The Warm Embrace of Home Baking
The smell of fresh baked goods in your kitchen on a lazy morning is amazing. Making something delicious from scratch is special. It brings back cozy memories and good times. Today, we will make a recipe that does just that: an amazing Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake. Get ready to fill your home with the sweet, spicy smell of pure joy and make a treat your family will love.
Why Make This Recipe
This is not just any coffee cake; it is a soft, moist cake with sweet, spiced cinnamon that melts in your mouth. It looks great, but the steps are easy. This makes it good for all bakers. It is good for breakfast, brunch, an afternoon snack, or even dessert. Everyone loves the classic taste of Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake. Baking this cake will also make your home smell wonderful!
How To Make Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
Making this coffee cake is easy. You will mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients, then layer them with a sweet cinnamon swirl. Then you bake it until golden brown.
Ingredients of : Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
- For the Cake Batter:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Eggs, room temperature
- Milk, room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- For the Cinnamon Swirl:
- Brown sugar, packed
- Ground cinnamon
- Melted unsalted butter
- For the Crumb Topping (Optional, but highly recommended!):
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar, packed
- Ground cinnamon
- Cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- For the Glaze (Optional):
- Powdered sugar
- Milk or heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
Directions of : Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
- Make the Crumb Topping (if using): In a small bowl, mix flour, sugars, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter until you have coarse crumbs. Set aside.
- Prepare the Cinnamon Swirl: In another small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until well mixed. Set aside.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt for the cake batter.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, cream together the softened butter and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in the milk and vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix!
- Assemble the Cake:
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spread it evenly.
- Spoon half of the cinnamon swirl mixture over the batter in dollops. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl it into the batter.
- Carefully spoon the rest of the cake batter over the cinnamon swirl layer. Spread gently to cover.
- Dollop the rest of the cinnamon swirl mixture over the top and swirl again.
- Spread the crumb topping (if using) evenly over the whole cake.
- Bake: Bake for 35-45 minutes. A wooden skewer put into the center should come out clean.
- Cool and Glaze: Let the Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Then carefully take it out of the pan and put it on the rack to cool completely. Once cool (or a little warm!), whisk together the glaze ingredients and pour generously over the cake.
How To Serve Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
Enjoy your Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake with a warm cup of coffee or tea. This is the perfect match. For a great brunch, serve slices with fresh fruit, yogurt, or scrambled eggs. You can also add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a lovely dessert. Or simply enjoy a slice by itself – it’s wonderful as is!
How To Store Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
For best freshness, store any leftover Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, but it might get a little dry.
Tips To Make Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Use ingredients at room temperature. This makes a smooth batter and a soft cake.
- Do Not Overmix: Mixing too much makes the cake tough. Mix only until just combined.
- Swirling Technique: Do not swirl too much! You want clear lines of cinnamon, not a fully mixed batter.
- Pan Choice: A springform pan makes it easy to take out the cake. Any round or square baking pan will work.
Variation
- Nutty Crunch: Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the crumb topping or the cinnamon swirl for extra crunch and taste.
- Apple Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake: Mix in about 1 cup of small diced apples into the cake batter for a fruity twist.
- Cream Cheese Swirl: For a richer treat, mix 4 oz softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar and one egg yolk. Then swirl it in with the cinnamon mixture.
- Spiced Up: Add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the cinnamon swirl for more spice.
- Lemon Glaze: Replace some of the milk in the glaze with fresh lemon juice for a bright, tangy finish.
FAQs
Q1: Can I make this Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake ahead of time?
A1: Yes! This Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake is great when made a day before. Store it in a sealed container at room temperature. It tastes even better the next day as the flavors blend together.
Q2: Can I freeze this Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake?
A2: Yes, you can! After the cake is completely cool, wrap single slices or the whole cake (without glaze) tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature. Add glaze if you want before serving.
Q3: My cinnamon swirl sank to the bottom. What went wrong?
A3: This often happens if the cinnamon swirl mix is too heavy or the cake batter is too thin. Make sure your butter for the swirl is only melted and not too oily. Do not over-swirl it into a very thin batter. Also, make sure you do not overmix your batter. This can make it too dense.
Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping and Glaze
Equipment
- Oven
- 9-inch baking pan
- Small bowl
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl
- Whisk
- Knife
- Skewer
- Wire rack
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter:
- 2 ½ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups Granulated sugar
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ cup Unsalted butter softened (1 stick)
- 2 large Eggs room temperature
- 1 cup Milk room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Swirl:
- ½ cup Brown sugar packed
- 1 tbsp Ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter Melted
For the Crumb Topping:
- ½ cups All-purpose flour
- ¼ cup Granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup Unsalted butter Cold, cut into cubes
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp Milk or heavy cream
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat and Prep
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease and flour a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
Make the Crumb Topping
- In a small bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter until coarse crumbs form, then set aside.
Prepare the Cinnamon Swirl
- In another small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and melted butter until well mixed, then set aside.
Combine Dry Ingredients (Cake Batter)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Cream Wet Ingredients (Cake Batter)
- In a separate medium bowl, cream the softened butter and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in the milk and vanilla extract.
Combine Wet and Dry (Cake Batter)
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Assemble the Cake
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Spoon half of the cinnamon swirl mixture over the batter in dollops and gently swirl it in with a knife or skewer.
- Carefully spoon the remaining cake batter over the cinnamon swirl layer and spread gently. Dollop the rest of the cinnamon swirl mixture on top and swirl again.
- Spread the crumb topping evenly over the entire cake.
Bake
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool and Glaze
- Let the coffee cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove it to cool completely on the rack.
- Once cool, whisk together powdered sugar, milk or heavy cream, and vanilla extract for the glaze. Pour generously over the cake.