March 17, 2026 Ellen 0 Comments

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Coffee Coffee Cake with Coffee that Tastes Like Coffee in a Cake

Before ever having my first cup of coffee, I remember simply loving the smell of coffee. My first ever coffee cake was the Hostess Coffee Cake that I would get from the bodega around the corner from my house in Brooklyn when I was a child. I remember enjoying the the sweet cinnamon streusel cake but couldn’t understand why the coffee cake didn’t taste like coffee.

I’m here to put an end to that. Coffee cake shouldn’t be called coffee cake unless it tastes like its name-sake. I get it, it’s called coffee cake because we are supposed to enjoy this cake with coffee. But I enjoy a lot of things with coffee and we don’t call it coffee+something.

This coffee coffee cake is moist, tastes like coffee, with a deep roasted coffee tasting crunchy streusel. Upgrade your brunch with this authentic Coffee Coffee Cake made with real espresso, sour cream and cake flour for a moist, caffeine infused treat. Or if you are like me, who only likes coffee for the taste, not the caffeine, you can make this with decaf.

What’s in this coffee coffee cake

cake flour
all-purpose flour
butter
granulated sugar
brown sugar
sour cream
vanilla
maple syrup
coffee or espresso
espresso powder
oil

Coffee Coffee Cake

A Slice of Moist Coffee Cake Made with Coffee

Print Recipe

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Here is a coffee cake that tastes like coffee. The traditional coffee cake has a cinnamon streusel and I’m replacing the cinnamon with espresso powder. This cake is moist, buttery and warm without the cinnamon. Enjoy with coffee or tea! Great as a breakfast cake or dessert.

Author: Ellen
Category: Breakfast, Dessert
Method: Baking

Ingredients

Units Scale

Coffee Streusel

3/4 cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 grams) dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons espresso powder
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, cold and cut in cubes
pinch of salt

Coffee Coffee Cake

1/2 cup (100 grams) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (75 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup (50 grams) neutral oil
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup (225 grams) cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (120 grams) sour cream
1/4 cup (60 grams) hot brewed coffee (or espresso for a stronger flavor)

Drizzle

3/4 cup (90 grams) powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 tablespoon maple syrup

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Instructions

Coffee Streusel

In a small mixing bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, espresso powder and salt.
Using your hands, add the cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture and squeeze the butter into the flour until it resembles crumbs. Set aside in fridge while you prepare the cake.

Coffee Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix the sugars, melted butter, oil and vanilla on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and mix for another minute.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda. Add the half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix on low until just combined, about 10 seconds.
Add the sour cream and the remaining flour mixture and mix on low for another 10 seconds. Drizzle the hot coffee and mix on low until a batter forms, another 10 seconds.
Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half the coffee streusel evenly over the batter. Pour the remaining half of the batter over the streusel, spreading it out with a spoon or spatula. Top with remaining streusel evenly over the top.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before taking it out to continue cooling on a wire rack.

Drizzle

In a small mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, coffee and maple syrup. Whisk until it forms a smooth icing.
With a spoon, scoop some of the icing and hold the spoon vertically above the cake. Swing the spoon so it drizzles long lines of icing across the cake. Cut the cake into squares and serve.