Cinnamon Coffee Cake
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I’ve been making this Cinnamon Coffee Cake recipe for many years now. I usually make it during the Christmas holidays, but really, it’s delicious any time of year. It’s moist, packed with cinnamon and pecans.
(Recipe modified on 11/30/23.)
My husband loves this cake. All he needs to go with it is a big glass of milk or a cup of hot coffee. Perfect for a weekend brunch.
When I first made this coffee cake, I used my angel food cake tube pan. Unfortunately, I sometimes had problems with the cake coming out of the pan without breaking. A few years ago, however, I found and purchased a special Coffee Cake Pan that works wonderfully for this cake. It’s the perfect size for it and the cake always pops right out, without any disasters. Always a good thing!
More Holiday Cakes to Try
Ingredients for Cinnamon Coffee Cake
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- butter (I always use salted)
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- large eggs (4 of them)
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- sour cream
- ground cinnamon
- pecans
Instructions for Making this Cake
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Cinnamon Pecan Mixture
Using a knife and cutting board or a nut chopper, coarsely chop the pecans and place in a small bowl.
Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon to the pecans. Stir to combine. Set aside until ready to use.
Make the Cake Batter
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and 2 cups granulated sugar until fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add in vanilla extract.
I like to buy real vanilla extract or make my own with vanilla beans and vodka.
Add in your eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the flour to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition.
Assemble the Coffee Cake
Spoon 1/3 cake batter into a greased 10″ tube pan–like an angel food cake pan or coffee cake pan. I’ve found that this type of pan works better than a Bundt pan.
Use Baker’s Joy to Prepare your Cake Pan – I’ve learned that using Baker’s Joy works really well for a good release on the cake, which is always important. In my early years of baking this cake, I don’t know how many times, I went through this long process, only to have the cake break when it was released from the pan. There are few things less discouraging for a baker! I now use Baker’s Joy for all of my Bundt cake-type recipes that use specialty pans.
Baker’s Joy is worth the extra expense. They don’t call it that for nothing!
Sprinkle 1/3 of cinnamon mixture over batter. Repeat layers two more times, ending with the cinnamon pecan mixture.
Bake in a preheated oven for 60-70 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
This Cinnamon Coffee Cake will serve 12-16 people, depending on how big a piece my husband takes!
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Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 oz sour cream
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Prepare a coffee cake pan by spraying it with Baker's Joy or by using shortening and flour.
Prepare the Cinnamon Pecan Mixture
- Using a knife and cutting board or a nut chopper, coarsely chop the pecans and place in a small bowl.
- Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon to the pecans. Stir to combine. Set aside until ready to use.
Prepare the Cake
- In large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and 2 cups granulated sugar until fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add in the flour mixture, alternately with the sour cream, beating after each addition.
Assemble the Coffee Cake
- Spoon 1/3 batter into a greased 10" tube pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of cinnamon mixture over batter. Repeat layers two more times ending with the cinnamon and pecans.
- Bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes or until cake tests done, using a toothpick inserted into the center that comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Serves 16.
Notes
Nutrition