Name: Pecan Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 15
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup brown sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1 cup brown sugar; 1 and 1/2 cups chopped pecans; 1 tablespoon cinnamon; 1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened; 4 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; 3 tablespoons heavy cream

This Pecan Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is incredibly moist with the perfect amount of pecan crumb topping and a sweet cream cheese drizzle to top it all off.

The BEST Coffee Cake

If we’re gonna have cake for breakfast, let’s do it right! This Pecan Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is hands-down the best coffee cake I’ve ever eaten! It’s so unbelievably moist and indulgent with the perfect amount of pecan crumb topping and a simple sweet cream cheese drizzle to top it all off. The Best. Ever.

A slice of cream cheese coffee cake on a white rimmed plate.

More Coffee Cake You’ll Love

Classic Coffee Cake: 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.
Peach Coffee Cake: A deliciously moist coffee cake loaded with sweet peaches and topped with the most amazing cinnamon sugar streusel. This Peach Coffee Cake will knock your flip-flops off!
Greek Yogurt Blueberry Coffee Cake: A lovely, summery twist on the classic morning treat! Made with greek yogurt and coconut oil, it’s flavored with bright lemon and fresh, plump blueberries with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar streusel on top. An irresistible crowd-pleaser!

Cinnamon Pecan Cream Cheese Filling!

The cake itself is moistened from sour cream and heavy cream, and then dollops of a cinnamon-spiked pecan cream cheese filling are swirled throughout. So when you’re eating it, you get the texture of a dense moist cake with pockets of smooth cream cheese and crunchy pecans. Then the pecan crumb topping and cream cheese drizzle just add to the amazingness that is!

I hope I don’t have to convince you any more to run to the kitchen and bake this delicious cake! It’s the best ever! Trust me!

It’ll make any breakfast or brunch something special! And try serving it for dessert after dinner one night with a cup a coffee. You’re guests will go gaga over it!

Ingredients and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details. To learn more about specific baking ingredients and how they function in baking recipes, reference my Complete Guide to Baking Ingredients)

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour: balances the wet ingredients to make sure the cake holds together.
Baking powder: the main leavening agent. It creates lift and tenderness and is crucial for that amazing coffee cake texture.
Baking soda: leavening agent that also helps the cake rise a bit.
Kosher salt: balances the sweetness and sharpens the overall flavor. Table salt will actually pack a saltier punch than Kosher salt so if you only have table salt, adjust accordingly.
Ground cinnamon: adds warmth and flavor that complements the sweetness so well.
Unsalted butter: adds richness, tenderness and flavor. It helps create that dense, moist texture that makes this coffee cake so wonderful.
Granulated sugar: sweetness that helps with texture, browning and moisture retention.
Light brown sugar: adds moisture and chewiness thanks to the molasses content, plus a richer, deeper sweetness to both the cake and the topping. You can use dark brown sugar instead, but the flavor will be a bit richer.
Large eggs: bind ingredients together, adds structure and contributes to the richness and moisture.
Vanilla extract: complements the cinnamon with a warm, sweet aroma and enhances the overall flavor.
Sour cream: adds moisture and a slight tang to balance out the sweetness of the cake.
Heavy cream: adds richness to the cake as well as thins out the icing to make it drizzling consistency
Chopped pecans: add delicious crunch to the filling and topping.
Cream cheese (softened): the star ingredient of the cake! Adds tang and creaminess and balances out the sweetness in both the cake and the drizzle.
Powdered sugar: sweetens and thickens the cream cheese drizzle. Sift first to avoid lumps.

Supplies:

9×13 baking dish
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or hand mixer)

Ingredients to make cream cheese coffee cake in small glass dishes on a white marble counter.

How to Make Pecan Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time.

Beat until well combined
With the mixer on low speed, beat in the vanilla, sour cream and heavy cream.
Slowly add the dry ingredients.

Beat until batter is thick and smooth.
Pour into the prepared baking dish.
For the filling and topping: stir together the brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon until well combined.

In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Then add 1 cup of the pecan mixture to the cream cheese and stir together until well combined.
Place large scoops of the cream cheese/pecan mixture evenly over the top of the batter in the baking dish.

Using a butter knife, swirl the cream cheese/pecan mixture into the batter, trying not to over-mix so there will be thick swirls of the mixture throughout the cake batter. Sprinkle the remaining pecan mixture evenly over the cake.
Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack while you prepare the cream cheese drizzle.
For the drizzle: beat the cream cheese until smooth.

Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and heavy cream, and beat until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Add more powdered sugar if too thin or more cream if too thick.
Drizzle over the warm cake, slice and serve!

Storage

To store leftover coffee cake, let it cool completely and then cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or remove slices of the coffee cake from the pan and place them in an airtight container or plastic bag. The coffee cake will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature or for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

To reheat leftover coffee cake, heat individual portions in the microwave in 30 second intervals until heated through. Of course, there’s nothing quite like a warm slice of cake, but it also tastes yummy chilled!

To freeze the coffee cake, let it cool completely and slice into squares. Wrap each square in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag to store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, remove a square of coffee cake from the freezer and let defrost at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight.

A glass baking dish of coffee cake with a cream cheese drizzle.

If you make this Pecan Cream Cheese Coffee Cake and post a pic to social, be sure to tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see! If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,