Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

Recipe was rewritten 10/2026. I thought that a smaller 9×9 cake made more sense for this recipe than the original 9×13.

There are some coffee cake recipes that are good, and then there are the ones that disappear before you even have time to put the leftovers away. This cinnamon streusel coffee cake is definitely the latter! It is a tender, buttery coffee cake with a generous cinnamon crumb layer running through the middle and a sweet, crunchy streusel topping baked over the top.

Why I love this Cinnamon Coffee Cake

I originally made this cake on a weekend when I had a house full of kids who were all getting up at different times. Instead of cooking breakfast in shifts all morning, I made one breakfast cake, set it on the counter, and let everyone help themselves. It was the perfect solution—and there wasn’t much left by the end of the morning! This cake was GONE! Like ain’t no mo, it all got eaten! Like, Mom you need to make that again, GONE! What they didn’t eat for breakfast they ate after lunch, but by 2pm there was nary a crumb left. It was so popular I made another one three days later, but this time I sprinkled a cup of  blueberries in the middle with the crumble, it took a few minutes longer to bake, but this cake also disappeared.  Maybe I should call this the disappearing coffee cake!

The combination of butter, sour cream, buttermilk, cinnamon, and brown sugar makes this a wonderfully moist coffee cake. The best part is that you get cinnamon streusel in the middle and again on the top of the cake, giving every bite plenty of that buttery cinnamon goodness. Serve it with a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of milk for the perfect sweet treat any time of day.

Gather these ingredients

How to Make Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

1. Make the Streusel Topping

Start by making the vanilla extract streusel mixture—actually, there is no vanilla extract needed in the streusel itself, so keep the vanilla for the cake batter. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Set the streusel aside while you prepare the cake batter.

2. Prepare the Cake Batter

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and white sugar together until light and smooth. Add the sour cream and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk, then stir in the vanilla extract.

In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.

Using a measuring cup, alternate adding the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix just until combined. Overmixing the batter can make the cake dense instead of tender.

3. Layer the Cake and Cinnamon Streusel

Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan. You can also line the prepared pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides, which makes removing the cake especially easy.

Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. The batter is thick, so use a small offset spatula to gently spread it into an even layer.

Sprinkle about half of the streusel mixture evenly over the batter. This creates that delicious crumb layer and a beautiful ribbon of cinnamon sugar running through the middle of the cake.

Spoon the remaining batter over the streusel. It doesn’t have to look perfect! Gently spread the batter as evenly as possible, then cover the entire cake with the remaining streusel mixture.

4. Bake

Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 40–50 minutes.

The exact bake time will depend on your oven and your baking pan. Begin checking toward the end of the baking time. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.

Let the cake cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Tips for the best coffee cake

• Don’t overmix the batter. Once the flour has been added, mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can result in a tougher cake.
• Use room-temperature ingredients. Room-temperature butter, eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk will combine more easily and give you a smoother batter.
• Measure your flour correctly. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the flour container. Too much flour can make a coffee cake dry.
• Don’t skimp on the streusel. The cinnamon streusel is one of the best parts of this cake! Be generous with the middle layer and the topping.
• Spread the batter gently. The batter is thick. A small offset spatula makes it much easier to spread without disturbing the streusel underneath.
• Line the pan with parchment paper. This isn’t required, but parchment paper makes lifting and slicing the cooled cake much easier.
• Watch the cake near the end of the bake time. Ovens vary, so use the toothpick test rather than relying solely on the clock.
• Let it cool before cutting. I know it is hard to wait, but allowing the cake to cool helps the crumb layer and streusel set up.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I Make This Coffee Cake Ahead of Time? Absolutely! This is one of the reasons I love this recipe for breakfast or brunch. Bake the cake the day before, allow it to cool completely, and cover it tightly. It can be served at room temperature or gently warmed before serving.
2. Can I Use Greek Yogurt Instead of Sour Cream? Yes. Plain, full-fat Greek yogurt can be substituted for the sour cream. The texture may be slightly different, but you’ll still have a delicious coffee cake.
3. Can I Add Fruit to This Coffee Cake? Yes! Fresh or frozen blueberries are especially delicious. Sprinkle about one cup of blueberries over the first layer of batter along with the streusel before adding the remaining batter. Keep in mind that adding frozen berries may increase the bake time.
4. Can I Freeze Cinnamon Coffee Cake? Yes. Allow the entire cake to cool completely, then wrap individual pieces or the whole cake tightly and freeze. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
5. Why Is My Coffee Cake Dry? The most common reasons are adding too much flour, overmixing the batter, or baking the cake too long. Be sure to measure flour accurately and start checking the cake toward the end of the recommended bake time.
6. Does Coffee Cake Actually Have Coffee in It? No! Despite the name, most traditional American coffee cakes don’t contain coffee. They’re meant to be enjoyed with coffee, especially in the morning or at brunch.

A Coffee Cake Made for Gathering

This cake takes me right back to those mornings when my house was full of kids, everyone waking up at different times, and the kitchen becoming the place where everyone eventually gathered. I love recipes that let me feed people without spending the entire morning in the kitchen.

This delicious coffee cake is exactly that kind of recipe. Make it for a weekend breakfast, take it to brunch, serve it when friends stop by, or simply bake one because you want something sweet alongside your morning coffee.

And if you have leftovers, consider yourself lucky! Although, in my experience, leftovers of this cake don’t last very long.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to know how you liked it. Leave a rating on the recipe card below, especially if you’ve made it before or have eaten it at my table. Those ratings and comments help other readers find recipes they can trust.

From my table to yours, with love. ❤️ Sheila

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

Sheila

This moist cinnamon coffee cake is layered with buttery cinnamon streusel and topped with a sweet crumb topping. An easy breakfast cake perfect with coffee!

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Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course baked goods, coffee time

Cuisine American, baked goods

Servings 9 servings

Calories 482 kcal

Equipment

• 1 9×9 cake pan
• parchment paper

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Cinnamon Streusel

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter cold

Coffee Cake Batter

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 3/4 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 whole eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg or a pinch or two

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line 9×9 0r 8×8 cake pan with parchment paper.

Make the Streusel

• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
• Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Set aside.

Make the Coffee Cake

• Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and white sugar together until smooth.
• Add the sour cream and mix until combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. Stir in the vanilla extract.
• In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
• Alternately add the wet and dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
• Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan. For easier removal, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang.
• Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and gently spread into an even layer.
• Sprinkle half of the cinnamon streusel evenly over the batter.
• Spoon the remaining batter over the streusel and gently spread it out.
• Sprinkle the remaining streusel mixture evenly over the top.
• Bake at 350°F for30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the cake to cool before slicing.
• Optional Blueberry Variation
• Add 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries over the first layer of batter along with the middle layer of streusel. If using frozen blueberries, the cake may require additional baking time.

Notes

### Optional Blueberry Variation

Add 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries over the first layer of batter along with the middle layer of streusel. If using frozen blueberries, the cake may require additional baking time.

### Notes

* Plain Greek yogurt can be substituted for sour cream.
* Store covered at room temperature for 2–3 days or freeze for longer storage.
* For the best texture, don’t overmix the batter.
* The original recipe is written for a 9×13-inch pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 482kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 7gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 318mgPotassium: 117mgFiber: 1gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 115IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 2mg

Keyword 9×9, brown sugar, cake, cinnamon, coffee cake, crumble, easy, streusel

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