Classic Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Classic Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Moist, tender cake with a thick cinnamon-brown-sugar streusel topping

Makes: 12–16 pieces

Pan: 9 × 13-inch baking pan

Prep: 20 minutes

Bake: 35–42 minutes

Oven: 350°F (175°C)

🛒 Cake

½ cup (113 g) butter, softened

¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) sour cream

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

🍂 Cinnamon Streusel

¾ cup (150 g) packed brown sugar

1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (113 g) cold butter, cut into small cubes

½ cup (60 g) chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

👩‍🍳 Directions

1. Prepare the pan

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking pan and, if desired, line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Make the streusel

In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.

Add the cold butter and work it into the mixture with your fingers or a pastry cutter until you have coarse crumbs with some larger chunks.

Stir in the nuts if using.

Set aside.

3. Make the cake batter

Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla.

Add the sour cream and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until no dry flour remains.

Don't overmix.

4. Assemble

Spread about half of the batter into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle approximately ⅓ of the streusel evenly over the batter.

Carefully spread the remaining batter over the top.

Finish with the remaining streusel, making sure you get plenty of those larger buttery crumbs across the surface.

5. Bake

Bake for 35–42 minutes, or until:

The top is golden brown.

A toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

The center springs back lightly when touched.

Don't overbake it—the sour cream is what helps give this cake its wonderfully moist texture.

6. Cool

Let the cake cool in the pan for 20–30 minutes before cutting.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

☕ Optional Vanilla Glaze

For an extra bakery-style finish, whisk together:

1 cup (120 g) icing sugar

1½ tablespoons milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

Drizzle lightly over the cooled cake.

⭐ Mitch & Tonya's version

For an even more old-fashioned bakery/kitchen-table coffee cake, I'd use the pecans and skip the glaze. The thick cinnamon-brown-sugar crumb topping gives you that buttery, slightly crunchy top that makes coffee cake so good with a cup of coffee.

One important tip: Don't make the streusel too fine. You want a mixture of small crumbs and some pea-sized chunks of buttery brown sugar goodness.