Classic Coffee Cake With Buttery Cinnamon Streusel

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 12 slices
Difficulty: Easy
Dietary Tags: Vegetarian

Listen, I’ve made this classic coffee cake about a hundred times, and I’m telling you right now—it’s the kind of recipe that makes people think you’re some kind of baking wizard.

You know that coffee cake you pay seven dollars a slice for at fancy bakeries?
This is better.
And you’ll make it for less than the cost of two of those overpriced slices.

The buttery cinnamon streusel on top gets all crispy and sweet, while the cake underneath stays ridiculously moist.
No dry, sad coffee cake here.

Equipment Needed

You don’t need fancy gear for this.

Essential:

• 9×13-inch baking pan (or 8×8 if you want thicker slices)
• Electric mixer (stand or hand—doesn’t matter)
• Two mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Rubber spatula

Nice to Have:

• Pastry cutter for the streusel (your fingers work fine too)
• Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (240ml) sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Streusel Topping:

• 3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (113g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup (120g) chopped pecans or walnuts (optional but seriously good)
• Pinch of salt

Optional Vanilla Glaze:

• 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Make the Streusel First

1. Grab a medium bowl and toss in the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

2. Add those cold butter cubes.
Use a pastry cutter or just work the butter in with your fingertips until you’ve got a crumbly mess that looks like wet sand with some pea-sized chunks.

3. Stir in the nuts if you’re using them.

4. Stick the bowl in the fridge while you make the batter.

Build the Cake Batter

5. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
Grease that 9×13 pan like your life depends on it.

6. In your big mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until it’s pale and fluffy.
This step matters—don’t rush it.
You’re beating air into the batter, and that’s what makes the cake light.

7. Crack in those eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.
Add the vanilla and mix.

8. In your second bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

9. Now here’s where people screw up—add half the flour mixture to your butter mixture and mix on low just until you can’t see dry flour anymore.

10. Pour in all the sour cream and mix gently.

11. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
Stop mixing the second you don’t see streaks of flour.
Overmixing makes tough, chewy cake, and nobody wants that.

Assemble and Bake

12. Spread half the batter into your prepared pan.
It’ll be thick—that’s normal.

13. Sprinkle half the streusel mixture evenly over the batter.

14. Dollop the remaining batter on top and gently spread it over the streusel layer with an offset spatula.
Don’t stress if some streusel peeks through.

15. Dump the rest of the streusel on top and spread it out with your hands.

16. Slide it into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes for a 9×13 pan, or 45-50 minutes for an 8×8 pan.

17. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick poked into the center (not the streusel—the actual cake) comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
The top should be golden brown and smell like heaven.

18. Let it cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before you even think about cutting into it.

Add the Glaze (Optional)

19. While the cake’s still slightly warm, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.

20. Drizzle it over the top in whatever pattern makes you happy.

Crucial Tips

I learned these the hard way so you don’t have to:

• Room temperature matters. Cold butter won’t cream properly, and cold eggs make the batter curdle. Leave everything out for about an hour before you start.
• Don’t overmix. Once you add the flour, you’re just trying to get it incorporated. Beating the hell out of it creates gluten, which makes the cake tough and dense.
• Keep that streusel butter cold. If it’s soft, you’ll end up with greasy topping instead of those beautiful crispy crumbs.
• Test for doneness in the cake, not the streusel. The streusel will always look wet, so stick your tester into the actual cake part underneath.
• Use a light hand spreading the top batter layer. If you’re too aggressive, you’ll drag up all that nice streusel from the middle layer.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Cover this with foil or plastic wrap and it’ll keep at room temperature for 3 days.
Honestly, it’s even better on day two when all the flavors meld together.

Refrigerate it if you want it to last up to a week, though the streusel gets a bit softer.

You can freeze this beast for up to 3 months.
Wrap it tight in plastic wrap, then foil.
Thaw at room temperature or warm slices in