Coffee cake is one of those things that I kind of forget about until I decide to make it, and I forget just how good it can be! The best coffee cakes are simple to make, moist enough to be able to make in advance and have a crumbly streusel topping on it.
And I have to say, my recipe checks all those boxes! It took a couple of goes to get the cake just right, but I have to say that I’m super thrilled with the results.
I’ve swapped some Greek yoghurt for the traditional sour cream and incorporated a bit of oil along with some butter and the resulting cake is moist, tender and perfect for a lazy morning!
How to Make Coffee Cake Without Using Sour Cream
This is a simple cake – though not quite as foolproof as my gingerbread cake.
However, it comes together quickly and you don’t need to cool it completely before eating (it’s really good when it’s warm!).
Start by prepping your pan – simply spray it with nonstick spray and line it with overlapping pieces of parchment paper. You can use the paper as a sling to remove it from the pan once it’s done.
Move on to making the streusel topping. Add some flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and allspice to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Add in a bit of cold cubed butter and use your fingers to pinch it into the flour until no large pieces of butter remain – this is very similar to the topping for my apple crisp.
Set this aside and get to making the cake batter! In a small bowl. Whisk together some flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside for later.
Now onto the wet ingredients. I prefer to mix this in a stand mixer, but you can easily make this with an electric hand mixer.
Add some softened butter and a bit of sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl. Mix on medium-high, scraping down the sides periodically, unitl the mixture is light and fluffy – a couple of minutes.
Then scrape down the sides, crack in a couple of eggs and add in some oil. Beat this to combine and mix until it’s pale, light and fluffy.
Now, add about one-third of the dry ingredients to the butter, sugar, and egg mixture and mix until just combined. Whisk together some Greek yoghurt and cooled coffee and add half of it into the batter. Mix until combined.
Repeat with the remaining flour and yoghurt, ending with the flour.
Now, scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan and then evenly sprinkle about a third of the streusel over the batter.
Scrape the remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle with the remaining streusel.
Move the pan to the oven and bake until the cake is puffed, golden and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean – about 30 to 35 minutes.
Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes in the pan before using the parchment to lift it out. You can then cut it into 12 pieces and serve, or allow it to come to room temperature. Well wrapped, the cake will last for about 3 days at room temperature.
Classic Coffee Cake Without Sour Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 80 g (⅔ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 75 g (⅓ cup) light brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- 50 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter chilled, cut into cubes
Coffee Cake
- 150 g (1 ¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 8 g (2 tsp) baking powder
- 3 g (½ tsp) baking/bi-carb soda
- 3 g (½ tsp) salt (see note 1)
- 75 g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter room temperature
- 150 g (¾ cup) sugar
- 50 g (¼ cup) neutral oil such as sunflower, canola or avocado
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 ml (½ cup) strong brewed coffee cooled
- 120 g (½ cup) plain Greek yoghurt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Spray a 20cm (8in) square baking dish with non-stick spray (or brush with neutral oil). Line the dish with 2 overlapping pieces of parchment and set aside.
- Now, make the topping. Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and allspice to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until combined. Add the butter and, using your fingers, pinch into the flour mixture until no large visible pieces of butter remain. Set aside.
- Now, mix the cake batter. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and the sugar. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, mix on medium-high until the butter and sugar are light, fluffy and aerated, about 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix on medium-high until well-combined, pale and very fluffy.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the coffee and yoghurt. Add in ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Pour in ½ of the yoghurt mixture and mix until incorporated. Repeat with the remaining flour & yoghurt until everything is completely combined, ending with the dry ingredients.
- Scrape half of the batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with about ⅓ of the crumble topping. Scrape in the remaining half of the batter, completely covering the crumb mixture. Top with the remaining ⅔ of the crumb mixture.
- Move to the oven and bake until puffed, golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for at least 30-35 minutes before unmoulding (use the parchment as a sling to lift the cake from the tin) and cutting into 12 pieces.
Notes
- If at all possible, use the weight measurement of salt rather than volumetric. Salinity can vary from brand and style, so going by weight is going to ensure the most consistent results.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This simple coffee cake is perfect alongside a cup of joe or a special sweet breakfast!
Are you after a great coffee cake recipe? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
