Buttery Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

There’s something about the smell of cinnamon and coffee that makes a house feel like home. When I was growing up, my mom would make coffee cake on Saturday mornings, and we’d eat it warm from the oven while still in our pajamas. Now I make it for my own family, and it’s become our weekend tradition too.

The best part about this coffee cake is the streusel topping. You know, that crumbly, buttery layer that’s half the reason anyone makes coffee cake in the first place. I always make extra and keep it in the fridge because it also works great on muffins and quick breads.

This recipe comes together in about an hour, and you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. It’s perfect for lazy weekend mornings, or when you need to bring something to a brunch and want to look like you tried harder than you actually did.

What Kind of Butter Should I Use?

For this coffee cake, you’ll want to stick with unsalted butter so you can control the salt level in your recipe. The butter needs to be softened for the cake batter, which means it should be at room temperature and easily give when you press it with your finger – not melted, but not cold and hard either. If you forgot to take your butter out ahead of time, you can cut it into small cubes and let it sit for about 15 minutes, or use the defrost setting on your microwave in short 5-second bursts. For the streusel topping, you’ll need melted butter that’s been cooled slightly, which helps create those perfect crumbly bits we all love on coffee cake.

Options for Substitutions

This coffee cake is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:

• Sunflower oil: Any neutral oil works here – try vegetable oil, canola oil, or even melted coconut oil if you don’t mind a hint of coconut flavor.
• Almond flour: If you don’t have almond flour, just use an extra ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour instead. The texture will be slightly different but still tasty.
• Almond extract: Not a fan of almond extract? Just leave it out or add an extra ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract instead.
• Whole milk: You can use 2% milk, buttermilk, or even a dairy-free milk like oat or almond milk. If using buttermilk, reduce the baking powder to 1 teaspoon since buttermilk adds acidity.
• Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar works fine and will give you a deeper molasses flavor in the streusel. Or mix ⅔ cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses.
• Unsalted butter: If you only have salted butter, go ahead and use it – just skip the added salt in both the cake and streusel to avoid over-salting.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making coffee cake is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, which develops too much gluten and creates a tough, dense cake instead of a tender crumb – mix just until the flour disappears and you see no more streaks.

Room temperature ingredients are critical here, so make sure your butter, egg, and milk aren’t cold from the fridge, as cold ingredients won’t blend smoothly and can result in an uneven texture.

Don’t skip making the streusel topping ahead of time and letting it chill for a few minutes, because this helps it hold together and creates those perfect crumbly clusters instead of melting into the cake.

Finally, resist the urge to cut into the cake right away – letting it cool for at least 20 minutes allows the structure to set properly and prevents it from falling apart when you slice it.

What to Serve With Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake?

This coffee cake is perfect for breakfast or brunch alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea – the cinnamon and sweet streusel topping pair beautifully with a strong brew. I love serving it with fresh berries on the side, like strawberries or blueberries, which add a nice pop of freshness to balance out the sweetness. A dollop of Greek yogurt or whipped cream also works great if you want to make it feel a bit more special. For a cozy weekend brunch, set out the cake with scrambled eggs and crispy bacon so everyone can build their own plate.

Storage Instructions

Store: This coffee cake stays moist and delicious for several days at room temperature. Just cover it tightly with plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If your kitchen is particularly warm, you can also store it in the fridge for up to 5 days, though I think it tastes best at room temperature.

Freeze: Coffee cake freezes really well, which makes it great for making ahead. Wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap, then again in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. I love having slices ready to go for unexpected guests or when I need a quick breakfast treat.

Serve: Let frozen slices thaw at room temperature for about an hour, or pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds if you’re in a hurry. If you want to warm up the whole cake, wrap it in foil and heat it in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes until it’s warmed through.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2700
• Protein: 27-31 g
• Fat: 110-120 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-370 g

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 large egg (room temperature)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup fine almond flour
• 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
• 2/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the filling:

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred)
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 tsp salt

Step 1: Prepare the Filling and Topping Mixtures

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a bowl, combine 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Mix until well blended.

Remove 1/4 cup of this mixture and place it in a separate small bowl; add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to this portion for the filling.

Set both the filling and base topping mixture aside.

Step 2: Finish the Crumb Topping

• 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Base flour/sugar/cinnamon mixture from Step 1

Add 3 1/2 tablespoons melted and cooled unsalted butter to the reserved base flour/sugar/cinnamon mixture (not the separate filling mixture).

Stir until evenly combined and the mixture forms clumps.

Cover and set aside for topping the cake later.

Step 3: Prepare Pan and Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup fine almond flour

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side; secure the parchment on the pan’s edges with binder clips.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Add 1/3 cup fine almond flour and whisk to blend evenly.

Step 4: Make the Cake Batter

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
• 1 large egg (room temperature)
• Dry mixture from Step 3
• 2/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature

In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons sunflower oil, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract.

Beat with an electric mixer (or whisk vigorously by hand) for about 2 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy.

Add the room temperature egg and mix until fully incorporated.

Add half of the dry flour mixture from Step 3 and mix on low speed, then alternate adding 2/3 cup whole milk and the remaining dry ingredients in batches, mixing gently until just combined.

Step 5: Assemble the Cake Layers

• Cake batter from Step 4
• Filling mixture from Step 1
• Topping mixture from Step 2

Spoon just over half of the cake batter from Step 4 into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a small offset spatula.

Evenly sprinkle the filling mixture from Step 1 over the batter.

Dollop the remaining batter by spoonfuls over the filling and gently spread it out, trying not to disturb the cinnamon sugar layer.

Crumble the clumped topping mixture from Step 2 evenly over the batter.

Step 6: Bake and Cool the Cake

Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 28–32 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack.

For a softer crumb topping, I like to immediately cover the cake with a piece of aluminum foil to steam it lightly.

Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Buttery Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

Delicious Buttery Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 18 minutes mins

Cook Time 37 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2600 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the cake:

• 1 large egg (room temperature)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup fine almond flour
• 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
• 2/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the filling:

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred)
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, combine 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix until well blended. Remove 1/4 cup of this mixture and place it in a separate small bowl; add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to this portion for the filling. Set both the filling and base topping mixture aside.
• Add 3 1/2 tablespoons melted and cooled unsalted butter to the reserved base flour/sugar/cinnamon mixture (not the separate filling mixture). Stir until evenly combined and the mixture forms clumps. Cover and set aside for topping the cake later.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side; secure the parchment on the pan’s edges with binder clips. In a medium bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 1/3 cup fine almond flour and whisk to blend evenly.
• In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons sunflower oil, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract. Beat with an electric mixer (or whisk vigorously by hand) for about 2 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the room temperature egg and mix until fully incorporated. Add half of the dry flour mixture from Step 3 and mix on low speed, then alternate adding 2/3 cup whole milk and the remaining dry ingredients in batches, mixing gently until just combined.
• Spoon just over half of the cake batter from Step 4 into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a small offset spatula. Evenly sprinkle the filling mixture from Step 1 over the batter. Dollop the remaining batter by spoonfuls over the filling and gently spread it out, trying not to disturb the cinnamon sugar layer. Crumble the clumped topping mixture from Step 2 evenly over the batter.
• Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 28–32 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack. For a softer crumb topping, I like to immediately cover the cake with a piece of aluminum foil to steam it lightly. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.