Homemade Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel

This homemade coffee cake recipe is tender and delicious with a layer of cinnamon, chocolate chips, and pecan streusel sandwiched between layers of fluffy cake. More streusel is crumbled on top for a decadent brunch dish. Make it for breakfast or tea parties, special occasions, and holidays.

a square slice of coffee cake on white plate with berries on the side.

Today I’m sharing a long-held family brunch recipe that will be a great addition to your next morning gathering. Set up a breakfast bar for family, friends or overnight guests, and make this recipe that serves a crowd.

What is Coffee Cake?

Coffee cake is different from other types of cake as it has the distinction of being a single layer, or sheet-style cake, with a cinnamon-sugar topping. And in many case, the same cinnamon mixture is added as a center layer.

It’s typically served for breakfast and brunch entertaining, which is why the term “coffee” cake was coined. However it’s also a great afternoon snack!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s a convenient make-ahead recipe. Bake it the night before and serve it for a champagne brunch.
  • This is great for the holidays when you have people coming and going. Bake it in a large dish to serve a lot of people for Easter or Christmas.
  • The cake is light and moist, and totally delicious!
  • The combination of spices and chocolate chips in the streusel layers give it a pretty presentation as well as indulgent taste.
  • A great make-and-take for potluck parties.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Baking soda
  • Unsalted butter – soften it at room temperature so it’s easy to work with
  • Sugar
  • Eggs – at room temperature.
  • Sour cream -use the regular and not the light as the full fat sour cream helps add moisture.
  • Vanilla extract

Topping

  • Chopped pecans – you find small packs of these in the baking aisle.
  • Semisweet mini chocolate chips – you could also use the regular size but I find the mini chips to be the perfect size and bite for this coffee cake.
  • Sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground nutmeg

How to Make Coffee Cake from Scratch

  1. You’ll combine the dry ingredients separately in a bowl.
  2. Use a mixer to cream together the butter and sugar, and then the other we ingredients.
  3. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and combine until smooth.
  4. Mix the topping ingredients together.
  5. Pour half the cake batter into a 13″ x 9″ baking dish and top with half of the topping mixture. Pour the remaining batter and top with remaining topping mixture.
  6. Bake and cool on a wire rack before serving.
coffee cake cut into squares and piled on a white platter.

Storage

Keep the cake in an airtight container or covered tightly with foil for up to 3 days at room temperature. Or refrigerate for up to a week.

You can serve it warm by putting a single slice in the microwave and heating for about 10 seconds.

Freeze it by wrapping tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of foil, or in an airtight container, and freezing for up to 3 months.

More Breakfast Recipes

While this homemade coffee cake is fantastic for the holidays and potlucks, here are some more brunch recipes to try.

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a square slice of coffee cake on white plate with berries on the side.

Homemade Coffee Cake Recipe

Yield: 18 slices
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Coffee cake made from scratch with chocolate chips and cinnamon swirl and topping is perfect for breakfast or brunch entertaining.

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ¼ cup sour cream (use regular, not light)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

  • ¾ cup chopped pecans
  • ¾ cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
  • â…“ cup sugar
  • â…“ cup brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. In a medium size bowl combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and baking soda. Set aside.
  3. Using a mixer on a low setting, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well before each addition.
  4. Add sour cream and vanilla, mixing well.
  5. Slowly add in flour mixture and combine until batter is thick and smooth.
  6. Spray a 13″ x 9″ baking dish with nonstick spray. Pour and spread half of the batter into the baking dish.
  7. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle half of the mixture on top of batter.
  8. Pour and spread remaining batter on top and sprinkle with remaining topping mixture. 
  9. Bake coffee cake for 40-45 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.
  10. Cool on a wire rack and cut into squares for serving.

Did you make this recipe?

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