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Streusel Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This Streusel topped Cinnamon Coffee Cake is perfect anytime! A slice for Breakfast, snack or even dessert will certainly be a welcome treat. The delicious crumb topping is just what it needs.

 A slice of cinnamon crumb cake on a white plate.


 

I have made a number of Crumb Cakes in my baking life but this Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake is one of my favourites.

I don’t know about you but whenever I would make a layer cake, I would trim the cake, that extra cake would always find its way into my mouth. Can’t waste a good thing.

Or even better I would frost it and then eat it! Haha. But now I try to control myself and in the freezer it goes waiting to become a crumb topping. This cake is so easy to make, no need for electric beaters!

Recipe Ingredients

Cake Batter

  • Flour – all purpose or cake/pastry flour
  • Sugar – granulated either regular or fine sugar
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon – ground cinnamon
  • Butter – melted butter
  • Milk – whole or 2% milk
  • Eggs – large room temperature eggs
  • Vanilla – extract

Streusel Topping

  • Leftover cake crumbs – a plain cake is probably best
  • Flour – all purpose flour
  • Brown sugar – light golden brown
  • Cinnamon – grount
  • Butter – I use salted
Recipes for the cake recipe.

How to make homemade cake/pastry flour

For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.

Why use room temperature ingredients?

With cakes and other baking, it’s always better to use room temperature ingredients. So, take any cold ingredients out of the refrigerator an hour ahead of time or sooner if it’s cool in your kitchen. Room temperature ingredients blend easier, creating a silky batter or dough, which will help to create a light tender baked good.

How to make the streusel topping without leftover cake crumbs

Mix together the flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon, cut in the butter to form coarse crumbs. Use this as a substitute for leftover cake topping.

3/4 cup flour – all purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar – lightly packed
1/4 cup butter – room temperature
pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon (more or less how you like it)

A bite from the cake.

How to make the Cinnamon Coffee Cake

In a medium bowl mix together cake crumbs, flour, sugar and cinnamon, cut in butter and combine to form crumbs. Set aside.

Making the streusel topping

In a medim pot add butter and milk, heat until butter is melted, remove from heat and let cool. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

the dry ingredients whisked in a glass bowl.

Whisk together the cooled butter/milk mixture, eggs and vanilla (you can whisk this together in the pot or a clean bowl), with a spatula fold it into the dry ingredients, continue folding until combined (there will be some lumps).

Mixing the butter and adding it to the dry ingredients.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan, sprinkle with the topping.

The batter in the pan with the topping on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 40-60 minutes or until toothpick comes clean and dry, or even better with a few crumbs attached.

The cake baked in the pan.

Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then remove, cut and serve. Or cut directly in the pan.

What is the difference between Coffee Cake and Crumb Cake

One of the differences between the two is the amount of streusel or crumb topping, a coffee cake has much less, and sometimes a crumb cake is all crumb, just like this Peach Crumb Cake. Another difference is a coffee cake is more cake than crumb.

Why is it called Coffee Cake

It is a moist cake usually with a light crumb topping, it is served with coffee or tea usually for breakfast or snack. Sometimes it does have coffee in it, but the reason it is called Coffee Cake is because it is served with coffee.

A slice of cake on a white plate.

FAQS

Can you make this cake without cake crumbs?

Yes even if you don’t have any leftover cake crumbs you can make the crumb topping without it.

Can I add nuts to the batter?

Yes you can, if you wish you can toast the nuts first in a pre-heated 350F oven for about 5-6 minutes then chop before adding. The best nuts to use are walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans.

Can I use a loaf pan instead?

Besides using a round or square cake pan, you can also use a 9 1/2 inch (24cm) loaf pan.

How to store the coffee cake

The coffee cake can be kept well covered or in an air tight container at room temperature. It will keep for up to 3 days. If stored in the fridge in an air tight container it will keep for up to 5-6 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

How to freeze it

The completely cooled cake should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil, then placed in a freezer safe bag or container. Properly stored, it will keep for up to 2-3 months.

So while the cake is cooling I would advise you to get the coffee or tea going because you are really going to want to sit back and enjoy this Cinnamon Coffee Cake. Enjoy!

A slice of cinnamon crumb cake on a white plate.

More Coffee Cake recipes

A slice of cinnamon crumb cake on a white plate.

Streusel Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Rosemary Molloy
This Streusel topped Cinnamon Coffee Cake is perfect anytime! A slice for Breakfast, snack or even dessert will certainly be a welcome treat.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 9 servings
Calories 426 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

CAKE BATTER

  • 2 cups all purpose flour (or cake flour if you prefer)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • â…“ cup butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla

TOPPING

  • 1½ cups cake crumbs*
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • â…” cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3½ tablespoons butter

*Any left over cake or store bought broken into crumbs (not too large).

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat oven to 320° (160° celsius) Grease and flour an 8 or 9 inch round or square cake pan.

    FOR THE TOPPING

    • In a medium bowl mix together cake crumbs, flour, sugar and cinnamon, cut in butter and combine to form crumbs. Set aside.

    FOR THE CAKE

    • In a small pot add butter and milk, heat until butter is melted, remove from heat and let cool.
    • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
    • Whisk together the cooled butter/milk mixture, eggs and vanilla (you can whisk this together in the pot or a clean bowl), with a spatula fold it into the dry ingredients, continue folding until combined (there will be some lumps).
    • Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan, sprinkle with the topping. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 40-60 minutes or until toothpick comes clean or with a few crumbs attached. 
    • Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then remove, cut and serve. Or cut directly in the pan. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    To make the streusel topping without leftover cake – Mix together the flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon, cut in the butter to form coarse crumbs. Use this as a substitute for leftover cake topping.
    3/4 cup flour – all purpose flour
    1/3 cup brown sugar – lightly packed
    1/4 cup butter – room temperature
    pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon (more or less how you like it)
    The coffee cake can be kept well covered or in an air tight container at room temperature. It will keep for up to 3 days. If stored in the fridge in an air tight container it will keep for up to 5-6 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
    The completely cooled cake should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil, then placed in a freezer safe bag or container. Properly stored, it will keep for up to 2-3 months.
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 452IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

    Updated from February 19, 2016

    23 Comments

    1. 1 1/2 cups cake crumbs ) left-over cake broken into crumbs(not large crumbs

      I am not sure how to do this step in your crumb cake recipe…..where is the left over cake from?

      1. Hi Emilia, the cake crumbs are left over cake crumbs (from either cake that has been trimmed from making a layer cake or even a store bought cake) hope that helps.

    2. What an easy & delicious sounding Coffee Cake, and it also looks beautiful! I plan to use the topping which you suggested to Karen (on 2/11/18), & might even add a few finely crushed walnuts to the topping. Sometimes, there’s nothing like a simple Coffee Cake to whip up & enjoy with coffee while relaxing in the evening. Lovely, thank you Rosemary.

    3. 71/2 x 3. Pan or 8 x3 how many minutes do you bake the 7 x3 for? Recipe said you love the look of the 7 1/2 x 3 and I want mine to look as beautiful as yours dies. Thank you

      1. Hi Toni, bake it for about 40 minutes and then check and see how it is with a long bladed knife or I use wooden Kebab sticks. Hope that helps.

      1. Hi Karen, change the crumb topping to this instead,
        3/4 cup flour
        1/3 cup brown sugar
        1/4 cup butter
        pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon (more or less how you like it) Hope that helps. Have a great weekend.

    4. 5 stars
      Hi Rose, your cake looks totally tempting to me & amazing. I just wondered why is it called Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake but how come there’s no coffee ingredient in the cake?

      1. Hi Sin Sien, actually they are called “coffee cakes” because they are meant to be eaten with a cup of coffee, or so they say. Hope that helps.

      1. Hi Monica, You could probably just leave it out, or even a small store bought plain cake crumbled would work. Happy Easter!

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