Old Fashioned Betty Crocker Streusel Coffee Cake is a recipe with a great streusel top and cinnamon taste. It is a quick, "make it before the kids get up" recipe with things you always have with these easy step-by-step photo instructions.
Introduction
This coffee cake is known in the family as Daddy's Coffee Cake. A tasty, quick, no planning needed - a breakfast that any dad can make.
Before I "cooked," this is one of the things I cooked. I would get up in the morning with no plans and suddenly decide it was a coffee cake morning for everyone.
So in 40 minutes, we had two hot out of the oven coffee cakes with what we always had on hand. (a double batch. Why do one when you can do two at the same time?). I did it so many times; I didn't need to open the cookbook.
The original recipe, "Favorite Coffee Cake," is from our old favorite cookbook, the 1972 edition of Betty Crocker's Cookbook. The main modification is some additional cinnamon plus substituting oil for shortening.
My Rating
I'm going with a 4, and you can't talk me out of it. Maybe it's a 4.5, but it will always be a 5 in my heart.
🥘Pan Size
The suggested pan size is a 9-inch round pan. But this will work fine in a variety of sizes. An 8 by 8 square pan is a good alternative. A double recipe will fit nicely in a 9 by 13 cake pan.
You can use other sizes but will need to watch cooking time closely.
❄️Storage and Reheating
This is best served warm, but I always cook a double batch using two 9 inch round pans.
To store this coffee cake, seal tightly. It is ok at room temperature for 1-2 days. Better at 1 day than two. You can refrigerate and double the storage time. It will freeze well for 2-3 months.
To reheat, use a microwave on high for 10-15 seconds, and it will be much better than cold. Almost as good as fresh.
📖Recipes for Breakfast
Cinnamon Roll Cake - Lots of butter. A great coffee cake that is easy.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Smaller French Toast Casserole
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°, not convection.
Spray a 9-inch baking pan with PAM or grease with butter.
In a small mixing bowl, combine ⅓ cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons cold butter, ¼ cup flour, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Cut the butter into the dry with a large fork until crumbly.
Mix the wet: ¾ cup milk, ¼ cup oil, and one egg. Mix well.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cup AP flour, ¾ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Combine well, then add the wet into the dry and mix until combined but do not overmix.
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Top with the brown sugar mixture.
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. About 25 minutes. Try to let the coffee cake cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
📖Recipe
Old Fashioned Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Topping
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup AP flour
- 3 tablespoons butter - cold
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Wet
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 egg
Dry
- 1 ½ cup AP flour
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°, not convection. Spray a 9-inch baking pan with PAM or grease with butter.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine ⅓ cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons cold butter, ¼ cup flour, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Cut the butter into the dry with a large fork until crumbly.
- Mix the wet: ¾ cup milk, ¼ cup oil, and one egg. Mix well.
- In a large mixing bowl combine 1 ½ cup AP flour, ¾ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Combine well then add the wet into the dry and mix until combined but do not over mix.
- Pour into the prepared pan.
- Top with the brown sugar mixture.
- Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. About 25 minutes. Try to let the coffee cake cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- The suggested pan size is a 9-inch round pan. But this will work fine in a variety of sizes. An 8 by 8 square pan is a good alternative.
- A double batch will fit well in a 9 by 13 cake pan.
- Never use aluminum-containing baking powder.
- Chopped nuts are a good addition to the topping.
- To store this coffee cake, seal tightly. It is ok at room temperature for 1-2 days. Better at 1 day than two. You can refrigerate and double the storage time. It will freeze well for 2-3 months.
- To reheat, use a microwave on high for 10-15 seconds, and it will be much better than cold. Almost as good as fresh.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's note: Originally Published January 1, 2013. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Sandra Cassavaugh
Loved the blog. Thanks for sharing. You got a new fan.
Judy Melton
I have made hundreds of coffee cakes and this is the first one in years that I have told friends is a "keeper". ( I should have known, after I saw the name Betty Crocker). I added a layer of 8 oz cream cheese, 3 Tblsp milk & 1/8 cup powdered sugar between the cake & the streusel. I also lessened the sugar in the streusel to 1/4 cup. Pecans seemed to be the best nut topping, per popular opinion. Thanks for a great recipe!
Katie Harrington
There was an addition of blueberries and it was called blueberry buckle I won awards with that recipe but still can’t find it
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Katie,
I had a recipe called “Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake – The Full Monty” published in August 2010. It was not related to this coffee cake. It got almost no traffic, the pictures were horrible and eventually after so rewrites, I gave up on it.
You can see the recipe at https://web.archive.org/web/20160310091245/http://www.101cookingfortwo.com/blueberry-buckle-full-monty/
I have pasted the recipe below if that is what you were looking for. It is the only recipe I have had called a buckle that I remember.
Dan
_________________________
Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake- The Full Monty
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
40 mins
Total time
55 mins
Evil and good as it gets. A great blueberry buckle coffee cake. Full of fat, sugar and all things not good for you. Welcome to the Dark Side.
Author: Dan Mikesell
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8
Ingredients
3 cups blueberries rinsed
Dry Mix
1½ cup AP flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
2 t baking powder
½ t baking soda
½ t table salt
1 T cinnamon
4 T unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
Wet Mix
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk (I used non fat dry reconstituted)
Topping
⅓ cup AP flour
⅓ cup sugar
1 t cinnamon
2 T soft butter
Instructions
Preheat oven 375 not convection.
Mix dry mix together well in a large bowl, except butter and sugar. Chop butter into ⅛ inch cubes then cut into dry like you would butter into biscuits. Then add sugar and mix will. Set aside.
Mix topping in medium bowl and using a fork to cut in butter until all the flour and sugar incorporated and granules are small.
Combine "Wet Mix" in a medium bowl. Mix well with fork.
Combine wet with dry. Mix with large spatula folding carefully.
Fold in blueberries about ⅓ at a time, again being gentle with dough.
Spray 9 inch round pan with Pam. Spread bladder evenly and then spread topping on evenly.
Bake in middle rack for about 40 minutes until toothpick returns clean. Remove and let rest for 30 minutes.
Last Updated
September 19 2014
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Carhy
Your sugar amount is wrong on your coffee cake. It should be 3/4 not 1/4. Take it from one who has made it at least 100 times.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for the proofread. You are so right. Fixed. I have made this a number of times since publishing this but I never look at the ingredient list.
As an aside, I have three copies of this cookbook now. The last one was acquired at a garage sale I was dragged to and found this poor baby for 50 cents. I went to that one, which was still on my desk, to double-check before responding to your comment. That cookbook's previous owner had a big star next to it. It made me smile.
Dan
Kathy
I learned to cook and bake with this cookbook, and today have the original copy. I would often get up early on Sunday and make this coffee cake for breakfast before church. My Dad loved sweets and put this near the top of his list of favorites. Making this recipe tomorrow as muffins!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Kathy,
Welcome to the blog.
This is a "memory" recipe for me too. I must have done it 50 times. I made two of these just for a treat for the kids. Never for a reason, just because. Lot's of memories.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Pc
Love this! It's the exact one my dad used to make when I was little :)
DrDan
Welcome to the blog.
I had this recipe memorized for years. If I got home from the hospital at the right time, I could make two of these in a semidark kitchen and not wake anybody.
Thanks for the note and memory.
Dan
Rachel
Thanks for posting i too grew up eating and learning from this cookbook and this was such a treat to come down on cold winter morning before school and mom would have warm coffee cake but she did ours as I do in a cast iron skillet and wow the perfect coffee cake forever to my family
DrDan
Hi Rachel,
I do love that cookbook. I broke down last year and eBayed a new copy and retired the old one to a place of honor on the shelf. I always did a double batch so the kids could have some the next day.
My new favorite is https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/cinnamon-roll-cake/ which doesn't dry as much as this one tends to but that may be all the butter in it.
Thanks for the note and trip down memory lane.
Dan
Anne Endres
I have this cookbook and make this coffee cake all the time. The trick is not to over cook it! It has been a family favorite for 2 generations now! Love that you think it is a 5 because I agree!
Tracey
Hi, Dan. Long time lurker first time poster. First, I want to say that, that Betty Crocker cookbook looks like my first Betty that was handed down to me by my grandparents who were both chefs, but would say they were "cooks". Right down to the coffee cake and your right the toothpick or wisp from a broom (when a toothpick wasn't around) that I saw my grandparents do many a time is perfect for testing! I read where some thought it was dry... the trick (imho) testing before the toothpick comes out clean ;)
Your Apple Pie Bread is delish! Look forward to swapping some recipes if you don't mind.
Tracey
PS... Tried to leave you 5 stars but the powers that may be wouldn't let me. Darn technology.
DrDan
Hi Tracey,
Thanks for the notes and comments. I don't know why the rating didn't work but it's a plug-in and sometimes acts up a bit.
As for recipe swapping, I'm open to requests but my good stuff is already on the blog. It is getting hard to find something I want publish so if you have a recipe or a request, let me know.
DrDan
Peg
I add pudding. Very moist indeed
jULIA
I tried the coffee cake this morning, I only had liquid egg whites on hand, so I used them in stead of the 1 egg. The "cake" part was very dry and "cakey". Do you think it would be more moist with an egg, or should I add something else to the dry ingredients next time to moisten it?
Thank you!
DrDan
The egg could be a contributing factor but this is very easy to dry from over cooking. Practice up on the toothpick test. It is somewhat like a biscuit so leftovers dry rapidly.
DrDan
Britt J
Just made this! Very yummy. Though maybe a little dry.. Not sure what the reasoning behind that is.
jeff
I love to add some butter to the top of my warm piece. It soaks in and takes away any dryness. Not the healthy option, but hey, your not eating this if you were looking for something healthy!
Chris
That book has a little wear...are you sure it's 1972 and not 1872? ha ha
Happy New Year! I look forward to Cooking For Two in 2013.