I grew up with a mother and a grandmother who drank nothing but coffee all day long. People coming to visit? Let’s put on a pot of coffee. Meeting a friend out? Of course, for a cup of coffee. And with coffee culture that strong, there was always cake. This Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake is the perfect thing!
It’s got a ripple of cinnamon running through the moist, sour cream cake, plus a buttery layer of streusel crumble on top. And if that’s not enough, we’re also drizzling a sweet cinnamon glaze over the crumble. Better put that pot of coffee on!
What’s in this Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
We’ve got three layers of cinnamon-infused flavor going on here. The cake, the streusel crumb topping and the cinnamon glaze. Cinnamon lovers, rejoice!
The Cake Layer
The first layer of cinnamony flavor is in the single layer cake. Here’s what you’ll need:
- all-purpose or gluten free flour
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- eggs
- sour cream
- cinnamon
- vanilla
To get the cinnamon ripple, just pour half of the cake batter into the pan, sprinkle with ground cinnamon, and then top it with the other half of batter.
The Streusel Crumb Topping
The second layer of cinnamon is in the buttery crumb on top. And for that, you’ll just need more of what you used for the cake:
Melting the butter is the key to a good streusel crumble. If the butter is cold or at room temperature, the crumble will sink into the cake during baking. Melt it, and the crumb topping will sit nicely on top of the cake, just like magic.
The Cinnamon Glaze
And the third layer is the cinnamon drizzle, which is a simple mixture of confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon and milk. It puts the finishing touch on this Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake and is not to be missed.
Crumb Cake vs. Coffee Cake
The main difference between crumb cake and coffee cake is amount of streusel topping. Coffee cake recipes have less streusel topping, and crumb cake has a chunkier layer of streusel.
For example, a New York crumb cake recipe might call for the crumb layer to be as thick as the cake layer.
This coffee cake recipe focuses on the moist cake layer and the beautiful cinnamon ripple. But don’t worry, the sweet crumb layer is still plenty thick!
How to Make this Cinnamon Coffee Cake
We’re making this delicious coffee cake in layers. First, pour half of the cake batter into a prepared pan. Top it with lots of cinnamon.
Then, pour the other half of the batter on top of the cinnamon layer.
Finally, sprinkle the whole thing with the cinnamon crumble topping.
Once the cake comes out of the oven and cools completely, drizzle the cinnamon glaze over it. I like to wait until I’m ready to serve this cake before drizzling the cinnamon glaze.
How to Store Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
It’s okay to keep this coffee cake on the countertop, covered tightly or inside an airtight container, for up to 3-4 days. After that, pop it in the refrigerator or freezer.
If you’re going to freeze this cake, wrap the individual squares in plastic wrap first. Then, put the individually wrapped pieces into a larger, airtight container or freezer bag.
When you make this Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy (with coffee, of course)!
For more cake recipes, try these:
For more recipes for cinnamon lovers, try these:
- Air-Fried Cinnamon Glazed Donut Holes
- Chocolate Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
- Classic Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Frosting
Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
Ingredients
The Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
The Crumble
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter melted
The Glaze
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 4 tsp. milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Add half of the flour mixture into the creamed mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Add the sour cream and stir until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir until combined.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the cinnamon across the batter evenly. Then pour the remaining batter on top and smooth.
- Make the crumble: Combine all dry ingredients and whisk together in a bowl. Using a fork or just your fingers, work the melted butter into the mixture. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the batter.
- Bake 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the cake bakes, make the glaze: Whisk all ingredients together in a liquid measuring cup. Then drizzle over the cooled coffee cake.
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