A delicious coffee cake recipe that is easy to mix in 5 minutes with just a few staple ingredients. This family recipe has been passed down for 3 generations and is perfect for breakfast, snack time or even dinner!
Coffee cake is one of our very favorites around here! We find ourselves making it more often in the fall along with pumpkin pecan coffee cake and walnut and apple coffee cake. When the weather becomes a little more crisp, we also tend to make more breakfast foods (and baked goods in general) and love our cinnamon rolls and apple pie cinnamon rolls too!
We have been making this coffee cake in my family for as long as I can remember. Back to my childhood, this is the recipe that my mom would always make for us, and now I make it for my family. We love to make it for breakfast and also "breakfast for dinner" which is our favorite! This recipe is easy to double and make for a crowd as well. It is also delicious as leftovers.
What is Coffee Cake?
American coffee cake is traditionally a mildly sweet cake with a cinnamon streusel crumb layer. It is given that name because it pairs well with a cup of coffee and not because it has coffee in it. Coffee Cake has a different texture than other cakes. The crumb is more moist and dense like a light pound cake.
How to Make Coffee Cake
The great thing about coffee cake is that it is SO easy to make! You can whip up the batter in just a couple minutes with a few staple ingredients. You don't need any special equipment or mixers. Just use a mixing bowl and spoon.
Cake Steps
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Beat egg in mixing bowl. Add sugar, milk, oil, salt and vanilla. Spoon flour into measuring cups and then dump on top of the batter. Sprinkle baking powder over flour and mix into the top half of the flour. Mix flour into batter until combined, but not over-mixed.
- Pour into a 9x9 baking dish.
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in microwave. Remove and mix in brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour and stir until combined. Add nuts if desired.
- Sprinkle streusel onto the cake.
- Use a finger or the small end of a wooden spoon to poke the streusel halfway down into the cake batter, randomly in 12-18 different spots.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs (not runny batter).
- Lightly drizzle with icing if desired.
Walnuts and Icing
The walnuts and icing in this recipe are totally optional. You can use (or not) based on preference.
We love walnut coffee cake, so I always include the nuts. Pecans are also a great option.
If I am being honest, I rarely make the icing drizzle. It is yummy (and pretty), but the cake is so good by itself that it doesn't necessarily need it.
Coffee Cake
The BEST moist coffee cake recipe that is easy to make 5 minutes prep time with just a few staple ingredients.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup oil vegetable or canola
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups flour
Streusel
- 2 T butter melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 T Flour
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped, optional
Icing Drizzle
- 1 T butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 T milk extra, if needed
Instructions
Cake
-
Preheat oven to 375°.
-
Beat egg in mixing bowl. Mix in sugar, milk, salt, oil, and vanilla.
-
Spoon flour into measuring cup. Dump flour on top of the batter. Sprinkle baking pwder over flour and gently mix into the top half of the flour. Stir flour mixture into batter until combined. Pour into greased, or parchment lined, 9x9 baking dish.
Streusel
-
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in microwave. Remove and mix in brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour and stir until well combined. Add nuts if desired.
-
Sprinkle streusel onto the cake.Use a finger or the small end of a wooden spoon to poke the streusel halfway down into the cake batter, randomly 12-18 times.
-
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs (not runny batter). Do not overbake or it will be more dry!
Icing (optional)
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(optional step) Mix butter and powdered sugar. Thin with milk until desired consistency. Lightly drizzle cake with icing.
Recipe Notes
Note: Spoon flour into the measuring cup for the cake batter. For the flour in the topping, I just scoop it straight with the measuring spoon.
Tip: Do not over-bake or it will dry out the cake.
I hope you love one of our favorite family recipes, and here are 5 more delicious fall breakfast recipes for you to try!
Delicious Coffee Cake by Ella Claire & Co. | Apple Pie Crepes by Tidy Mom | Apple Cranberry Baked Oatmeal by Inspired by Charm
Baked Pumpkin Maple French Toast by Freutcake | Cinnamon Apple French Toast by anderson + grant | Granola Brunch Baked Apples by Handmade Farmhouse
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