Classic Coffee Cake

Don’t let the name fool you: There’s no actual coffee in a classic coffee cake. The name comes from the quintessential accompaniment to this brunch staple, which is a steaming cup of coffee. This best-ever recipe is the one we turn to when we need a sweet treat to satisfy any time of day, all year long. Need an easy breakfast to serve guests? Craving a sweet afternoon pick-me-up? Looking for a simple, less decadent dessert? Coffee cake is always the answer.

What People Are Saying:
“Somewhere between a fluffy cake and a chewy brownie. I could see myself stealing bite-sized slices every time I walk past the kitchen” - 3sixty5

How To Make Classic Coffee Cake

INGREDIENTS

• Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: For this recipe I am going for a classic combination of granulated and light brown sugars. This mix provides a good amount of sweetness, maltiness, and moisture that creates a light, moist cake. You can substitute light brown sugar for dark brown if that is all you have on hand, just keep in mind that your cake will have a stronger molasses flavor.
• Unsalted Butter: We’re using quite a bit of butter here because butter makes things taste great. Well, partially. We’re also using butter here as it adds a nice amount of fat and moisture that will help to hold the flavor and structure of the cake together. Be sure to use unsalted butter when baking—salted butter is less predictable to work with and also, salty.
• Eggs: By beating in the eggs one at a time, we give them plenty of room and air to aerate the dough and provide a little extra lift, along with the structure and moisture that they already provide to baked goods. This step is important to ensuring a light and airy crumb.
• Sour Cream: Sour cream is honestly one of my favorite baking hacks. It is light and airy without much flavor, and adds a little bit of acid that helps activate the baking soda, and so creates a super light, fluffy baked good without interrupting the flavor. Give it a shot!
• Dry Ingredients: A classic mix of baking soda, baking powder, all-purpose flour, and kosher salt, gets a slight upgrade here with the addition of cornstarch. This isn’t going to greatly change the composition of the final product, but will give the crumb slightly more hold. Meaning you will end up with a light and airy cake, but one that holds together too.
• Spices: Because I want to keep this coffee cake pretty classic, I am just using a simple spice mix of cinnamon and nutmeg for a warm, comforting taste. If you wanted to add a seasonal spin to your streusel, spices like pumpkin pie spice or even a kick of cocoa could also be welcome additions.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Like all good baking recipes, we start by preheating the oven. Then, as it comes up to temperature, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and begin whipping together your batter. To start, in a large bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat our two sugars and butter together until the mixture is very light and fluffy. Then, one at a time, add in each of the three eggs, blending between each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl when necessary. Once there are no more streaks, add in the sour cream and vanilla and continue beating until just combined.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until they are evenly distributed, and then slowly add this mixture into the wet ingredients, beating as you do. Make sure to scrape the sides as you mix the dry ingredients in, and take care to add them in slowly to avoid any streaks or clumps.

Now it's time to start the streusel. In a medium bowl, simply combine the brown sugar, flour, butter and our spices until they are well combined. How’s that for easy?

To assemble the cake for baking, add half of the batter into the prepared baking pan and use a scraper spatula to spread it into an even layer. Then add half of the streusel on top and repeat with another layer each of the remaining batter and streusel.

Place the baking pan into the hot oven and bake for about 50 to 55 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the heat and transfer the cake—still in the pan—to set and cool slightly before removing, cutting, and serving.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Switch things up. Coffee cake is so easily customizable. Not only does work in all different flavors, it also serves up equally as well in a Bundt pan—like in our sour cream coffee cake—or in muffin form. Have some fun with it!

What To Serve With Coffee Cake

This cake is obviously amazing served alongside your favorite cup of coffee and a bowl of fresh fruit, but if you want to make this more of a complete breakfast, add some creamy scrambled eggs and crispy bacon to your plate. Coffee cake goes beyond breakfast and brunch: Enjoy it as a midday snack, or with an espresso martini for the perfect after-dinner treat.

Storage

If you have any leftovers (or want to make this cake ahead of time), store them in an airtight container—or cover your pan in storage wrap—at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to freeze this cake (for up to 2 weeks), let it cool completely before wrapping in a layer of plastic and foil. When you’re ready to serve, let it come to room temperature before enjoying.