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This easy Cake Mix Coffee Cake tastes like it came straight from a bakery, but it starts with a simple box of yellow cake mix. The soft, moist cake and buttery cinnamon-sugar topping make it the perfect treat for brunch, holidays, or a cozy morning at home.
The Coffee Cake Recipe I Make Again and Again
This Cake Mix Coffee Cake recipe is often on my breakfast menu when I have overnight guests. It’s easy to prepare in the morning, and it fills my house with the most amazing smell as it bakes. The cake is moist and tender, and the streusel topping is buttery and crunchy – so much flavor in every bite. Everyone loves it!
If you love coffee cake, I have two more favorites for you to try. Our Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is delicious for an Easter brunch, and our Pumpkin Coffee Cake is perfect in the fall.
❤️ Erica
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
For the Coffee Cake
- Yellow Cake Mix: Serves as the base of the coffee cake. It will still taste like it’s made from scratch! You can optionally use our homemade cake mix in place of the cake mix and oil in this recipe.
- Vanilla Pudding Mix: Adding pudding mix to your cakes makes them so rich and moist!
- Buttermilk: This gives your coffee cake a bright, tangy flavor and adds to the moisture. You can substitute regular milk with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice if needed.
- Oil: I like to use coconut oil, but you can use vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Eggs: Large eggs help bind the ingredients together giving it moisture and a fluffy texture.
- Sour Cream: This will truly take your cake to the next level. Don’t leave it out!
For the Streusel Crumble Topping
- Sugar: You will use both light brown sugar and white granulated sugar for this streusel crumble topping.
- Flour: All-purpose flour thickens the crumble and helps separate the wet and dry ingredients.
- Cinnamon: A little of this seasoning with a warm flavor!
- Salt: Adds flavor but also balances out the sweet.
- Unsalted Butter: The butter needs to be very cold, not at room temperature or melted. Pop it in the freezer for a few minutes if needed. If the butter is too warm, then you won’t get that delicious crumbly texture.
- Walnuts: The nuts are optional. You can use pecans as a substitute.
How to Make Cake Mix Coffee Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a stand mixer or large bowl blend the cake mix, water, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and pudding mix together for 2 minutes. Fold in the sour cream.
- Pour the coffee cake batter into a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- For the streusel topping, combine sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the sugar mixture.
- Use a pastry blender or fork to incorporate the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the nuts.
- Sprinkle half of the streusel topping over the cake batter. Using a knife, swirl the mixture through the cake.
- Evenly sprinkle the remaining streusel topping over the top of the cake batter.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake after 35 minutes. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, cook an additional few minutes and test again.
- Place the baked cake on a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm or continue to cool until read to serve. This cake tastes great served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Storing and Reheating
This cake mix coffee cake is so easy to store and reheat for another day. Simply bake your cake and let it cool before storing. You will be thanking yourself for keeping at least a slice for the next day!
- Leftovers – Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last four to five days. You can also freeze leftovers by wrapping individual slices in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat – You can eat it cold but if you like it warm just do 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave per slice. This will warm it through just enough!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, coffee cake is a great make-ahead recipe. Bake it the night before, cover it tightly, and let it sit at room temperature. In the morning, just reheat individual slices or warm the whole pan in the oven before serving.
No, the coffee in the name refers to a cake eaten with coffee. It is great as a breakfast dish, a side, or a dessert, and can be enjoyed any time of the day!
Yes, this coffee cake can be frozen. Bake as directed, let it cool completely, then cover tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw at room temperature and warm slices in the oven or microwave.
Stick a toothpick in the center of the baked cake. If it comes out dry the cake is done cooking. If it comes out wet or has batter on it, the cake needs a little more time to bake.
Yes! This recipe works with either white or yellow cake mix. Yellow cake mix gives a slightly richer flavor, while white cake mix makes the crumb topping stand out more. Both are delicious options.
READ NEXT: 33+ Breakfast Ideas
More Recipes That Start With a Cake Mix
Did this coffee cake disappear as fast at your house as it does at mine? Please leave a comment and review below and let us know how you liked the recipe! ☕️🍰
Cake Mix Coffee Cake
Video
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 yellow cake mix, (15 to 18 ounce mix)
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup oil
- 3 large eggs
- 3.4 ounces vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1 cup sour cream
For the topping:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, water, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and pudding mix. Beat with a mixer for about 2 minutes. Fold in sour cream.
- In a smaller bowl, combine sugars, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and add to the sugar mixture. Mix together with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in nuts.
- Pour batter into a greased 9×13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle half of the topping over the batter. Use a knife to swirl the mixture throughout the cake.
- Top evenly with the remaining topping.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Equipment
- 9×13 inch pan
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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i made tgis with an Aldi cake mix and added an extra egg. This was delicious – soft and moist and I will make again. When i put in dish i put in half the batter and then covered it with topping and swirled it into batter. Then i added rest of batter and topped with final layer of of crumb topping. When i added the milk I used half regular milk and half coconut milk. This is a great recipe!
Thank you so much for this great comment! I love Aldi and wish we had one close by. I would love to try this with their cake mix. Also love the idea of using coconut milk, yum!
Best coffee cake I’ve ever made. Thank you for posting.
So glad you liked it!
I’m a bit confused. I don’t see anything that says add baking powder for rise. But a few comments said they did it as suggested and it worked….. anyone clarify that?
Someone in the comments said they added 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder based off a recipe they found in a cookbook. People have tried it and said it works well!
It’s in the cake mix?
You are right