This Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe is a moist and crumbly breakfast cake that is topped with the perfect cinnamon streusel topping. It’s a delicious weekend treat and also perfect for a yummy after school snack!

Isn’t a warm streusel coffee cake fresh out of the oven, just the best way to start a lazy Saturday?! My kids have been asking for this Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe on repeat the past few weeks. It’s quickly taken the place of their favorite coffee cake. A close runner up is this Pancake Mix Coffee Cake which they also love!

My favorite way to eat this coffee cake is with a fresh cup of coffee. This recipe is perfect for when you have a crowd that you’re wanting to serve a hot breakfast to. It’ll definitely impress them!

I have read a lot of blog posts about making the best classic recipes using streusel ingredients. From a homemade cinnamon coffee cake recipe to fruit filled coffee cakes with streusel toppings, I have never really found the best one until this recipe! There is just enough streusel in this recipe to still enjoy the warm cake underneath, but appreciate the yummy crumb topping–we LOVE it!

While this recipe is similar to your classic coffee cake recipe, it tends to be a favorite because of the addition of just the right amount of buttery crumb topping. Another great thing about this recipe is that it is also easy for first time bakers because it takes simple ingredients and is pretty straight forward. This moist coffee cake paired with the remaining streusel and cinnamon crumb really allows for no leftovers–it is really that good!

What’s the Difference between Coffee Cake and Streusel?

The major difference is the amount of streusel topping you choose to put on. Coffee cake has less streusel topping and just more cake. Crumb cake or streusel cake has a thicker and chunkier layer of streusel on top—really the best part if you ask me!

Streusel is also known in Old German as “thrown together”, so a streusel coffee cake can be often known to have ingredients that are easy to throw together! Easier is always a win in my book!

What is the Streusel on the Crumb Topping made of?

The streusel topping is made of simple ingredients—flour, butter, and sugar. Often times it can also be made with oats, nuts, or spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg. You will find streusel topping baked on top of muffins, breads, pies, and cakes and can also be layered in the middle of a recipe–often in coffee cakes!

I like to add streusel topping to my Pancake Mix Coffee Cake, as well as fun addition to the Kodiak Cakes Muffin Recipe! Really, streusel can be added to any dessert or breakfast treat, don’t you think?!

coffee cake on a blue plate next to a gold fork

How Do you Keep Coffee Cake Moist?

I love that this recipe uses avocado oil in it to add moisture to the coffee cake. Many recipes will use other oils or applesauce as a substitute, but I think making sure you use avocado oil is key to making sure you are adding in healthy fats plus the needed moisture a good cake requires. I heard from a baker once to just put a tad bit more oil than your recipes calls for you, and you will never end up with a dry cake!

To keep your coffee cake moist after you have baked it, cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to prevent drying out. Properly stored, freshly baked coffee cake will last for about one to two days at normal room temperature. I like to store leftovers (if there is any!) in a glass container out of the reach of snacking children!

Tools Needed

You really do not need too many kitchen tools for this easy recipe. I like to use just my favorite medium bowl and a whisk! You can use your stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you want, but know you can easily mix this by hand. On rare occasions I will use a pastry blender, but using a fork for this streusel mix works just as well!

Dry Ingredients You will Need

Flour: all purpose flour works best for this recipe
Sugar: white sugar
Brown Sugar: light brown sugar is what I use, but dark brown sugar works just as well.
Baking Soda: make sure it’s fresh!
Baking Powder: make sure your baking powder is also fresh.
Ground Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Salt

Wet Ingredients You Will Need

Avocado Oil: or whatever oil you prefer to cook with
Egg
Buttermilk: you can use whole milk if you have it on hand, but I do prefer buttermilk! If you don’t have buttermilk on hand just add a tablespoon of white vinegar for every cup of whole milk. You will let it sit for a few minutes and then boom, you have your buttermilk!
Vanilla

Streusel Coffee Cake on a blue patterned plate

Step by Step Instructions

This coffee cake has a little twist in how you make it. Make sure that you read through the instructions before you begin making it!

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Whisk them together until everything is incorporated.
Pour the oil into the mix and stir until you have a moist streusel mixture.
Set aside 2 cups of the crumb mixture.
Add the egg, buttermilk and vanilla to the original leftover mixture.
Stir until the mixture turns into a cake batter consistency
You want to be careful not to over mix.
Pour the batter into the greased 9×13 pan.
Sprinkle the crumbs you set aside evenly on the top of the batter.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a knife or wooden pick inserted near the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap for up to two days. You can also slice and put pieces in a freezer bag for enjoyment later. Just lay out the night before on the counter to thaw, and warm before eating the next morning!

For a fun extra addition, you can also add a quick glaze to the top of your warm coffee cake! You will need one cup confectioners’ sugar and two tablespoons whole milk. You just mix these together and drizzle over your coffee cake!

So, as you pour over your menu list for the coming week, be sure to add this sweet cinnamon streusel coffee cake to your weekend breakfast plans! I hope that you and your family will enjoy it as much as we do! I promise it will start your weekend off right!