This snickerdoodle coffee cake is sweet, moist, slightly chewy, and tastes just like the cookie!
Say hello to your favorite cookie in coffee cake form! The cake itself is soft, buttery, and tender.
The crunch from the cinnamon sugar on top adds the perfect contrast of textures.
It’s sweet with notes of vanilla and a touch of cinnamon. Serve this for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee for a cozy morning meal.
This cake looks so fancy, yet it’s incredibly easy to make. The batter takes just 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to bake.
Because it’s served warm, there’s no need to wait long for it to cool.
I’m sure you’re just as excited as I am, so let’s dig in.
Snickerdoodle Coffee Cake
If you love snickerdoodles, you’ll fall for this coffee cake as well. It has the same warming flavors as your favorite cookie, but it comes in the form of a cake.
With a moist cinnamon-infused cake at the bottom and crunchy cinnamon sugar on top, this cake is absolutely divine.
It’s great on its own but even greater with coffee.
What Is the Difference Between Cake and Coffee Cake?
Here are key characteristics that set the coffee cake apart from other cakes:
- Unlike light and airy sponge and chiffon cakes, a coffee cake is a bit denser and more compact with a crumbly layer on top. It’s more often eaten for breakfast than dessert.
- A coffee cake is usually a single-layer cake in a loaf or bundt form, for easy slicing.
- The base is usually a vanilla cake spiced with cinnamon or filled with fruits or berries.
- Instead of icing, a coffee cake has a crumb topping that usually contains cinnamon.
Why is there no coffee in a coffee cake?
Many people mistake coffee cakes for having coffee in them. While some coffee cakes do contain coffee, that is not the general rule.
Coffee cakes are called such for the simple reason that they’re best served with a hot cup of coffee.
These sweet treats originated in Germany, and have been around for centuries. Over time, many variations have emerged.
Despite the many versions, though, they all have one thing in common: they taste better when paired with coffee.
Tips for Making The Best Loaf
- Measure the flour accurately. Adding too much will yield a tough and dry coffee cake while adding too little will create a runny batter that won’t set.
- The best tool for accurate measurements is a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, use the spoon and level method instead. Use a spoon to transfer the flour to the measuring cup. Level it off with the back of a knife or an offset spatula.
Do not pack down the flour, as this will give you more flour than you need.
- The baking powder serves as the leavening agent that lifts the batter. If it’s not potent, your cake won’t rise. Be sure to check the label for its expiry date.
If it’s no longer in the box, test for potency by mixing a teaspoon of baking powder with a splash of water.
It should immediately start to bubble. If not, it’s time to get a new one.
- Use room temperature eggs – they incorporate with the other ingredients easily, forming a smooth batter with air trapped inside. As the batter bakes, the air expands and creates a fluffy cake.
Forgot to take the eggs out of the fridge? That’s okay, just submerge them in hot water for a few minutes, and they’ll warm right up.
- When mixing the batter, be sure to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula so all the ingredients combine well.
- Do not over-mix the batter, especially once the wet and dry ingredients have already been combined. Over-mixed batter will result in a tough and dry cake.
Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. Small lumps are fine, so don’t worry too much about them.
- Bake the batter as soon as it comes together. The baking powder reacts immediately after it comes in contact with the liquid ingredients. You’ll want that reaction to take place during baking as well.
- Since the batter doesn’t contain melted butter or oil, expect it to be thicker than usual. It will be too thick to pour, so you’ll need to spoon it into the pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- If you want cinnamon sugar in the center and the top of the cake, it’s easy. Just spread half the batter into the pan and sprinkle it with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Top it with the remaining batter, and finish it off with the remaining cinnamon sugar.
- Variations
- Add chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts into or on top of the batter for added crunch.
- Add fresh berries or sliced mangoes, peaches, or apples for a fruity twist. Because fruit contains liquid, expect the batter to be thinner and bake a little longer.
- Switch up the spices. Pumpkin pie or apple pie spice is perfect for a fall coffee cake.
- Use butter, coconut oil, or applesauce instead of shortening for extra moisture.
- The cinnamon sugar on top is already delicious, but to make it even more phenomenal, drizzle a simple glaze over the top. Just whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk, and voila.
- Storage Instructions
- Let the cake cool completely before storing.
- Wrap the cake with plastic wrap or store it in an air-tight container so it doesn’t dry out. It will keep well at room temperature for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
- If it’s refrigerated, warm the cake for 10-20 seconds in the microwave so it’ll taste freshly baked. It tastes great when cold, too, though.
- For a longer shelf-life, freeze the cake. Double wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it on the counter and warm it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds before serving.
More Coffee Cakes You’ll Love
Snickerdoodle Coffee Cake
16
servings15
minutes35
minutes290
kcalIngredients
- For the Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
- For the Topping:
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons white sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or baking spray.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat together 2 cups of sugar and shortening until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Gradually pour in the dry mixture alternating with the milk, mixing well after each addition.
- Spoon the batter into the greased baking pan and spread evenly towards the edges.
- For the topping, stir together the brown sugar, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over the batter.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Pour the melted butter evenly over the cake. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy it either warm or cold with a cup of coffee.
