Looking for an excuse to eat cake for breakfast? Look no further! My Coffee Cake Cupcakes are here to make sure you wake up on the right side of the bed. How could you possibly have a bad morning knowing that your own miniature coffee cake is waiting in the kitchen, a perfect compliment to your morning cup of joe? These cupcakes will start your day off right!
If the word “cupcakes” sound too indulgent for breakfast, I suppose you could call these “muffins”… but where’s the fun in that? Cake for breakfast is the ultimate!
This recipe is a mish-mosh of several vintage coffee cake recipes I’ve made over the years. I have lots of cookbooks from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, and nearly all of them contain at least one version of coffee cake. The idea to take a coffee cake and turn it into a cupcake came from a little volume called “The Best from Midwest Kitchens.” I picked up the cookbook at a secondhand bookstore; it was published in 1946. The book’s cheerful, fire engine red hardcover drew me in. When I read the names of its three lady authors, I was hooked. Ada, Breta, and Ethel. Great names. Strong names. I knew there had to be some seriously awesome recipes inside. On page 141, I saw a recipe for “Individual Coffee Cakes,” which were basically mini coffeecakes made in a cupcake tin. Brilliant! But the recipe itself was lacking “oomph.” I knew I could do better, so I took the inspiration and ran with it!
I love streusel toppings and fillings, so I use a pecan one here. If you’re not into pecans, you could substitute walnuts. Sour cream adds terrific moisture to coffee cake, and I’ve found that lowfat Greek yogurt makes an almost perfect low calorie substitute. You can use either in this recipe. Oh, and I like adding some almond extract, a flavor trick I learned from a German coffee cake recipe. You can substitute vanilla if you prefer.
Other than that, I think these Coffee Cake Cupcakes are pretty self explanatory. They are awesome. Soft, moist, with a crunchy streusel topping and a beautiful glaze. Serve them for breakfast with a side of scrambled eggs for an irresistible sweet and savory combination. You’ll love them, promise!
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Coffee Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
Streusel Ingredients
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Cupcake Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
Glaze Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon melted butter
NOTES
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a small mixing bowl, use a fork to mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the chopped pecans and melted butter. Continue mixing with the fork until the sugar and pecans are fully mixed and evenly moistened by the butter. Reserve; this is your streusel topping.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut the butter into cubes and place them in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on low speed, then medium, to cream the butter for a minute till it becomes light and airy.
- Slowly add sugar to the bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes more, increasing the speed gradually and scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula periodically, until the color becomes lighter and the sugar is fully integrated into the butter.
- Beat in the eggs, then the sour cream, then the almond or vanilla extract.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet and stir till evenly moistened. Do not over-mix.
- Line a cupcake tin with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Fill each tin halfway with batter. I've found the easiest way to do this is with a small ice cream scoop-- use one small (not heaping) scoop per tin.
- Sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp of streusel onto the top of the batter in each tin.
- Fill the tins the rest of the way with batter, all the way to the top of the tin (another small ice cream scoop of batter in each tin).
- Sprinkle 1-2 tsp of streusel on the top of each cupcake.
- Bake the cupcakes for 30-35 minutes till they test clean with a toothpick or skewer. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
- When ready to frost, make your vanilla glaze. In a small mixing bowl, sift the powdered sugar.
- Add the rest of the glaze ingredients. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients till a creamy frosting forms. You want the consistency of thick honey; if you need a little more moisture, add milk a few drops at a time. Just a drop can take it from a thick honey to a runny texture, so add with care.
- Line a glass with a plastic bag, wrapping the edge of the bag around the outer rim of the glass. This will help you fill it with frosting. Use a spatula to scoop the frosting into the bag.
- Place cupcakes on top of a piece of parchment paper or paper towels to catch drips.
- Work the frosting into the corner of the bag and snip off a small corner with scissors. Gently squeeze and drizzle the frosting in a zig-zag pattern across the top of the cupcakes.
- Let the frosting dry for at least 30 minutes to set (it may take longer depending on the weather).
- Serve for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or "brinner." Goes great with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa.
Nutrition
Made half of the recipe into a loaf pan and used hazelnuts and chili flavored pistachios.
So good.
Are you sure 1 cupcake is 486 calories though? I came up with closer to 300….
Can I just double the streusel ingredients if I leave the nuts out? I really don’t like nuts in my coffeecake!
You can double the streusel ingredients and add 1/2 cup of flour to help it to crumble properly.
Hi – I made these for a work event and they were a HUGE hit. So delicious! I’m making them again for another event 🙂
Hi can these muffins be made in advance? If so, how would you store them
Hi Allison,Tori’s assistant Ashley here. These muffins can be frozen and defrosted when you’re ready to eat them. I would hold off on frosting them until you’re ready to serve them.
THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH FOR THIS WONDERFUL RECIPE MY HUSBAND LOVES PECAN COFFEE CAKE WHICH IN TEXAS IS VERY HARD TO FIND AT ANY GROCERY STORES NOW I CAN MAKE HIM THE CUP CAKE VERSION ANY OLD TIME HE WANTS IT…….ALSO MY HUSBAND IS VERY PICKY BUT HE ATE THE H… OUT OF THESE BABIES GONE IN ONE DAY LOL YOU HAVE PLEASED THIS GUY FOR EVER……THANK YOU AGAIN
I just finished making these and they turned out fantastic! I made mine gluten free and in silicone muffin cups. I also added a few drops of lemon extract because I love lemony coffee cake.
I am quite happy with the recipe and will make them again! Thank you!
These are amazing as I have made them several times!!
Hi! Did you use light or dark brown sugar for this recipe?
Hi Paulette, I used light but either one will work.
I’ve submitted previously but it is not listed — I would like to know how make this recipe as one cake and not as muffins. What type and size pan should I use and how long should I bake. I really hope you’ll see this and answer my question.
Use a large loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees. It will take longer than the cupcakes, but I can’t give you an exact time because I haven’t tested it. Bake until a testing skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Hi, Tori:
I just came upon your website and have already provided my email for future mailings. I am making the Coffee cake muffins with the streusel topping for Thanksgiving morning brunch with my famous egg, potato and Chorizo sausage and grapefruit compote. We start our morning with going to church and giving thanks for all we are blessed with and the safety of our country. My one question, I cannot print just the recipe, I think I am printing the recipe and the entire images begin printing which makes it quite voluminous. I am an avid cook with 30 years of cooking classes, so all I am interest for the most part in just the recipe. Any suggestions how this can be accomplished.
Many thanks and Happy Thanksgiving to you,
Cheryl, New Albany, IN
Hi Cheryl, if you click the red “print recipe” button it should create a printable sheet with no images.
Just found your site and made these yesterday — holy mackerel, are they delish! Thanks!!
Where’s the coffee in this coffee cake? :S
Coffee cakes are called that because they are served with coffee, not because they contain coffee. More on that here: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/sour-cream-coffeecake-history-recipe/
These are to DIE! Yes, cake for breakfast … Lunch and dinner too.
The glaze makes way more than it would take for the nice streams in your photo. More is better in this case. Mine are covered in glaze. Thank you!
Glad you liked it 🙂
I just may have to make these for my church for Sunday school to go with our coffee. They look yummy!
I made these this morning…..Very good….Now if I just do not eat the whole batch I will be doing good.