Learn how to make soft and tender Coffee Cake. This beautiful New York-style cinnamon cake has a tasty cinnamon crumble and is delicious served with a fresh cup of coffee.
Introducing your new fave cake! 💕
Meet my soft and tender Coffee Cake. Made from scratch, this light melt-in-your-mouth cake is topped with a homemade cinnamon crumble.
Dusted with sugar, it’s sweet, buttery and oh-so-fun to make.
Ever since I made my Apple Cake, I’ve been obsessed with easy tea cakes. I just love how simple they are but they really do pack a flavour punch.
This easy Coffee Cake is the best of both worlds. Light and sweet cake topped with a crunchy cookie-like crumble. There’s no need for frosting here, the cake itself is more than enough.
I used to think Coffee Cake had coffee in it, but this American classic rather gets its name because it’s the perfect pair to a cup of coffee. And I couldn’t agree more.
It’s kind of like how Cinnamon Tea Cake goes perfectly with a cup of tea. And I’m all for having cake for morning or afternoon tea. Or anytime really.
TIPS FOR MAKING COFFEE CAKE
- This cake starts by creaming together the butter, sugar and vanilla using an electric mixer.
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature. You want it to be soft enough to make an indent if you poke it, but not melty or squishy or fridge cold.
- We use caster sugar in this recipe. You can swap it for granulated sugar. Read more about caster sugar here.
- After you add the egg, it’s time to add the dry ingredients. I recommend adding half the flour with the milk. Slowly start to mix and then add remaining flour with the yogurt.
- If you don’t have Greek yogurt, you can use sour cream. The acidity of these ingredients makes a big difference in creating a light and fluffy cake.
- The batter will be quite thick – that’s fine!
- Bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. It might take 40-50 minutes depending on your oven as the thick crumble adds an extra layer. Remember every oven is different, so baking times should be a guide only.
- To serve, dust with icing sugar. Or you could drizzle with a simple sugar glaze. Just mix together 30 grams (1/4 cup) icing or powdered sugar with 1–2 tablespoons milk. Drizzle over cooled cake.
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON CRUMBLE
- The cinnamon crumble is so easy to make!
- Start by adding plain flour, brown sugar, cornflour, cinnamon and walnuts to a mixing bowl.
- If you don’t have any cornflour or corn starch, just add an extra couple of teaspoons of flour.
- The walnuts are totally optional. If you prefer another nut, you can use that instead or leave them out entirely. But they go really nicely with the sweet cinnamon flavours!
- Pour over melted butter and mix together. Crumble will be sort of like wet sand, with big and small pieces – this is perfect.
- When your cake batter is ready, scatter crumbs all over the top and then bake in the oven.
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Let’s Bake
Coffee Cake
Soft and tender Coffee Cake with a cinnamon crumble.
Ingredients
Cinnamon crumble
- 70 grams (1/2 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornflour or corn starch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 25 grams (1/4 cup) walnuts, roughly chopped, optional
- 40 grams butter
Coffee cake
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) full fat or whole milk, room temperature
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) full fat Greek yogurt*, room temperature
- Icing sugar or powdered sugar, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line and grease an 8-inch round cake pan with baking or parchment paper.
- To make cinnamon crumble, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, add plain flour, sugar, cornflour, cinnamon and walnuts. Melt butter in the microwave and pour over dry ingredients. Mix together until wet and crumbly. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and creamy. Add egg, beat briefly until combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the plain flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add half of the flour mixture, along with all the milk and slowly mix together on a low speed.
- Add the remaining flour mixture and the yogurt and continue to mix until smooth and creamy. The batter will be quite thick – that’s fine!
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared tin and scatter cinnamon crumb all over the top. Bake cake for approximately 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Leave to cool for 10 minutes before gently removing from the tin and leaving to cool completely on a wire rack. To serve, dust with icing sugar.
Notes
*Greek yogurt: If you don’t have Greek yogurt, you can use full fat sour cream instead.
Karen says
I doubled the recipe and made two of these cakes. It was super easy and everyone loved this cake. I can’t wait to try the sour cream cake and the cinnamon apple cake next.
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so happy to hear that Karen! I think you’ll love the other cakes too!
Adriana says
My crumbles disappeared inside the cake batter as it baked! Any ideas why? I haven’t tried it yet, I hope it still tastes good!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Adriana, that can happen – don’t worry it’ll still taste delish! Next time, just make sure you spread the crumble out as evenly as possible – and even skew it more towards the outside edge if you find it sinks into the middle of the cake.
Pauline says
I made this yesterday went down a treat with family , my husband not a big fan of cakes but really like this, shall be making again 😘
Jessica Holmes says
So happy to hear that Pauline!
Yasmine says
Where is the coffee??
I was kind of disappointed it’s not a coffee cake after all…
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Yasmine, there is no coffee in the cake – instead this classic American cake gets its name as it’s perfect paired with a cup of coffee.
Sinda says
Can i substitute the brown sugar by the white sugar???
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Sinda, you can but the brown sugar adds a little extra moisture and flavour.
Namrata says
Thank you for the easy and absolutely amazing recipe.Such a boost to my confidence as well..this was the first time I baked a coffee cake. My son loved it. 🙂 🙂
Can’t wait to try the other recipes too!
Jessica Holmes says
Aw so glad to hear that!
Irene says
I made today this cake. It is delicious and easy to bake.
Jessica Holmes says
So happy to hear that Irene!
Maria Wesley says
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe. My family loved it including my two year old. Just wondering whether the crumbly texture was how the cake was meant to come out. But overall, awesome recipe!
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyedit Maria! Are you referring to the crumble? It will still be crumbly after the cake is baked, yes!
Ruanne says
Love this! Would love to know if I can make them into cupcakes instead?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes absolutely! Just adjust the cooking time – they’ll cook much faster!
Carly Ara says
Absolutely loved it! Great flavor
Jessica Holmes says
So happy to hear that Carly!!
Ghiras says
I really loved this cake thnx alot..its fluffy yummyyyy…but can I use a low fat milk and low fat yogurt instead of full fat or it wont work?
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it! I’ve only tested the recipe with full fat but you could try with low fat if you like.
Ginny says
Great cake my son loved it. Next time I make it I want to add some apple.
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it Ginny! It would be lovely with apple! Or you might also like to try my Cinnamon Apple Cake.
Josh says
This cake is so lovely and soft!
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it Josh!
Irene says
This is meant to be a coffee cake but there is no coffee in it only cinnamon
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Irene, that’s right! It’s given the name because it pairs well with a cup of coffee.
Rita Moura says
This cake doesn´t have coffee?
Jessica Holmes says
That’s right Rita, it’s called Coffee Cake because it’s lovely served with a cup of coffee.