Our Best Coffee Cake Recipes

October 21, 2019
Photo: Sheri Giblin; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey; Prop Styling: Amy Stone  
Eat cake for breakfast with these deliciously moist cake recipes that pair perfectly with a cup of coffee. 
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Any Flavor Coffee Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck
Any Flavor Coffee Cake Recipe
Customize your topping with any fruit-nut combo. We like plum preserves, sliced plums, and almonds, or strawberry jam, sliced strawberries, and pecans.
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Roasted Grape and Pear Kuchen

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Mindi Shapiro and Amanda Widis
Roasted Grape and Pear Kuchen Recipe
The word "kuchen" means "cake" in German, and more specifically, a cake typically served with coffee. The roasted grapes and pears in this recipe are a sweet addition.

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Whole-Grain Apple Cake with Yogurt Cream

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Whole-Grain Apple Cake with Yogurt Cream Recipe

There's a trifecta of textural awesomeness here, as the buttery-crisp topping meets silky-smooth yogurt cream on moist, tender cake. By using whole-wheat pastry flour in place of all-purpose, we triple the fiber per slice to a hearty 4 grams. For a chunkier cake texture, use chopped apples instead of shredded. This cake is great served warm or at room temperature.

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Blueberry-Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Leigh Beisch
Blueberry-Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Recipe
This fruit-filled coffee cake is the perfect breakfast dish to serve to weekend guests.

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Coffee Lovers' Coffee Cake

Oxmoor House
Coffee Lovers' Coffee Cake Recipe
A buttery coffee crumb mixture makes a shortbread-like crust for this easy snack cake.

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Coffee Cake Pound Cake

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Coffee Cake Pound Cake Recipe
This recipe marries two Southern specialties, coffee cake and pound cake, to create one buttery, best-of-both-worlds breakfast treat.
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Blueberry Coffee Cake

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe
This moist, tender blueberry coffee cake scored high in our Test Kitchens, where tasters unanimously considered it a delicious way to use the first blueberries of the season. Studded with plump, juicy berries, the cake also features a sprinkling of turbinado sugar on top that adds another dimension of texture. Ideal for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or as a snack to savor with coffee, it's a recipe you'll make more than once.

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Cinnamon-Apple Cake

Photo: Oxmoor House
Cinnamon-Apple Cake Recipe
The cream cheese in the batter give this cake lots of moisture. Because it's so tender, use a serrated knife for cutting.

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Lemon Buttermilk Cake

Lemon Buttermilk Cake Recipe
This lemon buttermilk cake is great with a cup of morning coffee or mixed berries and a scoop of sorbet for dessert. Use a whole teaspoon of lemon extract for more intense lemon flavor.
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Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Randy Mayor; Jan Gautro
Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe
This cake keeps well in an airtight container for several days. If you don't have a Bundt pan, use a 10-inch tube pan.

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Blueberry-Lemon Coffee Cake

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Blueberry-Lemon Coffee Cake Recipe
Blueberries and lemon are a natural match, and they come together nicely in this fruit-filled coffee cake. Almond paste, a sweet mixture of ground almonds and sugar, contributes a mildly nutty flavor and moist texture.

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Overnight Coffee Crumble Cake

Photo: Luca Trovato; Styling: Dani Fisher 
Overnight Coffee Crumble Cake Recipe
Pep up your mornings or snack time with a warm slice of Overnight Coffee Crumble Cake. A splash of bourbon adds richnes and umph to the powdered sugar glaze that's drizzled over this homemade coffee cake.
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Breakfast Coffee Cake

Randy Mayor
Breakfast Coffee Cake Recipe
"I like to have this on hand for snacking or taking to friends. It freezes nicely without the icing. I created this recipe when my son married a nutritionist." -Kathy Frederickson, Leominster, MA

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Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake Recipe
Serve this buttery cake for a make-ahead brunch dish or at the end of a casual meal.

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Banana Coffee Cake with Macadamia Nuts and Coconut

Randy Mayor; Fonda Shaia
Banana Coffee Cake with Macadamia Nuts and Coconut Recipe
Substitute pecans if you prefer to make this company-worthy coffee cake.
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Make-Ahead Coffee Cake

Photo: Dominic Perri; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Make-Ahead Coffee Cake Recipe

"I adapted this cake from my daughter's school cookbook." Julie DeSchepper, 61, Overland Park, Kan.

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Apple-Cinnamon Coffeecake

Randy Mayor; Melanie J. Clarke
Apple-Cinnamon Coffeecake Recipe
This coffee cake is best served warm. To prepare ahead, cool completely, wrap (still in the pan) in foil, and leave out at room temperature for up to one day, or freeze for up to three months. To reheat thawed cake, unwrap and bake at 250° for 15 to 20 minutes.

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Cinnamon-Pecan Streusel Coffee Cake

Oxmoor House
Cinnamon-Pecan Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe
Enjoy this moist coffee cake for breakfast, or serve it with coffee for a great after-dinner dessert!
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Coffee Cupcakes

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Zapalowski
Coffee Cupcakes Recipe
Get your caffeine fix in the morning with these coffee cupcakes. If you prefer a single-layer cake to cupcakes, use a 9-inch square baking pan or round cake pan. Bake the cake at 350º for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

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Caramel-Crumb Coffee Cake

Caramel-Crumb Coffee Cake Recipe
This sweet breakfast cake features a delicious caramel streusel.

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Triple-Chocolate Coffee Cake

Triple-Chocolate Coffee Cake Recipe

Your book club won't know what hit them. Gone are the days of crumbled coffee cakes. Welcome to the land of triple-chocolate coffee cake goodness. Enjoy by serving with wine, milk, or simply another slice of coffee cake.

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Chocolate-Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Chocolate-Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Recipe
Combine chocolate velvet cake batter with a cream cheese mixture to make this beloved and delicious coffee cake.

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Sour-Cream Coffee Cake

Photo: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps 
Sour-Cream Coffee Cake Recipe
Forget the box! We have a Sour-Cream Coffee Cake that's simple to whip for dessert or a breakfast treat. We include a whole cup of chocolate chips, too!

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Cranberry-Orange Coffee Cake

Cranberry-Orange Coffee Cake Recipe
Dress up coffee cake for the holidays by adding cranberry sauce, pecans and a sugary citrus glaze. 
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Bananas Foster Coffee Cake with Vanilla-Rum Sauce

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Bananas Foster Coffee Cake with Vanilla-Rum Sauce Recipe
Enjoy the fabulous flavor combination of bananas foster with this coffee cake.

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Brown Butter-Sour Cream Crumb Cake

Photo: Christina Holmes
Brown Butter-Sour Cream Crumb Cake Recipe
Excellent with coffee or tea, this moist cake has lots of crisp, salty, buttery crumbs on top.

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Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe

Mix the dry ingredients with the wet until just combined (don't overstir) for the best result. This is tastiest warm from the oven, but leftovers are also delicious.

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Blackberry-Peach Coffee Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Stylist: Rose Nguyen
Blackberry-Peach Coffee Cake Recipe
You will not be disappointed with this Blackberry-Peach Coffee Cake recipe. As one online reviewer says, "I took the cake to my office and there was not even a crumb left on the plate!

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Pumpkin Crumb Coffee Cake

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Stephana Bottom
Pumpkin Crumb Coffee Cake Recipe
Prepare this moist, pumpkin spice-flavored coffee cake for a delicious fall breakfast treat.

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Blueberry Coffee Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell
Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe
Combine the dry ingredients the night before for a quick morning start. Serve this cake warm or at room temperature.
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Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Caramel Apple Coffee Cake Recipe
Make the most of apple season with this delicious Caramel Apple Coffee Cake.

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Walnut Cake with Praline Frosting

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro
Walnut Cake with Praline Frosting Recipe
This easy sheet cake is rich enough for adults to enjoy after dinner with coffee, yet just sweet enough to be a treat for children, too.

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Rhubarb-Sour Cream Snack Cake with Walnut Streusel

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro
Rhubarb-Sour Cream Snack Cake with Walnut Streusel Recipe
Well-chopped rhubarb offers bursts of tartness in this moist, spicy coffee cake.
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Upside-Down Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto
Upside-Down Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe
This old-fashioned, moist cake, jazzed up with vanilla bean and roasted pears, takes on even more flavor if you start the pears a day ahead so they can steep in their syrup. The recipe comes from Romney Steele, author of Plum Gorgeous.

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Blueberry Yogurt Cake

Victor Protasio
Blueberry Yogurt Cake Recipe
This easy blueberry coffee cake gets some of its tenderness from the addition of yogurt and has crunch from the walnuts.  It's a great choice when you need something sweet for breakfast or brunch.

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