Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

A classic breakfast treat, this light and fluffy Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake with a gooey cinnamon sugar filling and crisp crumb topping will melt in your mouth with each bite. Pair this with a cup of coffee or your favorite hot drink!

I’m sure you’ve had coffee cake sometime or another, whether that be at a local coffee shop or from the bakery section at the grocery store. Well, I’m confident enough to say that this recipe easily outshines those… by far! It’s perfectly sweet, fluffy, and when you take a bite, you can just taste that magical “baked with love” ingredient which only comes with tried and true homemade recipes.

This Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake marries one of my two favorite combos: brown sugar and cinnamon! And while the best part of this cake is up for debate, I can personally vouch for the cinnamon filling. It’s melty with the perfect amount of gooeyness… yummm!

Why You’ll Love This Coffee Cake

• Soft, fluffy, and a melt-in-your-mouth textured topping
• Perfect recipe for entertaining
• Can be assembled the night before and baked in the morning
• Pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee or tea
• Brown sugar and cinnamon… duh! 🙂

I’ll admit it, this recipe is not for the faint of heart or if you’re avoiding sugar since it does have a considerable amount. But I look at this coffee cake as a special occasion dessert, one that you would serve to impress guests or make for an event. And if you bring it to a party or gathering, be prepared to have people begging you for the recipe!

So, yes, while this recipe is not by any means considered “healthy”, it sure is delicious and my go-to treat for special occasions!

Let’s Talk Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour: Regular plain white flour.
• Brown Sugar: Can substitute for coconut sugar.
• Egg: This can be made egg-free by using a starch-based egg replacer that’s meant for baking, like Bob’s Red Mills Vegan + GF Egg Replacer.
• Sour Cream: This keeps the cake fluffy and moist.
• Milk of choice: I use almond milk, but any other plant-based or cow’s milk will also work.
• Butter: You will need melted AND room temperature butter.
• Cinnamon: Flavor!
• Salt, Baking Powder, Vanilla

*Note: If you’re unfamiliar with coffee cake, take note that there isn’t actually any coffee IN the cake itself. Rather, the term “coffee cake” means to be traditionally enjoyed with coffee (or any hot drink for that matter!). 🙂

(See recipe card for notes on how to make this recipe vegan)

How to Make Cinnamon Coffee Cake:

Let’s break this recipe down into 4 parts, making the batter, filling, topping, and assembling. Here’s a step-by-step gist of how to make all three. (Detailed instructions in the recipe card below.)

Step 1: Make the Topping

• Add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter to a large bowl.
• Mix until the mixture starts to form small clumps.

Step 2: Make the filling

• Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Whisk until fully incorporated. Set aside.

Step 3: Make the Batter:

• Beat together the butter, salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and vanilla until smooth.
• Beat in the egg (or egg replacer).
• Whisk together the sour cream and milk of choice until incorporated. You don’t need to whisk away all of the lumps.
• Add the flour to the butter mixture and alternate with the sour cream mixture. Beat gently until everything is evenly combined.

Step 4: Assemble and Bake

• Pour half of the batter into a pan lined with parchment paper.
• Evenly sprinkle the filling on top of the batter.
• Pour the remaining batter on top of the filling.
• Use a toothpick to gently swirl the top portion of the batter and the filling.
• Sprinkle the streusel topping over the batter.
• Bake!

Can I make this vegan?

Yes! To make vegan modifications, use a starch-based egg replacer meant for baking, non-dairy milk, vegan butter, and non-dairy yogurt in place of the sour cream.

Can I make this the night before?

This recipe takes a while to make, so if you want to save time in the morning, you can assemble it in the pan the night before, cover the unbaked cake with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, simply pop in the oven as per the instructions. This comes in handy if you’re making this for guests or during the holidays.

How should i store this?

Keep the coffee cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freezer for up to 1 month.

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