The BEST Coffee Cake {with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Drizzle!}
Soft. Moist. Tender. The BEST Coffee Cake is super simple to prepare, deliciously moist *made with yogurt*, and exploding with cinnamon flavour!
This coffee cake consists of a soft vanilla bean sponge, two beautiful layers of cinnamon crumble, and a luxurious cinnamon cream cheese drizzle! It is mouth-watering and sure to have you coming back for seconds! This cake is by far The BEST Coffee Cake I have tasted and is sure to become your favourite too! Grab a coffee and try this cake today – your tastebuds will thank you!
This recipe is complete with step-by-step baking instructions (with photos!), stress-free baking tips throughout, and “Sofia’s Tips” at the end of the recipe. Grab your apron, a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and let’s make The BEST Coffee Cake!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there coffee inside coffee cake?
Contrary to what the name may imply, there is NO coffee in a traditional American coffee cake! Rather, the name comes from its common pairing with coffee.
Why is there yogurt in this recipe?
Similar to adding sour cream to a traditional coffee cake, yogurt adds moisture and tanginess to a coffee cake batter that results in an ultra moist, tender, and delicious coffee cake. I recommend using a yogurt that is plain and unsweetened for best results.
Can I freeze coffee cake?
Yes! Simply place your baked (and cooled) coffee cake, in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply place it at room temperature for 1-2h.
I am allergic to eggs. Can I make this coffee cake without eggs?
Absolutely! While I have not tried this recipe without eggs, commonly used egg substitutes for cakes include mashed bananas, applesauce, or flax eggs. If using mashed bananas, expect there to be a hint of banana flavour to your final coffee cake.
Sofia’s Baking Tips: Egg Substitutes
1 egg (large) = 1/4 cup mashed bananas
1 egg (large) = 1/4 cup applesauce
Is coffee cake gluten-free?
This coffee cake contains gluten, as written. To make this recipe gluten-free, simply substitute all-purpose flour (1:1) with your favourite gluten-free flour mix.
To make this recipe you will need:
- Flour – All-purpose flour
- Sugar – Your typical “white” sugar aka Granulated Sugar
- Eggs – large eggs, warmed to room temperature *see tip below!
- Butter – Unsalted butter is best (note: if using salted butter, omit the extra pinch of salt)
- Oil – Your typical vegetable oil or other flavourless oil
- Yogurt & Milk – plain, unsweetened yogurt (m.f. 2% or higher) and the milk of your choice!
- Cinnamon – ground cinnamon
- Baking essentials: Baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, salt
- Optional: Cream Cheese for cinnamon cream cheese drizzle!
Sofia’s Baking Tips: Quick “Room Temperature” Tricks
Eggs – Warm in a bowl of hot water for 1-2 minutes
Butter – cube and microwave in 10s increments until just softening
Cream Cheese – remove from box and put on counter for 1-2h
Let’s make The BEST Coffee Cake!
Preheat oven to 350F (325F convection bake). Butter all sides of a 9″ springform pan (note: if you don’t have a springform pan, you can also use a square 9″x 9″ baking pan – cook time will vary). Line bottom of pan with parchment paper round/square. Set aside.
In a small/medium bowl, mix together the ingredients for your cinnamon crumble mixture (flour, butter, sugar, salt, cinnamon) with your clean hands until a mixture resembling wet sand forms. Set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy (approx. 1-3 min). Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla paste/vanilla extract, and yogurt. Mix until well combined. This is your wet mixture.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry mixture to the large bowl containing wet mixture. Stir gently until all flour is well incorporated into coffee cake batter. Stop mixing. This is your coffee cake batter.
To your 9″ springform pan, add 1/2 of your coffee cake batter. Top with 1/2 of of your cinnamon crumble mixture.
Repeat with remaining halves of both your coffee cake batter, and cinnamon crumble.
Bake in oven set to 350F (325F convection bake) for ~55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in springform pan, then remove pan and place onto wire rack.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Drizzle (Optional): Combine softened cream cheese, with butter and icing sugar (added gradually). Beat until mixture is smooth. Add flavourings (vanilla extract and cinnamon) and beat to incorporate. Add 4 tbsp of milk, in 2 tbsp additions, to mixture. Beat one final time until mixture has a smooth, and pourable consistency. With a piping bag or with a spoon, drizzle cinnamon cream cheese drizzle over coffee cake.
Cut, serve, and enjoy!
Also check out:
Cinnamon Rolls
Pumpkin Spice Tea Cake
Banana Nut Muffins
The BEST Coffee Cake {with cinnamon-cream cheese drizzle!}
Ingredients
Vanilla Bean Cake
- 3/4 cup (170g) Unsalted Butter Room temperature, softened
- 1/4 cup (60ml) Vegetable Oil such as canola or other flavourless oil
- 1 3/4 cup (350g) Granulated Sugar
- 2 Eggs room temperature
- 1 cup (225g) Plain Yogurt (2% m.f. or higher)
- 2 cups (240g) All-purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 2 tsp Vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- pinch of salt flaked salt or sea salt
Cinnamon Crumble
- 1/3 cup (40g) All-purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup (55g) Unsalted Butter softened, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) Granulated Sugar
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- pinch of flaked salt flaked salt or sea salt
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Drizzle (optional)
- 4 oz (115g) Cream Cheese softened, room temperature
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter softened, room temperature
- 1 cup (120g) Powdered Sugar
- 4 tbsp Milk
- 1/2 – 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- pinch of salt flaked or sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (325F convection bake). Butter all sides of a 9" springform pan (or square 9"x 9" baking pan – cook time will vary). Line bottom of pan with parchment paper round/square. Set aside.
- In a small/medium bowl, combine the ingredients for your cinnamon crumble mixture (flour, butter, sugar, salt, cinnamon) with your clean hands until a mixture resembling wet sand forms. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy (approx. 1-3 min). Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla paste/vanilla extract, and yogurt. Mix until well combined. This is your wet mixture.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry mixture to the large bowl containing wet mixture. Stir gently until all flour is well incorporated into coffee cake batter. Stop mixing. This is your coffee cake batter.
- To your 9" springform pan, add 1/2 of your coffee cake batter. Top with 1/2 of of your cinnamon crumble mixture and repeat with remaining halves of both your coffee cake batter, and cinnamon crumble.
- Bake in oven set to 350F (325F convection bake) for ~55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in springform pan, then remove pan and place onto wire rack.
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Drizzle (Optional): Combine softened cream cheese, with butter and icing sugar (added gradually). Beat until mixture is smooth. Add flavourings (vanilla extract and cinnamon) and beat to incorporate. Add 4 tbsp of milk, in 2 tbsp additions, to mixture. Beat one final time until mixture has a smooth, and pourable consistency. With a piping bag or with a spoon, drizzle cinnamon cream cheese mixture over coffee cake.
- Cut, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe makes a generous amount of cinnamon cream cheese frosting! You can lather extra delicious frosting over your coffee cake, use it as a dipping sauce, or save it in the refrigerator as a topping for other desserts!
- Can I use Greek yogurt for this recipe? Yes! Mix just under 1 cup of greek yogurt with 2-4 tbsp milk/water to achieve a slightly thinner consistency before use
- To make this recipe gluten-free, simply substitute all-purpose flour (1:1) with your favourite gluten-free flour mix.
- To freeze, place your baked (and cooled) coffee cake, in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply place it at room temperature for 1-2h.
This is the first recipe I try from The Mindful Meringue, and it’s making me wonder why I waited so long! I absolutely loved the cake and also had a fun time baking it, too. The step-by-step pictures are a nice helpful touch. Thank you!
Hi Nathalie, Thank you so much for your kind comment! It makes me so happy that you liked this Coffee Cake! – Sofia