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If you love the Starbucks coffee cake, you’re going to love this simplified homemade cinnamon coffee cake recipe. It’s a sweet, moist, easy cake recipe with a buttery, crumbly cinnamon-flavored streusel topping – the perfect treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee!
This homemade Starbucks cinnamon coffee cake is easy to make, and the cinnamon crumb topping is absolutely delicious. The streusel topping is made with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Serve this coffee cake warm from the oven for a real treat!
why you’ll love this homemade coffee cake
- Texture. This coffee cake has the perfect amount of moistness, and the crumb topping provides just the right amount of crunch.
- Flavor. The cinnamon flavor is spot on, and the streusel topping is absolutely delicious.
- Ease of preparation. It is easy to make, and it doesn’t require any special baking skills or equipment.
- Crowd pleaser. This cinnamon coffee cake is the perfect dessert to bring to a brunch date, potluck, or holiday party. It’s always a hit!
Ingredients to make Starbucks coffee cake
Don’t be alarmed by the number of ingredients! They are all pantry staples that you likely have on hand. The crumb topping and the coffee cake base both share the same ingredients, so it’s easy to make.
FOR THE STREUSEL topping:
- All-purpose flour: The base of the streusel topping.
- Light brown sugar: Provides sweetness and a beautiful caramel flavor to the streusel topping.
- Cinnamon: The key flavor in this homemade coffee cake. Be sure to use freshly ground cinnamon for the best flavor.
- Unsalted butter: The butter binds everything together and makes the streusel topping nice and crumbly.
FOR THE Coffe CAKE:
- All-purpose flour: Gives structure to the coffee cake.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth of flavor to the cake.
- Vegetable oil: Helps give your cake a moist texture.
- Granulated sugar: The primary sweetener in the cake.
- Eggs: Bind everything together and add richness.
- Vanilla extract: Adds flavor to the cake.
- Light brown sugar: Provides a light molasses-y flavor to the cake.
- Plain Greek yogurt: Adds moisture and richness to the cake.
- Baking soda, baking powder, and salt: Supports the structure of the crumb cake and adds a little leavening.
How to make coffee cake from scratch
This recipe is broken down into two parts: the streusel topping and the cake batter. First, you’ll need to make the streusel topping.
make the STREUSEL
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and cinnamon until combined.
- Using your fingers, rub in room temperature butter until incorporated and large clumps form when you press the mixture together.
- Spread onto prepared baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze.
make the cake batter & bake
- In a large bowl, stir together oil and the sugars.
- Whisk in the eggs until combined, then stir in the yogurt and vanilla.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Mix until just combined.
- Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with chilled streusel.
- Bake until the top is light golden brown.
tips for making coffee cake
- Choose the best pan. While you can use a glass pan in a pinch, this cake will bake best in a light-colored metal cake pan. The metal conducts and distributes the heat more evenly while the cake bakes, which will result in a more evenly-baked cake with a better overall texture and appearance!
- Don’t overmix. Stirring the batter too much will result in a tough cake. Just mix until everything is wet and no flour pockets remain.
- Be careful not to overbake. This cake is done when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you bake it for too long, it will be dry.
- Line the cake pan with parchment paper. This will help the cake release easily from the pan and will also keep it from sticking.
popular substitutions & additions
- Add nuts. Any type of nuts will work really well with this coffee cake. I especially love to use pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts.
- Add chocolate chips. Stir in a cup of chocolate chips to the batter before baking for a little extra sweetness.
- Swap out the yogurt. If you don’t have plain Greek yogurt on hand, you can use regular yogurt, sour cream or more vegetable oil at a 1:1 ratio!
- Use a different type of oil. If you don’t have vegetable oil on hand, you can use melted butter, avocado oil, melted coconut oil or olive oil at a 1:1 ratio.
how to store & reheat coffee cake
This copycat Starbucks coffee cake will keep covered tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil at room temperature for up to four days. To reheat coffee cake, place a slice on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 20-30 seconds. You can also reheat it in the oven by warming it at 300°F for about five to 10 minutes.
how long will homemade coffee cake last in the fridge?
This homemade coffee cake will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Just be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, so it doesn’t dry out.
can I freeze this streusel coffee cake after baking?
Yes! This coffee cake can be frozen for up to two months. Be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, so it doesn’t get freezer burn. You’ll also want to let it cool completely before freezing.
Frequently asked questions
Traditionally, a coffee cake is a sweet cake flavored with cinnamon and spices and served with coffee. It can be either savory or sweet, and the name comes from its popularity as a breakfast food to have alongside a cup of coffee.
Some popular variations on classic coffee cake include adding chocolate chips, nuts, fruits, a cinnamon swirl layer in the middle, or a streusel topping like this recipe has.
One way to keep a coffee cake moist is by using yogurt or sour cream in the batter. This will add moisture and help the cake stay soft and fluffy. Another trick is to make sure you don’t overcook it – overbaking can lead to a dry cake. And finally, be sure to store it properly, so it doesn’t dry out.
I hope you enjoy this copycat Starbucks coffee cake recipe! This homemade coffee cake recipe is the perfect complement to your cup of coffee. It has a moist pound cake-like texture with a buttery crumb streusel topping. This cake recipe is something you definitely need to try… even if you’re not a coffee drinker!
More cake recipes:
- Olive Oil Cake
- Cranberry Lemon Pound Cake
- Sfouf (Turmeric Cake)
- Nutella Mugcake
- Cream Cheese Vanilla Cupcakes
- Birthday Mug Cake
If you try this feel good Cinnamon Coffee Cake recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
This Cinnamon Coffee Cake recipe was originally published on May 31, 2017. The recipe has not been modified, but the post now includes new step-by-step photos for how to make the cake recipe.
Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the streusel:
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
For the cake:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make the streusel, line a quarter baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and cinnamon until combined. Using your fingers, rub in room temperature butter until incorporated and large clumps form when you press the mixture together. Spread onto prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 x 8 metal baking pan and line with parchment paper, letting the paper overhang the edges for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In another large bowl, stir together oil and the sugars. Whisk in the eggs until combined, then stir in the yogurt and vanilla.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with chilled streusel.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the top is light golden brown, the center is firm when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Can I substitute geek yogurt? If so, with what & measurements?
If you don’t have plain Greek yogurt on hand, you can use regular yogurt, sour cream or more vegetable oil at a 1:1 ratio!
Beautiful cake ,
I’m going to make it tomorrow ,
Just a question , where do you add the coffee ?
Thanks
No coffee in this recipe! It’s just the name of the type of cake.
Hello Dear! I would like to try this because it looks so yummyyy but I can’t find the quantities of each ingredients on the page.
The full recipe can be found at the bottom of the page in the recipe card. Let me know if that helps!