This cinnamon coffee cake is moist and buttery topped with a layer of powdered cinnamon sugar. So good you can't stop licking your fingers. A simple recipe that takes just 10 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to bake.
Table of Content
Cinnamon is perfect at any time of the year but especially during winter because it provides that warm comforting feeling. I love adding cinnamon in most baked goods this time of the year.
About this cake
If you love the flavor of all things cinnamon sugar than you will love this cake. The topping made with cinnamon and sugar has a wonderful mouthfeel. It bakes like a toasted powder on top so it is quite messy and yet everyone loves that mess. I love watching everyone including adults lick their fingers when enjoying this cake.
The batter is a butter-based vanilla cake batter with buttermilk which gives it a wonderfully soft texture and crumb. Unlike a batter with milk, this batter looks dense but it will all melt away and add to a rich, creamy yet light and airy cake.
Ingredients and substitutes
- All-purpose flour - I use regular all-purpose flour (not cake flour) for most of my cakes.
- Sugar - A mix of both gives this cake a nice color and texture. But you can certainly do all white or all brown as well. I would not recommend dark brown sugar as it will give you a different texture, taste, and color for the cake.
- Butter - I always use unsalted butter for my cakes so I can control the amount of salt but if salted butter is all you have, just omit salt in the recipe and use salted butter.
- Cinnamon - a wonderful spice at any time of the year. But you can omit it just as well.
- Buttermilk - I've used my homemade buttermilk today and it takes only 5 minutes to make it.
- Vanilla - priced like gold but so important to use good quality vanilla. I make my own vanilla extract, bean paste, and vanilla sugar.
Step by step instructions
- Preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F.
- Grease and line with parchment paper a 9-inch round baking pan or an 8 x 8-inch square baking pan.
- Combine dry ingredients - flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda - set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and egg yolk.
- Followed by the vanilla extract.
- Next, alternate the flour mixture and the buttermilk.
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure you have a smooth batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.
- For the topping - combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
- Spread over the batter as evenly as possible.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before you slice and serve.
Frequently asked questions
This cinnamon cake will keep at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. In the fridge for up to a week and can be frozen for up to a month. Make sure to wrap well to prevent it from drying out.
This cake works best with butter. If you want to use oil perhaps try my
If you want to omit the cinnamon sugar topping. Try serving the coffee cake with whipped cream and fresh fruits. You can try fruit coulis or fruit fillings. My favorite is blueberry filling and cherry filling. Also, If you love curds try lemon curd or orange curd
No, this recipe works best with eggs but I do have an eggless vanilla cake that is very popular with my visitors. Perhaps you can use that for the batter and top it with cinnamon sugar.
Baking a cake from scratch is simple and easy. I have shared 10 tips to baking a cake from scratch that you may like to check out
You may also like
Did you enjoy this recipe? Please ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ it.
Save it for later.
You can also find a collection of my recipes and tutorials here on Pinterest. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
And, don't forget to subscribe to my blog to receive new recipes by email.
Printable Recipe
Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowDescription
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- 4 oz (113 g) Butter ((1 stick))
- ¼ grams (¼ grams) Sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) Brown Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1 ½ cup (190 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) Buttermilk
CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING
- 3 tablespoon (45 g) Brown sugar
- 4 tablespoon (60 g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F
- Grease and line with parchment paper a 9-inch round baking pan or a 8 x 8-inch square baking pan
- Combine dry ingredients – flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda – set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and egg yolk
- Followed by the vanilla extract.
- Next, alternate the flour mixture and the buttermilk
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure you have a smooth batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.
- For the topping – combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
- Spread over the batter as evenly as possible
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before you slice and serve.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Mirlene
The coffee cake worth making a million times! Delicious, great looking and absolutely inviting - yum!
Veena Azmanov
Aww, Mirlene. You made my day. So happy to hear such a lovely comment. Thank you for coming back to write this comment.
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
This looks like the perfect coffee cake! I just adore cakes like this and don 't make them often. I look forward to trying your recipe!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Patricia. I hope you try it.
Dannii
I love anything with cinnamon in it and this looks like the perfect afternoon treat.
Veena Azmanov
It sure is perfect for the afternoon. I hope you try it, Dannii
Jack
My mother loves coffee cake, I can't wait for her to try this one! Looks so good
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Jack. I hope you try it.
Katherine
An absolutely perfect coffee cake! Thanks for the great recipe.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Katherine