Brown Butter Coffee Cake is a rich and flavourful coffee cake full of brown butter and layered with sweet cinnamon sugar streusel. It is my all-time favourite coffee cake recipe!
Relax with a slice of this soft and fluffy brown butter coffee cake!
The brown butter in this cake adds a nutty aroma and caramelized taste that just brings this cake to the next level. It is so delicious it'll become a staple in your household!
The cake comes together in one bowl and is super moist thanks to the sour cream used. It's layered with a buttery cinnamon sugar streusel, baked, and then drizzled with an icing that brings it all together!
Pair this with a cup of coffee and you'll be ready to take on the day!
For more cake recipes, try Apple Pumpkin Crumble Cake, Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars, and Easy Chocolate Sheet Cake.
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Why this recipe works
Brown butter - The brown butter enhances the coffee cake and brings it to the next level.
Easy cake - This recipe uses simple ingredients you most likely already have!
Streusel - Only 4 ingredients needed for the streusel layer!
Ingredients Notes
Scroll to view a few ingredients notes. Full recipe and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Brown sugar - Used both in the streusel and in the cake. I like to use dark brown, but light works too.
Eggs – Remove two hours before baking.
Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Lemon juice - Used in the icing. I personally enjoy the hint of lemon in the glaze. If you don't, just use milk instead.
Sour cream - Adds richness to the cake. Plain full fat yogurt works as well. Remove two hours before baking.
Step by step instructions
Here is how to make and bake this Brown Butter Coffee Cake. You will need an 8×8 square pan lined with parchment paper, a large mixing bowl, a spatula, and a whisk.
Step 1 – Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line and grease an 8×8 inch square pan.
Step 2 – Make the streusel. In a small bowl, add sugars, cinnamon, and butter. Mix with a fork until a wet sand texture forms. Set aside while you make the batter.
Step 3 - Brown the butter. Check out the recipe card on details on how to brown butter (It's super easy I promise!). As it cools back down to room temp, measure out the rest of your ingredients.
Step 4 - Whisk wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk cooled brown butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream. Whisk until well combined.
Step 5 - Add sugars. Toss in brown sugar and white sugar and continue whisking.
Step 6 - Add dry ingredients. Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt using a spatula until just combined.
Step 7 - Layer. Add half of the batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly. Then sprinkle half of the streusel on top. Add the remaining half of your batter evenly, and then the rest of your streusel on top again.
Step 8 - Bake. Bake the Brown Butter Coffee Cake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry. If it is wet, then the cake hasn't fully baked yet so continue to bake at 5 minute intervals. Allow it to cool completely.
Step 9 - Make glaze. When the cake is cooled, make your glaze by mixing together icing sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle, allow to set, slice, and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
Here are a few expert baking tips from my kitchen to yours
- When I say cooled brown butter, I mean back down to room temperature after browning. It should still be liquid. Don't refrigerate this to speed it up or else it'll solidify.
- Speed the process of cooling brown butter down by placing the glass measuring cup of brown butter into a bowl of cold water. Think of it like a double boiler method, but cooling instead of heating.
- Make sure all of your wet ingredients are at room temperature. It's important or else the ingredients won't work the way we want them too together.
FAQ
Why isn't there any coffee in this cake?
Coffee cake actually doesn't have any coffee in it! It's meant to be paired with a cup of coffee.
Why is there sour cream in this cake and can I taste it?
You cannot taste it at all. Using sour cream in cakes creates a superrrr soft and tender cake. It is what fluffy dreams are made of. If you don't have any sour cream on hand, use full fat plain yogurt instead.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely! Bake it in a 9x13 pan and keep an eye out for the time as it'll most likely bake longer than in an 8x8 pan.
Storing Instructions
Once cooled, drizzled, and the icing has set, slice the Brown Butter Coffee Cake into 9 even squares.
I recommend making it the day of if you are bringing it to a dinner party as it is best served fresh.
This cake stays good on your counter for up to 3 days. Make sure to have it in an airtight container, ziplock bag, or on a cake stand with the lid on top.
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Brown Butter Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the streusel
- 6 tbsp butter cold and cubed
- 1 1/2 tsps cinnamon
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cups light brown sugar
For the cake
- 1/2 cup butter browned and cooled
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup milk room temperature
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cups sour cream or plain full fat yogurt room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsps baking powder
- 3/4 tsps baking soda
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or milk
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 inch square metal pan with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- In a small bowl, add the butter, cinnamon, flour, and sugar and mix with a fork or your hands until a wet sand texture forms. I recommend using your hands for this step! This will be your streusel. Set it aside.6 tbsp butter, 1 1/2 tsps cinnamon, 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2/3 cups light brown sugar
- Brown the butter: In a medium sized saucepan, add the butter and melt it on medium heat. Once it melts, it will crackle, then become foamy – continue mixing the butter while this happens to prevent burning. The butter will go from melted to golden brown quickly, and you'll know it's almost done when the aroma of browned butter arrives. The whole process should take about 5 minutes! Once golden, remove from heat and transfer to a glass bowl to cool for 20 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.1/2 cup butter
- In a large bowl, whisk brown butter, milk, eggs, and sour cream until smooth.1/3 cup milk, 2 eggs, 3/4 cups sour cream or plain full fat yogurt
- Add in brown and white sugar and continue on whisking.1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar
- Add in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a spatula, gently fold until a soft batter forms. Do not overmix!!!2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 tsps baking powder, 3/4 tsps baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt
- Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel. Spread the remaining batter over the streusel. Then finish by sprinkling the remaining streusel.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Mine took 42 minutes exactly!
- Once cooled, make the glaze by mixing together the icing sugar and lemon juice (or milk). Drizzle, allow it to set, and enjoy!1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice or milk
Suzanne Kolko says
Hi. Just wondering if it could be made in a Bundt cake pan thanks
Ania says
Hi Suzanne! You can make this cake in a bundt pan but just beware the time will be different. I think it would take longer than in a square pan, so I would check after 35 minutes with a toothpick. Enjoy 🙂