Cinnamon Coffee Cake
For me, cinnamon coffee cake is one of those nostalgic foods that bring back memories of sitting at a coffee shop, studying biology late into the night. Wondering what I would ever do with a biology degree. Who knew the coffee cake I was snacking on would have way more to do with my future career than the books I so dutifully poured over.
What is coffee cake made of?
In doing research for this recipe I found one of the most common questions about coffee cake is “what is coffee cake made of?” It’s a fair question. Unlike other cakes it’s made with layers, only one of which is cake batter. The mystery ingredient most of us are curious about is the streusel.
What is streusel?
Streusel has German origins and is a crumbly mixture made of butter, flour, sugar, and sometimes spices. (Not to be confused with strudel which is a dessert made of layers of pastry and fruit). Coffee cakes come in lots of different shapes, sizes, and textures. Some only have streusel on top, while others (like mine) have layers of the sweet, buttery crumb throughout the cake.
How do you make coffee cake?
Layers of buttery cake batter are sprinkled with cinnamon sugar streusel and baked to perfection. Optionally a sweet icing is drizzled on top to just a hint of vanilla.
How do you store coffee cake?
If you’ve got a crowd to feed the good news is this cake stays fresh at room temperature for 2 days. Just keep it in the pan and cover with plastic wrap and keep in a cool, dry place on the counter. But, if you’re like me, and only have a couple mouths to feed then freezing is a great option. To freeze slice the cake into individual slices and wrap each slice in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Next place those slices in a zip top freezer bag. They’ll keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to eat a slice simply place it on the counter the night before (keeping it wrapped in its plastic and foil) and enjoy it in the morning.
Quick Tips for making Coffee Cake
My cake is a little on the crumblier side (because that’s how I like it) so if you prefer a more moist cake, add a little more sour cream to your batter.
The icing adds a really pretty finish to the cake, but if you’re not an icing fan it is just as yummy without it.
For a twist on the flavor you can use chai spice or pumpkin spice in place of the cinnamon. Also adding a tsp of fresh orange zest to the batter gives it a nice citrusy twist.
