Cinnamon Coffee Cake

193 Ratings
  • 5 34
  • 4 34
  • 3 73
  • 2 40
  • 1 12

For variety, add chopped walnuts or pecans, fresh blueberries, or finely chopped dried fruits (such as cranberries or raisins) to the topping.

Everyday Food, January/February 2003

Gallery

Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

total:
55 mins
prep:
20 mins
Servings:
6
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Put 1/2 cup of the mixture in a small bowl, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon, and set aside. Stir egg and milk into remaining flour mixture.

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  • Spoon batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the surface. Pour melted butter over the top. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over the butter. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.

Cook's Notes

This cake will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months.

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Reviews (19)

193 Ratings
  • 5 34
  • 4 34
  • 3 73
  • 2 40
  • 1 12
Martha Stewart Member
06/26/2020
This is the best coffee cake recipe. I have used it several times. When you read the instructions and carefully follow them, you will get a fluffy, moist cake everytime. You can substitute butter for shortening and easily add fruit.
Martha Stewart Member
06/19/2020
I haven’t tried this recipe, but I would like to using vegetable oil instead of shortening. Any adjustments needed or can I use 1/2 cup oil? Thank you.
Martha Stewart Member
06/19/2020
I haven’t tried this recipe, but I would like to using vegetable oil instead of shortening. Any adjustments needed or can I use 1/2 cup oil? Thank you.
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Martha Stewart Member
01/28/2019
It was delicious, the only thing I changed was to put buttermilk instead of milk and it made the cake come out so much moister and less crumbly. I also added some blueberries and its was amazing!
Martha Stewart Member
09/22/2016
I made this recipe twice now, once following it word for word, and once adding fresh raspberries in the batter and substituting vegetable shortening for butter as I didn't have any shortening. It's exactly what it says in the tin, a lovely, easy to make coffee cake. It's on the dry side, but that's pretty much what coffee cake is supposed to be.
Martha Stewart Member
06/23/2014
One word: DRY. I was kinda epecting one of those light and fluffy coffee pastries you buy from the store where they might have custard or cream in the middle. Not this. It was heavy and dry, I know I almost suffocated on the first bite. It tasted fine, and I added coffee powder to the mixture since I made it for my mom who works nights (and works all day caring for her kids). I'm making another with more milk and an extra egg. Hopefully that'll be more moist.
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Martha Stewart Member
03/28/2014
I really liked this coffee cake. It was really easy to make. I added 1 tsp. of vanilla extract to it though. The coffee cake tasted better with that vanilla extract.
Martha Stewart Member
01/19/2014
@AsianFace: that's baking POWDER not SODA
Martha Stewart Member
08/28/2013
The texture of the cake was nice but did anyone find ip that it tasted bitter? I think 1T of baking soda is a bit much.
Martha Stewart Member
08/09/2013
There is no coffee in the cake. You have coffee with the cake.
Martha Stewart Member
08/08/2013
This is a nice and easy cake, but I am wondering where is the coffee? the name is Cinnamon Coffee Cake but there is no coffee in it.
Martha Stewart Member
02/11/2013
love this
Martha Stewart Member
01/13/2013
Very simple recipe. I, too, used butter instead of vegetable shortening and the cake came out fine. I love brown sugar and incorporated that into the "crumble" bit of the cake. Tastes great. Also added pecans and raisins to the topping for some extra flavor.
Martha Stewart Member
03/09/2011
Make it with butter, and use ocean spray craisins, in the topping, and stir a little into the cake itself.
Martha Stewart Member
03/11/2010
i thought this cake was just okay, nothing special. it was definitely easy to make, but wasn't really anything special. maybe if it was made with butter instead of vegetable shortening, i would've liked it better. i like martha's recipe for blueberry crumb cake better than this, and it's a similar style of cake
Martha Stewart Member
03/11/2010
i thought this cake was just okay, nothing special. it was definitely easy to make, but wasn't really anything special. maybe if it was made with butter instead of vegetable shortening, i would've liked it better. i like martha's recipe for blueberry crumb cake better than this, and it's a similar style of cake
Martha Stewart Member
10/17/2008
This is an easy, simple, and tasty little cake. Good to serve to your family when you're craving a little something sweet. I have always used butter instead of shortening and have good results. Occasionally I put some raisins in the cake.
Martha Stewart Member
09/09/2008
To 'cut in': use a pastry cutter to squish the shortening into the flour. Pick the cutter up and squish into another area of flour, repeat. With knives, cut crosswise into the shortening and flour, repeat. You will occasionally need to clean off the cutter or knives. It will look like peas or gravel when you are finished. You can use butter instead of shortening, but you usually increase the butter by two tablespoons/half cup of shortening. (Meaning you would need 10 tablespoons of butter)
Martha Stewart Member
04/21/2008
Anyone know what can be substituted if you don't have the shortening?
Martha Stewart Member
03/28/2008
what does she mean by "cut in shortening"?
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