of the batter into a 9×9-inch springform baking pan. Then sprinkle a third of the brown sugar cinnamon streusel on top.
4
Repeat this process two more times until all the batter is gone. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the cake batter. Then bake!
5
Let it cool for 1 to 2 hours. This is important! Slicing into it while it’s still hot will make the slices fall apart.
6
Drizzle with vanilla icing. This is optional, but I don’t think a coffee cake is complete without it! I like to make it a bit runnier than a standard glaze, because it has a hard time sticking to the cinnamon sugar topping when it’s really thick.
When I’m after something a little sweeter than coffee cake, I go straight for my cinnamon swirl twists. Sweet brown sugar cinnamon wrapped in soft dough. Basically, the gooey, sweet middle of a cinnamon roll!
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Cinnamon Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Swirls
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Coffee Cake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
- 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
For the Cinnamon Sugar Layers
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the Vanilla Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line the bottom of a 9×9 spring form baking pan with parchment paper and butter the sides of the pan. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.1 1/2 cups (195 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons (7 g) baking powder, 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine sea salt
- Cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl.1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar
- Mix in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl before adding the next one, then mix in the vanilla.2 (110 g) large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
- Once combined, mix in the sour cream. Scrape down the bowl.3/4 cup (170 g) sour cream
- Add the flour mixture. Start mixing on low speed while streaming in the milk. Mix until just combined. Scraping the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is combined.1/4 cup (56 g) whole milk
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1/3 cup (66 g) brown sugar, 3 tablespoons (17 g) ground cinnamon
- Spread a third of the batter into the prepared cake pan (about 288 grams), sprinkle a third of the cinnamon sugar (about 66 grams), and repeat two more times, with the top covered in the rest of the cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out covered in a few moist crumbs. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then unclasp the sides and remove the ring from the cake. Let it finish cooling on the rack for 1-2 hours.
- Once cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over the cake and enjoy! The icing won’t fully stick to the cinnamon sugar topping; it’ll run off a bit, but you’ll still get that extra sweetness in every bite. Or skip it if you prefer it plain!1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 3-4 tablespoons (38 g) whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
Hi noticed there’s no coffee in the cake so what makes it a coffee cake
Hi! Coffee cake is named for being served with coffee, not necessarily made with coffee. Traditionally it’s a lightly sweet cake with a crumb topping meant for breakfast or brunch.