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Soft and Moist Cinnamon Coffee Cake with Buttery Crumb Topping

ByJessica Loizzo Updated on

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This homemade cinnamon coffee cake is everything a good coffee cake should be—soft, moist, full of warm cinnamon flavor, with a sweet cinnamon swirl in the center and a generous layer of buttery crumb topping. It’s the kind of cake that makes you want to pour another cup of coffee and go back for a second slice. No judgment here!

Made with simple pantry ingredients and baked in a 9×13 pan, this cake is perfect for Christmas morning, weekend brunch, or bringing to a holiday gathering. But honestly, you don’t need a special occasion to make it. A quiet morning and a good cup of coffee are reason enough.

Close-up of a moist cinnamon coffee cake slice with white icing drizzle on a white plate, showcasing a golden crust and crumb topping.

Why I Gave My Cinnamon Coffee Cake a Complete Makeover

I’ve had a cinnamon coffee cake recipe on Stuck on Sweet for years, but I decided it was time for a complete overhaul. Not just a little tweak here and there. I wanted to create a dependable, homemade coffee cake that people would look forward to making year after year.

My family loves coffee cake. I love anything that goes with a good cup of coffee, and my husband is a big fan of cinnamon desserts, so this recipe is right up our alley.

The first time I tested it, the flavor was great, but I felt like it needed a little something extra. I wanted it slightly sweeter and a touch more moist. So, for round two, I increased the sugar and oil just a bit, and wow, what a difference! Those two small adjustments took this cake from good to really good.

And the best part? You don’t need any fancy ingredients or complicated techniques to make it. There are just a couple of little things worth knowing before you get started.

How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This cake comes together with simple ingredients, a cinnamon-sugar filling, and a buttery crumble topping. Here’s how it all comes together! Please note that the full recipe and instructions are in the recipe card below.

Assorted baking ingredients including flour, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and spices arranged on a white tiled surface.
Baking ingredients including brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a bowl with a hand holding a small glass bowl of melted butter.
First, mix the crumb topping by combining brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and melted butter in a bowl
Close-up of a bowl of crumb topping for cinnamon coffee cake with a spoon on a white cloth napkin.
The mixture should be crumble. Refrigerate while you prepare the cake batter.
Hands mixing baking ingredients in a bowl on a white tiled surface, with a small bowl of salt nearby, for cinnamon coffee cake
Next prepare the cinnamon filling by mixing together brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and salt; set aside.
Close-up of a hand holding a whisk over a bowl of flour on a tiled surface, ready for baking.
In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients which include all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
Mixing butter, sugar, and vanilla in a glass bowl for baking at Stuck On Sweet.
In a larger bowl, cream together butter sugar and oil until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Mixing bowl with creamy batter and cracked eggshells on a tiled surface, ready for baking.
Once creamy, beat in two eggs one at time.
Hand pouring vanilla extract into cinnamon coffee cake batter in a glass mixing bowl, with eggshells nearby on a tiled surface.
Add the vanilla as well and gently beat until combined.
hand whisking milk into a white bowl with sour cream.
In another separate bowl, whisk together sour cream and milk.
Close-up of cake batter being mixed with a hand mixer, with milk being poured into the bowl, on a white tiled surface.
Now you’re going to add the sour cream and milk mixture a third at a time, beating just until incorporated.
Person mixing cake batter with an electric hand mixer in a glass bowl, surrounded by bowls of flour and milk on a white tiled surface.
Same with the dry ingredients, add about a third and mix.
Close-up of cake batter being mixed with an electric hand mixer in a glass bowl, with flour and other ingredients nearby on a tiled surface.
Add more sour cream/milk and mix.
Close-up of a hand mixing cake batter with flour in a glass bowl, with a hand mixer and a small bowl of flour on a white tiled surface.
Lastly, mix in the rest of the dry ingredients, just until combined.
Cinnamon coffee cake batter being spread in a baking pan with a spatula, ready to bake, on a tiled surface.
Spread a little more than half the battle into your prepared 9×13 inch pan and spread.
Person sprinkling cinnamon sugar mixture over unbaked cinnamon coffee cake in a baking tray, with a bowl of cinnamon sugar and a spatula nearby.
Top the batter with the cinnamon sugar filling.
Cinnamon coffee cake batter being spread in a baking pan with a spatula, ready to bake, on a tiled surface.
Pour the rest of the batter over top and spread as evenly as you can. It’s thick so be patient!
Close-up of a cinnamon coffeee cake with crumb topping in a 9x13 inch pan before being baked.
Finally, top with the crumble mixture and bake for 36-45 minutes. Let cool completely.
vanilla icing in a white bowl with a whisk.
Once the cinnamon coffee cake has cooled, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and salt.
Close-up of creamy white glaze being poured over freshly baked cinnamon crumb coffee cake on a cooling rack.
Slowly drizzle over the cooled cake and enjoy!

Don’t Stress About Spreading the Batter!

One thing I noticed when making this coffee cake is that the batter is pretty thick, especially when you’re trying to spread that second layer over the cinnamon-sugar filling. An offset spatula is your best friend here! It makes spreading the batter much easier, although a regular spatula works, too.

And if some of the cinnamon filling gets mixed into the batter as you’re spreading it, don’t worry. That happened to me, too! It doesn’t have to look perfect, and it’ll bake up nicely. It’s all going to the same place anyway, right?

Let’s Talk About That Buttery Cinnamon Crumble

Speaking of the little things I learned while making this cake, let’s talk about the crumble topping. Because that needed a little tweaking, too.

During my first test, I used melted butter for the topping but didn’t refrigerate it before baking. The mixture was a little loose, and I wanted more defined crumbs on top of the cake.

There are two ways you can make the crumble, and both work well.

Cold butter method: Cut cold butter into the flour, sugar, and cinnamon until small crumbs and clumps form. It works beautifully, but it takes a little more effort and usually means a few extra utensils to wash. And you know how I feel about unnecessary dishes.

Melted butter method: Melt the butter in a bowl, stir in the remaining ingredients, and refrigerate until firm. This is my preferred method because it’s easier, less messy, and everything comes together in one bowl.

Either way, I recommend keeping the crumble cold until you’re ready to sprinkle it over the cake.

Why Chilling the Crumble Makes a Difference

Chilling allows the butter to firm up, giving the crumble more structure. Instead of a soft, loose mixture, you’ll have firmer pieces that are easier to break apart and scatter over the batter. Those pieces are also more likely to hold their shape as the cake begins baking, creating a more defined, tender crumb topping.

If you’re using melted butter, refrigerate the crumble for about 20–30 minutes, or until firm enough to break into clumps. I like to prepare it first so it can chill while I make the cake.

Close-up of slices of cinnamon coffee cake drizzled with white icing, showing a crumb streusel topping

More Cinnamon Goodness, Because Why Not?

Clearly, we love cinnamon around here. And if you’re looking for something a little different, I’ve got a couple more recipes worth trying.

My Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins are perfect for gifting, bringing to brunch, or sharing with friends and family. Same cozy cinnamon goodness, just in individual portions.

And if you’re looking for a shortcut, try my Cinnamon Swirl Crumb Cake. It’s made with yellow cake mix and instant pudding, so it’s a great option when you want something sweet without making everything from scratch.

Let’s Keep in Touch!

I hope you give this cinnamon coffee cake a try! If you do, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and a star rating below to let me know what you think. Your feedback means so much to me, and it helps other readers decide what to bake next, too.

Happy baking!

Yield: 12-15 servings

Soft and Moist Cinnamon Coffee Cake with Buttery Crumb Topping

A slice of cinnamon coffee cake with icing on a white plate, served with a glass of dark coffee and a fork, on a rustic table setting.
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This homemade cinnamon coffee cake is soft, moist, and filled with a sweet cinnamon-sugar swirl, then topped with a buttery cinnamon crumble. Made from scratch in a 9×13 pan, it's perfect for Christmas morning, weekend brunch, or sharing with family and friends.

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 37 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes

Ingredients

Cinnamon Crumb Topping

  • 1½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Cinnamon Filling

  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of kosher salt

Coffee Cake

  • 2â…“ cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • â…“ cup neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
  • 1â…“ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
  • ½ cup whole milk, room temperature

Optional Vanilla Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1½–2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan and line it withparchment paper, leaving some overhang to help lift out the cake.
  2. Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, stir together 1½ cups flour, ¾ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add ½ cup melted butter and stir until evenly moistened. Gently squeeze the mixture into a mix of small and large crumbs. Refrigerate while you make the batter.
  3. Make the cinnamon sugar filling: In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup brown sugar, 1½ tablespoons cinnamon, 1 tablespoon flour, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2⅓ cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon salt.
  5. In a large mixing bowl or in a stand-alone mixer, beat ½ cup softened butter, ⅓ cup oil, and 1⅓ cups granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes, until creamy and slightly fluffy.
  6. Add the 2 eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in 2 teaspoons vanilla.
  7. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together 1 cup sour cream and ½ cup milk.
  8. With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, followed by half of the sour cream mixture. Repeat, ending with the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
  9. Spread a little more than half of the batter in the prepared pan. The batter is thick, so use a flat spatula, the back of a spoon, or an offset spatula to help spread it.
  10. Sprinkle the cinnamon filling evenly over the batter, leaving a small border around the edges. Spoon the remaining batter over the filling and gently spread it out. It doesn’t have to be perfect—it will bake up nicely.
  11. Bake for about 36–45 minutes, beginning to check at 36 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the cake portion should come out with a few moist crumbs. Try to avoid the cinnamon ribbon when checking, since it can make the toothpick look wet.
  12. Cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes.
  13. If using the glaze, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1½ tablespoons milk or cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Add a little more milk if needed, then drizzle over the slightly warm or cooled cake.

Notes

Storage: Once completely cooled, cover the coffee cake tightly or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let refrigerated slices come to room temperature before serving, or warm them briefly in the microwave.

Freezing: This coffee cake freezes beautifully! Once completely cooled, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Make Ahead: You can bake the coffee cake a day in advance. Allow it to cool completely, cover tightly, and store at room temperature until ready to serve.

Measuring Flour: For the softest cake, spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour, resulting in a dry, dense cake.

Don't Overmix: Once the dry ingredients are added to the wet ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cake tough instead of soft and tender.

Checking for Doneness: Insert a toothpick or thin knife into the center of the cake. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter. A little cinnamon filling on the toothpick is perfectly normal. If the cake needs more time, continue baking in 3–5 minute increments.

Pan Size: Use a 9×13-inch baking pan for the best results. A smaller pan will create a thicker cake and require a longer baking time.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

15

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 499Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 293mgCarbohydrates: 71gFiber: 2gSugar: 45gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated. Use as an approximation only.

Did you make this recipe?

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© Jessica Loizzo
Cuisine: American / Category: Cakes + Cupcakes

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