Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake (Printable)
Tender coffee cake with cinnamon swirls and a crunchy buttery crumble topping.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1 cup sour cream
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1/4 cup milk
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Cinnamon Swirl
11 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
12 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
→ Crumble Topping
13 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
15 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
18 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x9-inch square baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for the batter.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until combined.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
05 - Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
06 - Pour half of the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over the batter, then top with remaining batter and gently spread to cover.
07 - Mix flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in melted butter until coarse crumbs form. Evenly sprinkle over the cake.
08 - Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow cake to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It's forgiving and hard to mess up, which means you can actually relax while baking.
- The crumble topping stays crunchy even when the cake is warm, creating this perfect textural contrast.
- One pan, minimal cleanup, and it feeds a crowd—or gives you an excuse for leftovers.
02 -
- Don't bake until the center is totally dry; a few moist crumbs mean the cake stays tender, and completely dry means it's overbaked and tough.
- The crumble will brown further as the cake bakes, so don't worry if it looks pale when you first put it in.
- Sour cream makes this work in a way that Greek yogurt or regular yogurt can't quite replicate, though you can try in a pinch.
03 -
- A toothpick test is reliable here, but if you're worried about overbaking, remember that the cake continues to cook slightly from residual heat even after you pull it from the oven.
- If your crumble topping browns too quickly before the cake is done, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.