Bring a taste of Starbucks to your home kitchen with this classic coffee cake recipe. With a ribbony cinnamon layer and a crumb streusel topping, this tender cake is perfect for coffee time, breakfast, or a simple dessert.
One of my favorite outings with my husband is a quiet coffee date at Starbucks. I love their coffee—my go-to is the True North blend, just black. But what I look forward to almost as much as the coffee is their coffee cake. That inspiration led me to bake a pan at home using a classic coffee cake recipe. It’s not intended as a copycat, and this version is slightly less sweet, but it’s delicious and even better the next day.
This cake freezes beautifully, so it’s easy to bake ahead and have a slice ready whenever you want a coffee-time treat at home.
Classic Coffee Cake Recipe
How to Make Classic Coffee Cake
This recipe begins with a straightforward cake batter made from pantry-friendly ingredients. If you don’t have sour cream on hand, a mixture of lemon juice and milk (or a yogurt substitute) works in a pinch, and the cake still turns out tender and flavorful. The key features are the ribbony cinnamon-sugar layer in the middle and a buttery streusel crumble on top.
After mixing the batter, you spread half into a prepared 9 x 13 pan, add the cinnamon layer, cover with the remaining batter, and finish with the streusel. It takes about 55 minutes in the oven, and the aroma while baking is irresistible.
Once baked and cooled on a rack, the cake slices beautifully into generous pieces. Serve slightly warm with coffee, or let it rest—many find the texture improves after a day as the flavors meld.
Tips for storing coffee cake
This cake often tastes better a day or two after baking. Keep it tightly covered with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Properly stored, the cake stays moist and the crumb remains tender. For longer storage, freezing is an excellent option (see instructions below).
To freeze coffee cake
This coffee cake freezes very well, which is handy for small households. Cool the cake completely before freezing. You can freeze the whole pan by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, or freeze individual slices for easy single-serve portions.
To freeze individual slices, remove slices from the pan, place each slice in a large freezer bag with a little space between slices, or wrap slices individually. Label and date the bags; slices will keep well for several weeks in the freezer.
To prepare coffee cake that has been frozen
Thaw frozen slices on the counter at room temperature, or reheat a single slice in the microwave at 20-second intervals until warmed through. You can also pop slices in a low oven (about 300°F / 150°C) for 10–15 minutes to refresh the crumb and melt the butter topping slightly.
Other great treats to bake for coffee time at home
- Soft and chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
- Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies that can be mixed without an electric mixer
- Coffee cake muffins—individual portions with the same cinnamon and crumb flavors
Classic Coffee Cake
12
20 minutes
55 minutes
1 hour 15 minutes
Bring a taste of Starbucks to your home kitchen with this classic coffee cake. The recipe features a ribbon of cinnamon-sugar in the center and a crisp, buttery streusel topping—perfect alongside a fresh cup of coffee.
Rating: 5.0 Stars (1 Review)
Ingredients
- For the cake batter:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- *1 tablespoon lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1 cup (see note)
- 1/4 cup 2% milk, or whatever kind you have
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- For the cinnamon layer:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- For the streusel topping:
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup butter, very soft
Instructions
- Prepare the pan and preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray or grease the inside of a 9 x 13-inch pan.
- Prepare the cinnamon layer: In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir and set aside.
- Make the cake batter: In the bowl of a mixer, combine flour, 2 1/4 cups sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix briefly on low to combine.
- Add the softened butter and beat on medium-low for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture looks like coarse sand.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milks (or sour cream and milk), eggs, and vanilla. Add this liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and beat on medium until the batter is smooth; a few small lumps are fine.
- Prepare the streusel: In a small bowl, combine the 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Use a pastry blender or fork to cut the very soft 1/2 cup butter into the dry mix until crumbly.
- Assemble the cake: Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the batter. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the cinnamon layer (this requires patience). Top with the streusel crumbs.
- Bake: Bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
*The original recipe calls for 1 cup sour cream instead of the lemon juice and milk combination. Plain yogurt is a closer substitute for sour cream if you have it. If you have sour cream, using it will give the cake extra richness and tenderness.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12
Serving Size: 1 slice
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 641 | Total Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Unsaturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 422mg | Carbohydrates: 94g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 60g | Protein: 8g
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