There’s something about coffee cake for breakfast that just makes sense. This Snickerdoodle Coffee Cake features a light, springy cake with a swirled cinnamon sugar filling and a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. It is a cinnamon lovers dream come true!
If you love snickerdoodle cookies, this is the coffee cake for you! It’s easy to make ahead (ideal for hosting Sunday brunch or breakfast for overnight guests), will last for days, and is absolutely delicious dunked into a hot cup of coffee. There’s no actual coffee in coffee cake, but serving them alongside each other just makes sense.
Ingredients For Snickerdoodle Coffee Cake
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- About 3 ½ cups sugar, divided: both granulated white sugar and dark or light brown sugar (either is fine!)
- Large eggs, room temperature
- Sour cream, though you can substitute with whole milk Greek yogurt!
- Milk: any type!
- A few teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
- Cake flour
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Kosher salt: 1 teaspoon salt balances out the sweetness of the cake
The filling is made with 1 cup dark brown sugar and 1 ½ Tbsp ground cinnamon, while the topping is made from 2 Tbsp granulated sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon. You’ll need a separate bowl for each.
Yes, it’s a lot of sugar and a lot of cinnamon. Basically, if you Cinnamon Toast Crunch, you are guaranteed to love this snickerdoodle coffee cake! Joking, but not really…
Equipment needed: an electric stand mixer or hand mixer, a whisk, a rubber spatula, a 9×13 baking dish, and an offset spatula. You can line the pan with parchment paper if it makes you more comfortable, but the cake sets easily and doesn’t stick to the bottom, so long as you coat well with nonstick baking spray. If using parchment, make sure to leave a 2-inch overhang so you can easily lift away.
How To Make Coffee Cake
First, make the cake batter. You’ll want to cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, then add 3 large eggs, 1 cup sour cream, ¼ cup milk, and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Once that mixture is smooth, pour in the flour mixture (whisk or stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl before adding to the wet ingredients). Beat until just combined.
Into a prepared baking pan coated with nonstick baking spray, pour half of the snickerdoodle coffee cake batter. Sprinkle the filling on top, then carefully spoon on the remaining batter. Use an offset spatula to spread into a thin, even layer.
Next, swirl the batter. Use a butter knife to swirl the filling into the batter.
Just before baking, sprinkle top evenly with cinnamon sugar topping. Bake in a preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until the top has puffed up and cinnamon sugar has a crispy, crusty top. The center should be light and airy. A cake tester inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean.
Allow the cake to cook for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy immediately or store for up to 1 week in a fridge. Honestly, it’s best within 3-5 days.
To Glaze Or Not To Glaze
Lots of coffee cake recipes are topped with a sweet vanilla glaze. To do this, mix ½ cup confectioner’s sugar with 1 Tbsp milk (any kind). If it’s too thick, add another ½ tsp of milk at a time till desired consistency is reached. It’s delicious without the glaze, but we realize it’s a personal preference thing!
If you’re looking for a coffee cake with a crumble topping, be sure to check out our blueberry streusel coffee cake or our mini blueberry streusel muffins! What can we say, we have a thing for blueberries, coffee, and crumble topping!
How Long Will Coffee Cake Keep?
You can keep the cake at room temperature for 2-3 days (wrap it well!) or store in a fridge for up 1 week. You can either wrap with plastic wrap and aluminum foil or transfer to an airtight container. If refrigerated, the cake will benefit from a quick reheat in a microwave (15-30 seconds should do!) or a quick dunk into a hot cup of coffee.
To Freeze
Allow cake to cool completely. Wrap entirely in plastic wrap (or press and seal), then wrap again in aluminum foil, sealing tightly. Freeze for up to 6 months. We find it helpful to write the date the cake goes into the freezer directly on the foil. Thaw overnight in a fridge before serving.
Helpful Tips For Baking
- Use room temperature ingredients! The butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream should all be room temp. We know it can be annoying to wait, but it makes a big difference — they mix better into the batter and also rise more easily.
- Weigh the ingredients so you don’t use too much flour! This effects the texture of the cake. And for that matter, we recommend weighing the cake batter before dividing in half (when assembling) to ensure even layers. This is the kitchen scale we use and recommend.
- If you don’t have cake flour, substitute with 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour and ½ cup cornstarch.
- Variations: love nuts? Try adding finely chopped pecans or walnuts to the cinnamon sugar filling for added texture.
- Snickerdoodle coffee cake can also be made (using the same ratios below) in two 9″ round cake pans.
Our preferred way to enjoy coffee cake? For breakfast (obviously) with a hot latte or cup of coffee on standby for dunking with abandon. This is especially important if the coffee cake is more than a few days old! The hot coffee brings it back to life, ya know? Either way, you’re going to love this — give it a try soon!
If you make this Snickerdoodle Coffee Cake recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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More baked goods to try!
Snickerdoodle Coffee Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ Tbsp ground cinnamon
For the topping
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the cake
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream or whole milk Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup milk any type
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups cake flour see substitution note below
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9”x13” pan with baking spray (can also be made in two 9” round cake pans).
- Prepare the filling. Combine 1 cup brown sugar and 1½ Tbsp ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk well, then set aside.
- Prepare the topping. Combine 2 Tbsp granulated sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Make the cake batter. Mix 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, 1¼ cups sugar, and ⅔ cup brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment for 2 minutes on medium speed, or until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the wet ingredients. To the mixer, add 1 cup sour cream, ¼ cup milk, and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together 2¾ cups cake flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp Kosher salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter, beating until just combined.
- Prepare the coffee cake. Spread half the batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the filling on top. Spread remaining half of batter. Use a knife to swirl the filling into the batter.
- Bake the cake. Use an offset spatula to even out the top of the cake, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping over the top, then bake for 55-60 minutes. (50-55 minutes for round cake pans). Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- If you don’t have cake flour, substitute with 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour and ½ cup cornstarch.
- Use room temperature ingredients! The butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream should all be room temp.
- Coffee cake will keep for up to 1 week, but is best within 3-5 days.
- To freeze: Allow cake to cool completely. Wrap entirely in plastic wrap (or press and seal), then wrap again in aluminum foil, sealing tightly. Freeze for up to 6 months. We find it helpful to write the date the cake goes into the freezer directly on the foil. Thaw overnight in a fridge before serving.
Hi, These delightful coffee recipes are really making me buzz still! Great tips for all coffee addicts (like me). I love to read every blog related to coffee. So, your ideas are very creative and useful. Thank you very much for sharing this with us.