Name: Classic Coffee Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened; 2 cups granulated sugar; 3 large eggs; 1 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup milk; 2 teaspoons vanilla; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup light brown sugar; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Sweet, tender cake with a layer of cinnamon-sugar filling and a delicious streusel topping, this Classic Coffee Cake is a must-bake. It’s perfect for brunch with friends, or lazy Sunday morning snacking.

A square slice of coffee cake on a stack of white ceramic plates with a metal fork.

THE Best Basic Coffee Cake Recipe

One bite and you’ll see why this is the Classic Coffee Cake recipe every baker needs. Sweet, tender cake with a layer of cinnamon-sugar filling and a delicious streusel topping. It’s perfect for hosting a special occasion brunch or simply snacking on it with coffee.

A square slice of coffee cake on a white ceramic plate with a metal fork with a pan of coffee cake in the background.

You Won’t Want to Share

I have a thing for coffee cake. The texture of the cake and the crunchy sweet streusel, the cinnamon. It’s one of the most perfect foods there is. I will totally stand at the counter eating it from the pan and not feel the least bit bad about it.

A slice of classic coffee cake on a wooden spatula.

Special Occassion or No Occasion

I love making this coffee cake for special brunches. Baby showers, engagement parties, birthday celebrations with girlfriends. It’s always a favorite. It’s also easy enough to make for no occasion at all. Lazy weekend mornings only get better with a slice of scrumptious coffee cake.

A rectangle metal baking pan of coffee cake with three slices cut out.

What Do I Need to Make Classic Coffee Cake?

Butter, flour, milk, vanilla extract, brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, kosher salt and baking soda in small glass containers alongside 3 brown eggs on a white marble counter.

What to Make for a No-Stress Brunch?

Hosting brunch doesn’t have to be stressful! Get started with one (or all!) of these easy-to-make recipes. They’re perfect for brunch. Delicious, flexible favorites whether you’re serving a few friends or a whole crowd.

Sausage Egg Casserole: An easy make-ahead breakfast that reheats in a snap. Protein-packed with eggs, sausage and cheese and loaded with fresh peppers, it’s a delicious way to start the day!
Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Sandwich Bites: Make your brunch affair sweet, savory and super adorable with these Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Sandwich Bites. Everyone will love the bite-sized fun and flavor!
Blueberry French Toast Casserole: Wake up to a breakfast bursting with fresh berry flavor in every bite with this Blueberry French Toast Casserole. It’s so scrumptious and easy, it’s sure to be a family favorite!
Bagel Board: Hosting Sunday brunch was never so easy! A Bagel Board makes a flexible, creative, and delicious meal. With a variety of fresh toppings and spreads, it offers something yummy for everyone!
Brunch Spread with Friends: Start the morning off surrounded by great friends noshing on this scrumptious Brunch Spread with friends. Made with fresh, delicious ingredients, there’s something everyone will love!
Make-your-own Mimosa Board: This is a brunch must-have! A variety of fresh fruits and juices along with chilled champagne lets everyone have fun mixing their own mimosa. Find all the details for this board in my Beautiful Boards Cookbook.

How to Make Classic Coffee Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth.
Add the eggs, sour cream, milk and vanilla and beat until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the mixer and beat on low speed until combined.
In a small bowl, stir together the 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar layer until well combined.
Spread 1/2 of the cake batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the batter in the pan evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Spread the remaining batter evenly over the top of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
In a medium bowl, melt 1/2 cup butter for the streusel.
Once melted, stir in 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour and 2 teaspoons cinnamon with a fork until a crumbly mixture forms. Sprinkle the streusel all over the top of the cake batter in the pan.
Bake for 50-60 minutes Rotate the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool at least one hour before slicing into and serving.

NOTE: If the streusel starts to turn dark brown before the cake is finished baking, tent it with foil. Let it continue baking until the cake is baked all the way through.

More Recipes with a Scrumptious Streusel

Maple Cinnamon Streusel Bread: Soft, sweet and cinnamon spiced. With a slight crumb like a muffin and a crumbly streusel top, it’s simply irresistible!
S’mores Streusel Muffins: Muffin loaded with chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers topped with a mound of s’mores streusel. A scrumptious treat that you will want to eat over and over again!
Snickerdoodle Streusel Scones: With an irresistible cinnamon sugar streusel, these scones are so tender and tasty you’ll want to eat one every morning.
Strawberry Streusel Muffins: Refreshingly sweet strawberry muffins with an irresistible crunchy top.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Bars with Peanut Butter Oat Streusel: They’re a mouthful! A delicious, chewy, chocolatey mouthful.

The Best Easter Brunch Recipes

Plan a festive and delicious Easter meal for your loved ones with this collection of The Best Easter Brunch Recipes. Fresh and flavorful sides, festive snacks and desserts–there’s so much yumminess to choose from.

The Best Banana Pudding, whipped beet ricotta, broccoli salad, and BLT Quiche.

How to Store Coffee Cake

I think this coffee cake actually tastes better the next day as the flavors all settle. So it’s perfect to make ahead of time.

Store coffee cake covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. Or keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To freeze coffee cake, first let it cool completely. Then cut into squares. Wrap each square tightly in plastic wrap, and put it into a freezer-safe baggie before storing in the freezer. When stored properly in the freezer, coffee cake will maintain great quality for 2-3 months.

To thaw, let sit, loosely covered, on the counter for several hours.

A rectangle metal baking pan of coffee cake.

If you make this Classic Coffee Cake, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. 😍 I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,