☕ A Morning Memory
There’s a certain magic to the smell of cinnamon and sugar baking on a cool morning. For me, that scent always brings me back to my grandmother’s kitchen, where the warmth of the oven was matched only by her gentle smile. She taught me, Ella chef, that baking is about sharing love, not just ingredients. This Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake is a recipe I’ve perfected over the years, capturing that comforting, nostalgic feeling in every moist crumb. The rich ribbon of cinnamon filling and the crunchy streusel topping make it the perfect companion to a hot cup of coffee, a true Sunday morning indulgence. It’s more than a cake; it’s a hug in a loaf pan.
Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- **Prepare the Streusel:** In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Cut in the 4 Tbsp cold butter with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
- **Prepare the Swirl:** In a separate tiny bowl, combine the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp cinnamon. Stir in the 2 Tbsp melted butter until well combined and the mixture is crumbly and wet. Set aside.
- **Preheat Oven & Pan:** Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- **Mix Dry Ingredients:** In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- **Mix Wet Ingredients:** In a large bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- **Combine:** Alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with the dry ingredients (flour mix, sour cream, flour mix). Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- **Assemble:** Spread half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon swirl mixture evenly over the batter. Top with the remaining batter, spreading it carefully over the swirl layer.
- **Top and Bake:** Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the entire surface of the batter. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the topping browns too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil.
- **Cool:** Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before carefully removing it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
👨🍳 How to Make This Coffee Cake
The key to this incredible Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake is balancing the moist cake base, the flavorful cinnamon ribbon, and the irresistible streusel topping. Start by creating the streusel topping. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of packed light brown sugar, and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut in 4 Tbsp of cold, cubed unsalted butter until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Set this aside. Next, prepare the cinnamon swirl by mixing 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp of cinnamon with 2 Tbsp of melted butter until it’s a wet, crumbly texture.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 9×5 inch loaf pan by greasing and flouring it. Now, for the cake batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients: 143 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of baking soda, and 1/4 tsp of salt. In a separate large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup of softened butter and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, followed by 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Gradually alternate adding the dry ingredients and 1/2 cup of sour cream (or yogurt) to the wet mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined; overmixing leads to a dry cake.
To assemble, spread half of the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon swirl mixture over the top, then carefully dollop and spread the remaining batter over the swirl. Finally, sprinkle the streusel topping over the top of the batter. Bake for 45-55 minutes. If the streusel begins to look too dark, loosely tent the top with aluminum foil. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
✨ A Sweet Conclusion
This Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake is the perfect blend of simple elegance and deep, comforting flavor. The light, tender cake cradles a rich, fragrant ribbon of cinnamon sugar, all topped with a buttery, crunchy streusel that provides a delightful textural contrast. Whether you enjoy it warm with a strong cup of black coffee or as a sweet treat after dinner, it’s a recipe that feels like coming home. It’s an ideal bake for sharing with family and friends, guaranteed to fill your kitchen with a warm, inviting aroma. Bake it once, and it will quickly become a cherished classic in your recipe collection.