Finally, a coffee cake that lives up to its name! This Espresso Coffee Cake is the real deal — it actually contains coffee. ☕
Fluffy, moist cake is infused with rich espresso flavor and topped with a crumbly coffee streusel. A drizzle of espresso glaze takes this breakfast treat over the top.
It’s the perfect companion to your morning cup of joe. Or, let’s be real, your afternoon pick-me-up. Or your midnight snack. Basically, there’s no wrong time for this cake.
Serve with a piping cup of hot coffee or a creamy latte. (Because you can never have too much coffee!)
Ingredient Spotlight: Instant Espresso Powder
Instant espresso powder is the secret to this coffee cake’s rich flavor.
Just a tablespoon or two adds an authentic coffee taste to our cake. It’s also great for other desserts (try our Chocolate Espresso Bundt Cake!).
Find it in the coffee or baking aisle. In a pinch, instant coffee works too, but won’t be as rich.
Espresso Coffee Cake Ingredients
Good news: you probably have most of these ingredients on hand. Stock up on some instant espresso powder, and you’ll be ready to whip up this crowd-pleaser anytime you need a slam-dunk brunch dish or dessert.
For the Coffee Cake Batter:
- Butter (melted & cooled)
- Sour Cream
- Milk
- Large Eggs
- Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Instant Espresso Powder
- Cinnamon
For the Crumble Topping:
- Butter (melted)
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Vanilla
- Instant Espresso Powder
For the glaze:
- Powdered Sugar
- Instant Espresso Powder
- Milk
How To Make Espresso Coffee Cake
01) Preheat and prep.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease an oversized 9×9 pan or a 9×13 Pyrex.
02) Whisk the wet ingredients and sugar.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, milk, and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the sugar and vanilla.
03) Add the dry ingredients.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt, espresso powder, and cinnamon to the wet ingredients. Gently fold until a batter forms. Be careful not to over-mix — we don’t want a dense cake!
04) Pour and smooth.
Carefully pour or scoop the batter into your prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly and smooth out the top.
05) Make the crumble topping.
In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, vanilla extract, and espresso powder until a crumble forms.
06) Top and bake.
Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over your coffee cake batter. Bake until the top is just starting to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
07) Cool, glaze, and serve!
Let the coffee cake cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. Then, whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle over your coffee cake. Serve warm, or allow to cool completely before covering and storing.
Espresso Coffee Cake FAQ
Can I make this coffee cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can bake this espresso cake a day in advance. Just wait to add the glaze until you’re ready to serve.
Can you use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
You betcha! Greek yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream in this recipe. Just make sure to use full-fat yogurt to keep that rich, moist texture we’re after.
Does caffeine cook out of espresso coffee cake?
How much espresso to put in a cake?
For this recipe, we’re using two tablespoons of instant espresso powder in the cake batter, one teaspoon in the crumble topping, and one teaspoon in the glaze. This gives us a nice, balanced coffee flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.
How should I store leftover coffee cake?
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, for longer storage, pop it in the fridge for up to a week.
Can I freeze this coffee cake?
Yes! Wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Can you make this espresso coffee cake gluten-free?
Yes, you can make gluten-free espresso coffee cake by substituting gluten-free flour. I like Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour, which is cup for cup.
Try these other coffee cakes!
- Apple Butter Coffee Cake — the perfect spiced treat for an autumn day.
- Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake — With bright lemon zest and juicy blueberries, this coffee cake is a delicious start to any morning.
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake — There’s only a limited time to devour all things pumpkin flavored, so you’d better optimize it!
Espresso Coffee Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Finally, a coffee cake that lives up to its name! This Espresso Coffee Cake is the real deal — it actually contains coffee. ☕
Fluffy, moist cake is infused with rich espresso flavor and topped with a crumbly coffee streusel. A drizzle of espresso glaze takes this breakfast treat over the top.
It’s the perfect companion to your morning cup of joe. Or, let’s be real, your afternoon pick-me-up. Or your midnight snack. Basically, there’s no wrong time for this cake.
Serve with a piping cup of hot coffee or a creamy latte. (Because you can never have too much coffee!)
Ingredients
For the coffee cake batter:
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the crumble topping:
- 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter, melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
For the coffee cake batter:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, sour cream, milk and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the sugar and vanilla.
- Add in the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, salt, espresso powder and cinnamon and gently fold into the wet ingredients until a batter has formed. Be careful to not over-mix as this can cause the cake to be too dense. Carefully pour or scoop the batter into a greased and parchment lined 9×13 baking pan or an oversized 9×9 baking pan.
For the crumble topping:
- In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, vanilla extract and espresso powder until a crumble forms.
- Evenly top the prepared coffee cake with the crumble topping. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the coffee cake to cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes before topping with the glaze.
For the glaze:
- Whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and evenly drizzle over the coffee cake.
- Serve warmed or allow to cool completely prior to covering and storing.
Notes
- Make sure that you are using espresso powder and not instant espresso granules for this recipe as the granules won’t dissolve as well.
- Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 498
- Sugar: 27g
- Fat: 19.7g
- Fiber: 8.1g
- Protein: 7.7g
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Hi, I’m KJ!
Here you’ll find simple, delicious recipes for the home cook. I strive to make wholesome meals with easy-to-find ingredients that you feel comfortable making in your own kitchen—but I won’t shy away from a few indulgences! (I see you: butter, bacon, cookies!)
