Cake Mix Coffee Cake
Savor a coffee shop treat right at home with this semi-homemade Cake Mix Coffee Cake, using a simple yellow cake mix and topped with delicious cinnamon streusel. Perfect as the best moist and flavorful option for breakfast or dessert, it makes every moment a little sweeter.
This is the best coffee cake you’ll ever make! It might be tough to decide which is your favorite part. Is it the moist cake? Or is it the topping? Or maybe you’ll love that the cake is made with a box of cake mix. Seriously, you’ll love how easy it is to make a fancy coffee cake.
There are just three parts to this cake – the cake, the crumb topping, and the glaze. For the cake, the dry ingredients involve just a box of yellow cake mix – that’s it!
But the best part of this delicious coffee cake recipe is the buttery crumb topping. You’ll make that from scratch with flour, butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and a few other ingredients. Then, it’s all topped with a sugary glaze that ties it all together.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Moist Cake. The sour cream adds the perfect balance of moisture to the coffee cake.
- Incredible Crumb Topping. This is what sets it apart from other types of cake.
- Easy ingredients. Using boxed cake mix saves you the hassle of measuring out flour and other dry ingredients.
- Shows Off. Although it has a few shortcuts, it appears to be a stunning homemade coffee cake.
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
Yellow cake mix coffee cake is made with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
- Yellow Cake Mix. Use your favorite brand of cake mix.
- Vanilla Extract. This rounds out the flavor of the cake.
- Sour Cream. The sour cream adds much-needed moisture, making the coffee cake soft and delicious.
- All-purpose Flour. This is for the crumb topping.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter to prevent the topping from being too salty.
- Salt. This enhances all the other flavors.
- Cinnamon. An essential spice for making the coffee cake taste amazing.
- Brown Sugar. This adds caramel notes to the topping.
- Chopped Pecans. These are optional but add a delightful crunch.
Optional Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar. This is the perfect sweetener for making a glaze because it dissolves perfectly.
- Milk. Use your favorite kind of milk, as long as it is unflavored.
- Vanilla Extract. This makes the flavor deeper and more complex.
How to Make Cake Mix Coffee Cake
- Step One: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Step Two: Grease and line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Step Three: In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream with a wooden spoon or a whisk. Stir until all of the ingredients are well combined. Then, set aside.
- Step Four: In a medium bowl, add the flour, melted butter, salt (if using), cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans. Using a fork, pastry cutter, or spoon, stir the ingredients together until they’re all well combined. Set aside.
- Step Five: Add half of the cake batter to the prepared 9×13-inch pan.
- Step Six: Add half of the streusel mixture over the top of the batter.
- Step Seven: Spread the remaining cake batter over the top of the streusel layer.
- Step Eight: Finally, sprinkle the remaining streusel topping over the top.
- Step Nine: Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Step Ten: Allow the cake to cool for 45 minutes before serving.
Optional Steps:
- Step Eleven: Once the cake has finished baking and is cooling, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl. Using a fork or spoon, stir the ingredients together to combine.
- Step Twelve: Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake and serve.
What to Serve with It
Enjoy this delicious cake as an afternoon snack or serve it for breakfast with a warm cup of coffee. Here are some delicious recipes that pair perfectly with a slice of cake.
Variations and Substitutions
- You can easily substitute the pecans for walnuts. Just make sure they are chopped.
- I used a Betty Crocker cake mix, but you can substitute any yellow cake mix from another brand (like Duncan Hines). If you’re using French vanilla, omit the vanilla extract.
- Change the shape of the cake. Bake it in a bundt pan, square pan, or loaf pan.
- Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. This will have a slightly different flavor but still work well.
Storage Instructions
To store, place a piece of plastic wrap over the casserole dish lid and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days, or cover it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure the cake remains covered, or it will dry out.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- The top layer of cake mix can be tough to spread out. A tip to make it easier to spread is to spray a small amount of non-stick spray on an offset spatula or regular spatula, then spread it out evenly. The oil will prevent the cake batter from sticking to the spatula.
- You will know it’s finished baking when you insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and it comes out clean.
- Use a stand mixer. This will save you a lot of energy.
Can I Turn Them into Muffins?
Yes, you can easily adapt this coffee cake recipe into a muffin recipe. Fill the muffin tin ⅔ full, leaving room for the crumble topping.
Coffee Cake Recipes
Want to make more delicious coffee cakes at home? Here are some of my favorites:
You’ll also like Quick Slice Cake.
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Cake Mix Coffee Cake
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Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup sour cream
- ⅔ cup flour
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 tsp salt if using unsalted butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Optional Glaze:
- 1½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease and line a 9×13 inch pan with a piece of parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream with a wooden spoon or a whisk. Stir until all of the ingredients are well combined. Then set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, melted butter, salt (if using), cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans. Using a fork, pastry cutter, or spoon, stir the ingredients together until they're all well combined. Set aside.
- Add half of the cake batter to the prepared 9×13 inch pan.
- Add half of the streusel mixture over the top of the cake batter.
- Spread the remaining cake batter over the top of the streusel layer.
- Finally, sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top.
- Bake at 350℉ for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
- Allow the cake to cool for 45 minutes before serving.
Optional Step:
- Once the cake has finished baking and it's cooling, in a bowl combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Using a fork or spoon, stir to combine.
- Drizzle the glaze over top and serve.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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I made the coffee cake. It turned out beautifully. I was not pleased with the texture. I believe it had something to do with all the sour cream that made it rubbery. However, I will try it again using only one cup and see how it turns out.I did not make any alterations to your recipe. Thanks for sharing.
I made the coffee cake. It turned out beautifully. I was not pleased with the texture. I believe it had something to do with all the sour cream that made it rubbery. However, I will try it again using only one cup and see how it turns out. I’d like to pay him. I did not make any alterations to your recipe. Thanks for sharing.
What size is the box of cake mix???
The standard size box like this: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Betty-Crocker-Favorites-Super-Moist-Yellow-Cake-Mix-13-25-oz/3948888871?classType=VARIANT&athbdg=L1300&adsRedirect=true