Easy Coffee Cake

Everybody needs a go-to recipe they can turn to for leisurely morning baking، and this easy coffee cake is just the thing. A plush vanilla cake layer made with melted، in lieu of softened، butter comes together quickly without the need for an electric mixer، saving you time while ensuring you don’t overmix the batter. Sour cream، which is used without restraint in this recipe، lends the cake a tangy richness and unbeatable tenderness that keeps it soft and springy for days. A ripple of cinnamon sugar throughout creates a striking caramel-like ribbon while a crowning of cinnamon sugar streusel provides a contrasting crunch. In short: It’s the coffee cake you know and love، simplified for everyday baking.

While the recipe itself is easy، assembling the cake requires some finesse. To make your life easier، use a cookie scoop to evenly dollop the second layer of cake batter on top of the cinnamon sugar filling instead of pouring the remaining batter in the center. The evenly spaced dollops will help you spread the batter across the filling without compromising the ripple effect. While serving the cake for breakfast alongside a cup of coffee is an obvious pairing، it’s equally delicious served with tea or cold milk or eaten all by itself as a midday snack.

Ingredients

18 servings

Streusel

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour

2 cups (400 g; packed) light brown sugar

1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter، melted، slightly cooled

Cake and assembly

2½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar، divided

2 Tbsp. plus 3¾ cups (469 g) all-purpose flour، divided

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter، melted، slightly cooled

3 large eggs، room temperature

⅔ cup sour cream، room temperature

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1⅓ cups whole milk، room temperature

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

Streusel

Step 1

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Lightly coat a 13x9" baking pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray and line with a piece of parchment paper، leaving overhang on the long sides. Mix 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour، 2 cups (400 g; packed) light brown sugar، 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon، and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl to combine. Add 1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter، melted، slightly cooled، and mix until moist، irregular clumps form; set streusel aside.