Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

Soft vanilla-spiced cake is filled with a gooey cinnamon swirl center, topped with a thick layer of buttery streusel topping and a sweet vanilla glaze gets drizzled on top. This Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake is so perfect to enjoy with a cup of coffee!

I am such a sucker for coffee cake. Especially when it has a gooey cinnamon swirl center. It just adds that extra punch of cinnamon flavor that you don’t get with traditional coffee cake. Did you know that coffee cake gets its name because you’re supposed to enjoy it with a cup of coffee? There is no coffee in this recipe at all.

Ingredients needed for the best coffee cake

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Butter: Unsalted butter is used in both the cake and streusel topping. Butter gives this recipe such a delicious rich and buttery flavor.
• Vegetable oil: Oil is also used in this recipe to ensure a soft texture.
• Sugar: You will need light brown sugar, granulated sugar and confectioner’s sugar in this recipe.
• Sour cream: Helps lend a super moist texture to the cake.
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Milk

How to make coffee cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together very well.
• In a separate bowl, beat, butter, vegetable oil, and both sugars until smooth. Add sour cream, eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour gradually and mix until smooth. Pour in milk and beat again until just incorporated as you do not want to over-mix the batter.
• Filling: whisk brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan and top with filling mixture in an even layer. Spread the remaining batter on top of the filling. Set aside.
• Streusel topping: toss both sugars, flour, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter until crumbly. Add more flour, if needed. Crumble topping over the batter in the pan into an even layer.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Vanilla glaze: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth. Add more or less milk for your desired thickness.

Tips for making cinnamon swirl coffee cake

• For a delicious added crunch, add some chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts or sliced almonds to the top.
• Make the vanilla glaze a little thicker if you want to see a nice white drizzle on top that doesn’t melt into the cake.
• Be sure to use a 9×9 pan and NOT an 8×8 pan to ensure the cake does not bake over the sides.

You may enjoy these other cinnamon recipes:

• Cinnamon Roll Crescents
• Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake
• Soft and Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls
• Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
• Pecan Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake
• Cinnamon Chip Glazed Scones
• Cinnamon Roll Donuts

If you make this recipe, I’d LOVE to know what you think below! I would so appreciate you leaving a star rating and/or comment. Also, please don’t forget to share a photo of your delicious finished recipe on Instagram or Facebook and give me a tag so I can see!

Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

Soft vanilla-spiced cake is filled with a gooey cinnamon swirl center, topped with a thick layer of buttery streusel topping and a sweet vanilla glaze gets drizzled on top. This Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake is so perfect to enjoy with a cup of coffee!

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 1 hr

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Servings 9 -12 pieces

Ingredients

  

Cake

• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch salt
• 4 tbs unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup milk

Cinnamon Swirl

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tbs cinnamon

Streusel Topping

• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbs unsalted butter melted

Vanilla Glaze

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-5 tbs milk

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and arrange rack to the center of the oven. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and set aside. Do NOT use an 8×8 pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together very well.
• In a separate bowl, beat, butter, vegetable oil, and both sugars until smooth. Add sour cream, eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour gradually and mix until smooth. Pour in milk and beat again until just incorporated as you do not want to over-mix the batter.
• For the filling, whisk brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan and top with filling mixture in an even layer. Spread the remaining batter on top of the filling. Set aside while you make the topping.
• For the topping, toss both sugars, flour, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter until crumbly. It will still be wet but you will be able to break it up into smaller pieces. If for some reason it won’t crumble, add another tablespoon of flour to the mixture. Crumble the topping over the batter in the pan into an even layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• While cake is cooling, prepare glaze. In a small bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth. Add more or less milk for your desired thickness – I like mine on the thicker side so it doesn’t melt into the cake. Drizzle onto cooled cake.