Simple Coffee Cake

A Little Story Before We Get to the Recipe

You know, Darren and I live a pretty simple life. And sometimes the simplest things really are the best. This coffee cake is kind of like that.

I’ve made a few different coffee cake recipes through the years, and they’ve been fine — good flavor, for the most part. But the cake part always seemed to come out just a little bit dry. Not terrible, but you’d notice it. And I always wondered if there was a better way.

When I came across this recipe, it caught my eye because it was a little different from anything I’d tried before. The biggest thing? No eggs. None at all. Now, that surprised me, because eggs are usually doing a lot of the work in a cake — binding everything together, adding moisture, all of that. But in this recipe, two full cups of buttermilk take over that job entirely. And I have to say, it works beautifully.

The other thing I loved about it is how you add the butter. You take cold butter right out of the fridge and grate it directly into the flour, the same way I do when I’m making biscuits. It just blends in so easily that way. No cutting it in with a pastry blender, no waiting for it to soften. Just grate and stir.

I did tweak a couple of things from the original recipe, and I’m really glad I did. I think the changes made it just right — at least for me and my tastes. When it came out of the oven, Darren tried it while it was still warm and said it was really good and really moist. And he’s right. That’s exactly what this cake is.

If you’ve ever been disappointed by a dry coffee cake, I think this one is going to make you very happy.

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Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Streusel

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45–60 minutes Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes Servings: 12–16

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour (plain, not self-rising)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup cold butter, grated (1½ sticks)
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (whisked into the buttermilk)

For the Streusel:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1½ sticks cold butter, grated
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for the top layer only)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Since this cake stays in the pan for serving, you don’t need to line it with parchment — just a good coating of spray will do.
2. Prepare the buttermilk mixture. Measure out 2 cups of buttermilk and whisk in 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Set it aside — this is going to be our egg replacement and the key to keeping this cake moist.
3. Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together 4 cups of flour, 2 cups of sugar, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Use the spoon-and-level method for your flour so you don’t end up with too much — that’s what can make a cake dry and tough.
4. Grate in the butter. Take ¾ cup of cold butter straight from the fridge and grate it right into the dry ingredients using a hand grater. Then scoop some of the flour mixture over the top and stir it in. This coats the butter pieces and helps distribute them evenly. You’ll see little bits of butter throughout, and that’s exactly what you want — it’s going to make the cake tender and flaky.
5. Add the buttermilk. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until everything is just combined. Do not overmix. A few small lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing will make the cake tough, and we definitely don’t want that. This is a thick batter — much thicker than a typical cake batter — and that’s normal.
6. Spread the batter into your prepared baking dish. Use the back of your spoon or a spatula to gently even it out to the edges.
7. Make the streusel. In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, and 1½ sticks of grated butter. Mix it together well, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar. Divide this mixture in half.
8. Swirl half the streusel into the cake. Take about ¾ cup of cake batter out of the pan and stir it into one half of the streusel. Then drop spoonfuls of this mixture back onto the cake and use your spoon to push it down and swirl it through the batter. You want that cinnamon brown sugar goodness running all through the middle of this cake so every bite has some.
9. Make the crumb topping. Take the remaining half of the streusel and add 3 tablespoons of flour to it. Toss it together — the flour helps it separate into a nice crumbly topping instead of melting flat during baking. Sprinkle it evenly over the top of the cake, using your hands to break up any sticky spots.
10. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 60 minutes. Start checking at 45 minutes with a toothpick — when it comes out clean, the cake is done. Every oven is different, so keep an eye on yours. The streusel on top should be golden brown and just a little bit crispy.
11. Let it rest. Give the cake about 30–40 minutes to cool before slicing. It’s wonderful served warm, and it holds its texture beautifully even as it cools to room temperature.

Notes & Tips

• No eggs needed. The buttermilk completely replaces eggs in this recipe. It adds moisture, tenderness, and a slight tang that balances the sweetness of the brown sugar streusel. If you’ve ever needed an egg-free cake option, this is a great one to have in your back pocket.
• Don’t use a mixer. A bowl and a spoon are all you need, and honestly, I prefer it. A stand mixer or hand mixer would overwork the batter and make the cake tough.
• Brown sugar tip. If your brown sugar has hardened, you can soften it by placing a damp paper towel in the bag and microwaving for 20–30 seconds. Or place a slice of bread in the bag overnight — the moisture from the bread softens the sugar.
• Storage. This cake keeps well covered at room temperature for 2–3 days. It stays moist thanks to all that buttermilk.
• Serving. This is the kind of cake that just sits in the pan. Cut slices and serve right from the dish — no need to turn it out or transfer it to a platter.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I really make this coffee cake without eggs? Yes! The two cups of buttermilk do the work that eggs would normally do — they provide moisture, help bind the ingredients together, and keep the cake tender. I was skeptical too, but this turned out to be the moistest coffee cake I’ve ever made.

2. What can I use if I don’t have buttermilk? You can make a buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of regular milk and letting it sit for about 5 minutes until it curdles slightly. Since this recipe uses 2 cups of buttermilk, you’d double that. It won’t be quite the same richness, but it works in a pinch.

3. Why do you grate the butter instead of cutting it in? Grating cold butter distributes it more evenly through the flour without overworking the dough. It’s the same technique I use for biscuits, and it gives you those little pockets of butter that make the cake tender and slightly flaky. You can also cube the butter and use a pastry blender or your hands if you prefer — the grating method is just quicker and easier.

4. Can I use a mixer for this cake? I wouldn’t recommend it. The batter comes together so quickly with a spoon, and a mixer would likely overwork it. Overmixed cake batter develops too much gluten, which makes the cake tough and dense instead of tender and moist.

5. Why is my batter so thick? That’s perfectly normal for this recipe. This is a much thicker batter than a typical cake — more like a very thick, spoonable dough. It won’t pour smoothly, and that’s okay. You’ll spread it into the pan with a spoon or spatula. That thickness is part of what gives the cake its dense, moist texture.

6. What size pan should I use? A standard 9×13 baking dish works perfectly. You can use glass or metal — just keep in mind that glass pans tend to bake a little slower, so you may need the full 60 minutes. Metal pans may be done closer to the 45-minute mark.

7. Can I make this coffee cake ahead of time? Absolutely. This cake actually tastes wonderful at room temperature, so you can make it the night before and serve it the next morning. Just cover it tightly with foil or plastic wrap. You can also warm individual slices in the microwave for about 15–20 seconds if you like it warm.

8. How do I know when the coffee cake is done? Use the toothpick test. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake — if it comes out clean with no wet batter on it, the cake is done. The streusel on top should also be golden brown and slightly crispy.

9. Can I add anything else to this coffee cake? You could fold in about ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the streusel for a little crunch. Some people also like to add a simple glaze — just powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and a drop of vanilla drizzled over the top after it cools slightly. Both are great additions if you want to dress it up a bit.

10. What’s the best way to store leftover coffee cake? Cover the pan tightly with foil or plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 2–3 days. The buttermilk keeps it from drying out the way some coffee cakes tend to. You can also slice it and freeze individual pieces wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 2 months — just thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave when you’re ready to enjoy.