Drake's Coffee Cake is the best cinnamon coffee cake made with sweet cinnamon flavored streusel that we have ever tried. In our version we added pecans, because I love them, and a ribbon of streusel throughout.
This is the perfect cake with coffee. Truth be told this is the perfect coffee cake.
Drake Coffee Cake
I don’t think there is much better comfort food than a slice of The Best Cinnamon Coffee Cake. This coffee cake is made with Drake's in mind but turns out so much better.
This recipe takes the classic round drake coffee cake to a whole new level. We have been loyal customers for years and finally decided to take a chance and make our own version.
We wanted our version to be better.
Not only did I add nuts but I added a ribbon of steusel throughout the coffee cake, instead of just on top.
I believe we kind of perfected this cake and can't wait to hear what you think.
This cake is so good that we make this Drake Coffee Cake regularly and usually have some in the freezer to get a quick coffee cake fix when needed.
It tastes just as good on a random Tuesday as it does on Christmas, or any other morning, as your breakfast morning coffee best friend.
There’s just something about cinnamon that shouts warmth and comfort.
When I’m having company I like to bake using a supply of sweet cinnamon. The house fills up with the delicious aroma and makes people relax the moment they walk in. It’s better than air freshener!
Drake's Coffee Cake is an easy coffee cake to make and will be the best cinnamon coffee cake you’ve ever tried! I can't wait for you to try the generous supply of sweet streusel, on top and throughout the cake.
You're going to love it more than the original like we do. Just you wait and see.
Does this delicious dessert catch your eye? If so, you will also love our Espresso Granita With White Chocolate Cream.
Ingredients in The Best Cinnamon Coffee Cake
This classic coffee cake recipe is sour cream based and filled with cinnamon streusel and pecans.
Streusel
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- dark brown sugar packed
- ground cinnamon
- unsalted butter
- pecans
Cake Release
- unsalted butter
Cake
- unsalted butter
- eggs
- sour cream
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
Substitutions and Variations
- Nuts - instead of pecans use walnuts
- Add raisins
- Serve with caramel or chocolate sauce drizzled on top
- Serve with whipped or ice cream.
How to make The Best Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Step 1: Make Cinnamon Streusel TOPPING
In food processor add flour, sugars and cinnamon. Process until blended.
Step 2: Make Cinnamon Streusel FILLING
Transfer some of the flour mixture to a small bowl. Add remaining ¼ cup brown sugar, stir until incorporated and set aside to use for streusel FILLING.
Step 3: Finish Cinnamon Streusel TOPPING
Add butter and pecans to remaining flour mixture inside your food processor and pulse until nuts and butter resemble gravel. Set aside.
Step 4: Making the Coffee Cake Batter
In a large bowl add eggs, 1 cup sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk until blended.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until blended.
Add butter and remaining ½ cup sour cream. Slowly add egg mixture. Beat until incorporated.
Step 5: Making the Coffee Cake
Spread approximately 2 cups of your cake batter in your prepared pan. Sprinkle with some cinnamon streusel filling. Add another 2 cups of batter followed by remaining streusel filling. Add remaining cake batter and cover top of cake with all of the streusel topping.
Step 6: Bake and Cool
Bake until an extra long toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, and cool on wire rack.
Storage
Cake will last for 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature and freezes beautifully.
Tips
- You can add extra topping to the bottom of the Bundt pan or add extra in the middle depending on whatever consistency you want for your cake.
- You can also mix the filling around in the Bundt cake pan prior to putting it in the oven with a hot butter knife. Just take a hot knife and swirl the topping mixture through the first layer of cake batter before adding the final bit of batter.
What's the BEST kind of Bundt Cake pan to buy?
You are always smart to buy a nonstick cake pan of any shape or size, there are so many now out there for you to choose from! You don’t have to spend a lot of money on a pan but I wouldn’t buy the cheapest out there either!
The shapes of the Cuisinart Chef's Classic Nonstick Bakeware Fluted Cake Pan and the Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Heritage Bundt Pan are beautiful and I couldn't help but buy them. They are different and definitely spectacular looking!
There are pans for every occasion. From holidays to special events to everyday treats for your family. Some are so amazing you hate to start to decorating them!
When you have some time, take a look at these two great pans. The Nordic Ware Blossom Bundt Pan and the Nordic Ware Brilliance Bundt Pan. Both create such an amazing looking Bundt cake that you might not want to even slice it.
With all these different sizes and shapes to choose from, it’s just amazing the things that you can do with a Bundt cake. I won’t bother you with any more links as I’m sure you can search for them yourself and find one you like.
How do you prevent your cake from sticking to the bundt pan?
Bundt cakes are famous for sticking to the inside of the pan they were baked in. Non stick pans do work great but as they age become much less reliable, even if properly taken care of.
Through greasing and flouring the pan, you will avoid any potential problems or disasters when removing the cake after it’s baked
A pan coating product like Wilton’s Cake Release is wonderful to use as well. I usually buy two at a time and if you're interested, take a look here. This product is incredible and so helpful to have around.
Unique Bundt Cake Recipes
Here are some other great Bundt recipes to try!
Grandma’s Chocolate Orange Cake
Drake's Coffee Cake Video
Drake's Coffee Cake
Equipment
- bundt pan
- handheld or stand mixer
- extra long toothpick or skewer
Ingredients
Streusel
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into 2 pieces
- 1 cup pecans chopped
Cake Release
- 2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
Cake
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened but cool, cut into ½ inch pieces or 1 ½ sticks,
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Get out and measure your ingredients.
Cinnamon Streusel TOPPING
- In food processor add flour, granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Process until blended, about 20 seconds.
- Transfer 1 ¼ cups of the flour mixture to a small bowl. Add remaining ¼ cup brown sugar, stir until incorporated and set aside to use for streusel FILLING.
- Add butter and pecans to remaining flour mixture inside your food processor.
- Pulse until nuts and butter resemble small pieces or gravel, about twelve pulses. Set aside to use as streusel TOPPING.
Coffee Cake
- Adjust oven rack to lowest middle position and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease 10 inch bundt pan with 2-3 tablespoons of the softened butter. Set aside.
- In a large bowl add eggs, 1 cup sour cream, and vanilla.
- Whisk until blended.
- Using a handeld or stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until blended, about a minute.
- Add butter and remaining ½ cup sour cream. Continue to mix on low speed.
- Until mixture resembles gravel with some butter chunks remaining, maybe 2 minutes.
- Increase speed to medium, scrape dowl side of bowl with spatula. Blend until batter comes together, less than 15 seconds.
- Lower speed back down to low and slowly add egg mixture. Beat for 30 seconds and scrape down sides in between. I usually add egg mixture in 2 or 3 pours.
- Now, increase your speed to medium-high and beat until batter is airy and fluffy, another minute.
- Grab your prepared pan and spread approximately 2 cups of your cake batter across the bottom with a rubber spatula, as smoothly as possible. Sprinkle with approximately ¾ cup of the cinnamon streusel filling (streusel with no butter or nuts).
- Add another 2 cups of batter followed by your remaining ¾ cup streusel filling (streusel with no butter or nuts). Next, spread your remaining cake batter across the top of the cake. Again, as smoothly as possible.
- Finally, sprinkle top of your cake with all of the streusel topping (streusel with butter and nuts).
- Bake until an extra long toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, between 50 and 60 minutes.
- Cool cake in pan on top of a wire rack 30 minutes.
- Invert cake onto baking sheet so cake is streusel side down, remove bundt pan and place wire rack on top of cake. Flip cake back over so streusel side is back on top and remove baking sheet. I usually dump crumbs back on top of cake.
- Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
- Slice.
- Serve.
- Enjoy every bite!
![blended until looks like small stones] or pebbles](https://kitchendivas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cinnamon-Coffee-Cake11-768x1152.jpg)
Laura M. Crocenzi says
Just made this, it's very good and moist. I added more salt to the batter and some to the topping as well. I was wondering though about the amount of baking powder, it does seem like a lot. Thoughts?
Karin and Ken says
It was necessary in my opinion. I love the crumb on this light and fluffy cake and it always turns out great. The texture is wonderful and I give some of the credit to that baking powder. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. All the best. Karin
Anonymous says
dianamcf555@yahoo.com where is the coffee in the coffee cake?
Karin and Ken says
It’s only called a coffee cake because it’s usually served with coffee. There is no coffee in a coffee cake. All the best. Karin
Gerri says
I'm a bit confused....you said "It’s important to use shortening and then flour, NOT butter, as it will reduce the possibility of damaging your cake while attempting to remove it from the pan." Yet your recipe says to butter the pan. Which is it??
Thanks!!
Karin and Ken says
Oh my goodness it’s butter! Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I can’t thank you enough. Take care and enjoy your day! Karin