Coffee Cake with Walnut Streusel and Optional Icing Recipe
This homemade coffee cake is a moist, tender treat perfect for breakfast or dessert. Featuring a lightly spiced cinnamon streusel topping with optional walnuts and an optional sweet icing drizzle, this easy-to-make cake combines simple pantry ingredients into a delightful classic that pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Total Time: 40-45 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Streusel Topping
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Icing (Optional)
- 1 tbsp butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk (plus extra if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to get it ready for baking the coffee cake.
- Mix Cake Batter: In a mixing bowl, beat the egg. Add sugar, milk, salt, oil, and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup, then dump it on top of the wet ingredients. Sprinkle baking powder over the flour. Gently mix the baking powder into the top half of the flour, then stir the entire flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Pour the batter into a greased or parchment-lined 9×9-inch baking dish, smoothing the top gently.
- Make Streusel Topping: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Remove from microwave, then stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour until well combined. If using, fold in chopped walnuts.
- Apply Streusel: Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the cake batter. Using a finger or the small end of a wooden spoon, poke the streusel halfway into the batter randomly 12-18 times. This helps create a bursting streusel texture inside the cake.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out with moist crumbs but no raw batter. Do not overbake to maintain moisture.
- Prepare Icing (Optional): For an optional sweet finish, mix room-temperature butter with powdered sugar. Add milk gradually to reach a drizzleable consistency.
- Drizzle Icing: Once the cake has cooled slightly, lightly drizzle the icing over the top for added sweetness and visual appeal.
Notes
- You can substitute walnuts with pecans or omit nuts entirely if preferred.
- Use parchment paper in the baking dish for easy removal and cleanup.
- Do not overmix the batter as that can make the cake tough.
- Allow the coffee cake to cool slightly before adding icing to prevent it from melting too much.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute milk and butter with plant-based alternatives.
Keywords: coffee cake, cinnamon streusel, easy coffee cake, breakfast cake, walnut coffee cake, homemade dessert
