Buttermilk coffee cake is a soft, moist, fluffy and buttery vanilla cake layered with an easy cinnamon streusel. This coffee cake with buttermilk is topped with the same cinnamon streusel and a creamy vanilla glaze. Make this cinnamon streusel coffee cake for a cozy breakfast, brunch or dessert.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I absolutely adore a delicious coffee cake recipe. My Banana Coffee Cake, Blueberry Coffee Cake, Maple Pumpkin Coffee Cake and Banana Coffee Cake are just a few I love from the blog. This buttermilk coffee cake recipe is filled with the coziest flavors and textures. If you’re a fan of decadent breakfast dishes or just love a wonderfully delicious streusel cake paired with your coffee, this recipe is for you.
- Layers of flavors and textures. From the soft, fluffy and moist crumb cake made with buttermilk to the sweet cinnamon streusel, this streusel coffee cake will have you going back for seconds.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. This cinnamon streusel coffee cake tastes like you just bought it from a bakery, but simple to make and comes together quickly. Simply make the streusel, mix up the buttermilk coffee cake batter, layer, top, bake and enjoy.
Ingredients
This moist cinnamon streusel coffee cake requires a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge.
Streusel Topping
Gather all purpose flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and cold cubed unsalted butter.
Buttermilk Coffee Cake
Gather all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk. To make the glaze, gather powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk or heavy cream.
Substitutions
This cinnamon crumb coffee cake is as easy to make as it is delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions to make this cake if you need them.
- All purpose flour: To make this blueberry sour cream cake gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These both act as leaveners in this coffee cake.
- Granulated Sugar: This coffee cake with buttermilk recipe calls for granulated sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter in place of the unsalted butter. Just make sure to omit the added salt. Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Buttermilk: This ingredient is standard in this buttermilk coffee cake. However, a thick and creamy greek yogurt works or sour cream can also work.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
Variations
- Buttermilk Bundt Coffee Cake: Generously grease a 10 -12 cup capacity bundt pan. Prepare the streusel topping and coffee cake according to the recipe directions. Transfer ⅓ of the coffee cake batter into the bundt pan and top with ½ of the streusel. Repeat with the next ? of the coffee cake and the remaining ½ of streusel. Top with the last of the cake batter. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 45 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then inverted onto a serving plate to cool to room temperature.
- 9 - inch springform pan: Prepare the recipe as written, but rather than use a 9 inch square pan, use a 9 inch (23 cm) springform pan. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few
- Cinnamon Swirl: If you prefer to have a cinnamon swirl in the center of the coffee cake, mix ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon until well combined. Prepare the streusel as written for a generous crumb topping or cut in half for less.
How To Make
Learn how to make buttermilk coffee cake in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Lightly grease and line the bottom and long sides of a 9 x 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the streusel topping. Work in the cold butter cubes until a sand like texture develops. There will be a few bigger crumbs, but most should be finer, smaller pieces. Place the bowl in the fridge until the coffee cake is ready for topping.
- In a medium bowl whisk the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2-3 minutes on medium speed. On low, beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Alternating dry ingredients and buttermilk, mix in ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat until all the ingredients are just combined.
4. Evenly spread half coffee cake batter into the prepared pan. Top with ⅓ to ½ of the with the streusel. Repeat with a second layer of coffee cake and finish with the remaining cinnamon streusel. Bake the coffee cake for 35 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the coffee cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
5. Cool the pan in the pan for 15-20 minutes. Gently lift the coffee cake out of the pan using the parchment paper. Transfer to a serving plate or serve right from the pan. Make the vanilla glaze by whisking powdered sugar with vanilla extract and milk or heavy cream. Top the crumb cake coffee cake with the glaze, slice and enjoy!
How To Make Ahead, Freeze and Store
- Make Ahead: Parts of these coffee cake can easily be made ahead of time. To do this simply prepare streusel topping according to the recipe directions and place it in an airtight storage container and refrigerate until you’re ready to make the coffee cake.
- Store: Place the slices of the buttermilk coffee cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Then the buttermilk cinnamon streusel cake should be transferred to the fridge for up to another 2 - 3 days.
- Freeze: Make sure the coffee cake with buttermilk is completely cooled to room temperature. Individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you plan on freezing the coffee cake, I suggest leaving the glaze of until right before serving.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the coffee cake is to let it sit out at room temperature for at least two hours or overnight in the fridge. Enjoy at room temperature or microwave the coffee cake slice for 20 - 30 seconds for that “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Cube the cold butter into small even pieces before mixing into the streusel. Mix until the texture of the topping resembles wet sand with some larger pieces mixed in. Store the streusel topping in the fridge until it's time to top the coffee cake. If you really love streusel and want even more for topping and filling in the middle, I suggest doubling the recipe.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in soft, fluffy, moist and tender coffee cake.
- Use whole milk buttermilk. The more fat, the more tender and flavorful the cake will be. If you can use whole milk buttermilk, that works best in this coffee cake recipe. If not, low fat or homemade buttermilk also works.
- Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Use the baking times as a guide. All ovens vary and baking times should be used as a guide. As a general rule, when the coffee cake becomes fragrant, it’s a good idea to start checking. Begin checking on the coffee cake at the minimum baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out with a few moist crumbs or clean.
FAQs
No, the name “coffee cake” implies that this type of cake is perfect when served with coffee.
Buttermilk adds moisture, tenderness and a slight tanginess to baked goods.
Yes, making buttermilk at home is as easy as mixing milk and an acidic liquid like lemon juice or white vinegar. Pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup. Top with enough milk to reach 1 cup (237 ml). Stir and allow the mixture to sit and curdle for 10 - 15 minutes.
Other Buttermilk Recipes to Try
If you try this Buttermilk Coffee Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Buttermilk Coffee Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9 x 9 (23 cm) pan
- 1 parchment paper
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
Ingredients
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- ¾ cup (90 g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons (87 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Buttermilk Coffee Cake
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 - 1½ cups (120 - 180 g) powdered sugar
- 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Lightly grease and line the bottom and long sides of a 9 x 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the streusel topping. Work in the cold butter cubes until a sand like texture develops. There will be a few bigger crumbs, but most should be finer, smaller pieces. Place the bowl in the fridge until the coffee cake is ready for topping.¾ cup (90 g) all purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , 6 tablespoons (87 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- In a medium bowl whisk the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined.2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda , ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2-3 minutes on medium speed. On low, beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Alternating dry ingredients and buttermilk, mix in ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat until all the ingredients are just combined.1 cup (237 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- Evenly spread half coffee cake batter into the prepared pan. Use ⅓ to ½ of the streusel to top the first layer of cake. Repeat with a second layer of coffee cake and finish with the remaining cinnamon streusel.
- Bake the coffee cake for 35 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the coffee cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool the pan in the pan for 15-20 minutes. Gently lift the coffee cake out of the pan using the parchment paper. Transfer to a serving plate or serve right from the pan.
- Make the vanilla glaze by whisking powdered sugar with vanilla extract and milk or heavy cream. Top the crumb cake coffee cake with the glaze, slice and enjoy!1 - 1½ cups (120 - 180 g) powdered sugar, 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk or heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
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