This whole wheat coffee cake features a tender buttermilk cake base filled and topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel. And glazed with a tangy/sweet cream cheese glaze.
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The secret to making this whole wheat coffee cake light and tender is to use fresh soft white wheat flour (the fresher the better). Fresh milled flour is considered anything milled within 3 days. If you don’t have access to a grain mill, there are places you can buy quality whole wheat flour.
What's Cool About This Recipe
- 100% whole grain: This recipe is a 100% whole grain version of a traditional coffee cake. It has a tender cake base with a cinnamon streusel.
- Streusel: This coffee cake is filled and topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel.
- Flavor: The tangy buttermilk paired with the sweet, cinnamon streusel and a hint of vanilla make this coffee cake have amazing flavor.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Soft white wheat: Whole soft white wheat flour is our go-to flour, spelt would also be great. Hard white wheat flour will work as well, the cake will be just a little less light.
- Baking powder: We like to make sure we’re using double acting baking powder to ensure a good rise.
- Salt: Salt helps bring all the flavors together.
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
- Cane sugar: Used to sweeten the cake, we use raw granulated cane sugar. You can use coconut sugar, we have tried it and it works well.
- Brown sugar: Used in the streusel, light or dark brown sugar will work. You can substitute coconut sugar.
- Honey: Used to sweeten the glaze, we use raw honey. Maple syrup or powdered sugar work well also.
- Oil: This recipe has been tested with avocado oil and olive oil, any oil you bake with should work.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk gives the cake flavor and moisture. If you don’t have buttermilk you can make a homemade buttermilk by mixing milk with lemon juice or distilled vinegar. We haven’t tried it in this recipe but have had success using it as a substitute in other recipes.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted butter will work, it is used in the streusel.
- Cream cheese: Full fat brick style cream cheese.
- Milk: Used in the glaze, we use whole milk but you can also use half and half.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
- To make whole wheat coffee cake muffins, grease 12 standard size muffin cups and fill them about ⅓ the way full, sprinkle each with streusel (use about ¾ of the streusel). Top with the remaining batter, sprinkle the rest of the streusel on top. Bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes.
Instruction Photos
Overview of instructions with photos. See recipe card for quantities and full instructions.
Step 1: In a small bowl, mix the streusel ingredients together.
Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl, stir the dry ingredients together.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together until lightened in color and thickened.
Step 4: Add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract, stir gently to combine.
Step 5: Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and mix for 30-60 seconds or until well combined and smooth.
Step 6: Pour half the batter into a greased 8x8 inch baking dish.
Step 7: Sprinkle ¾ of the streusel over the batter.
Step 8: Pour the remaining batter over the streusel, spread evenly.
Step 9: Sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top.
Step 10: Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Step 11: In a small bowl stir together the glaze ingredients until smooth.
Step 12: Drizzle the glaze over the coffee cake.
Serving Suggestions
As the name suggests, this cake is best served with a cup of coffee, tea is also great.
We recommend serving the cake warmed, you can warm slices in the microwave or the oven for a few minutes.
Ideas for things to serve with coffee cake:
Storage
If the cake is glazed, store covered in the refrigerator for 2-4 days. If it doesn’t have the glaze on it you can store it at room temperature.
How to Freeze
Wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for an hour or two and then warm in the microwave or oven.
Tips From Our Kitchen
Serve warm, this coffee cake is best when served warmed.
Measure the ingredients by weight where specified for the most accurate results.
FAQ
Coffee cake is kind of like a mix between regular cake and muffins. It’s not quite as light as cake but a little more fluffy than a muffin. You still beat the eggs in a coffee cake to make a more fluffy batter.
Related Recipes
📖 Recipe
Whole Wheat Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (240 g) soft white wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (105 g) granulated cane sugar
- ½ cup (120 g) buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons (72 g) oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Streusel
- 6 tablespoons (45 g) soft white wheat flour
- 6 tablespoons (78 g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) butter melted
Glaze
- 2 oz (56 g) cream cheese full fat
- 1 tablespoon (21 g) raw honey see notes
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 g) milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Streusel
- Mix all the ingredients together until combined.
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350° with the rack in the center.
- In a small bowl stir the dry ingredients together.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together until lightened in color and thick, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla, stir to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Pour half the batter into a greased 8x8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with ¾ of the streusel and top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the streusel.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- In a small bowl stir cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Add the milk a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cake. Serve warm for optimal taste and texture.
Notes
Nutrition
We calculate these nutritional facts using an estimate and they can vary drastically between ingredients used and measuring technique. So, they are not intended for medical use.
Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you!