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17 Comments

Starbucks Coffee Cake Recipe

Kathleen

by Kathleen Pope May 15, 2025

Jump to Recipe

Makes Two Cakes! Eat One Share One! | The Fresh Cooky
Starbucks Coffee Cake in round cake pan with wedge removed.

With a thick streusel crumb topping a fluffy, buttery cake, this Starbucks Copycat Coffee Cake will get them out of bed in the morning! It’s a delicious, easy classic crumb coffee cake recipe. Gluten free option included!

Occasionally I will surprise my family with a sweet treat on a school morning. But, I am not getting up before dawn to make a coffee cake!!!

If you love a quick and simple coffee cake, you should try these reader favorites: Blueberry Crumble Cake, Cinnamon Swirl Cake & Gluten Free Coffee Cake.

Starbucks Coffee Cake wedge on a plate.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure & privacy policy.
  • Why You'll Love This Starbucks Coffee Cake Recipe
  • Coffee Cake Starbucks Ingredients
  • How to Make Starbucks Coffee Cake
  • How to Make the Best Crumb Topping
  • How to Make Coffee Cake Starbucks Gluten Free
  • Starbucks Coffee Cake Tips
  • How to Store Starbucks Cinnamon Coffee Cake
  • Starbucks Coffee Cake Recipe FAQs
  • Try these other delicious breakfast and brunch recipes:
  • More Great Breakfast Treats!
  • Cinnamon Coffee Cake Starbucks

Why You’ll Love This Starbucks Coffee Cake Recipe

  • Make ahead: This freezes great, I typically make it the night before.
  • Makes Two: Split the recipe into two round or 8×8 square pans, unless you have a larger need, then make in a 9×13.
  • Easy: The base of the cake uses a simple cake mix!
  • Taste: Moist, with an incredible buttery, brown sugar crumb topping, better than Starbucks!
Top view of copycat starbucks coffee cake with a wedge missing.

Coffee Cake Starbucks Ingredients

  • Cake Mix: Use all-natural or your favorite store-bought brand. Any regular, vanilla, butter, white cake mix works.
  • Butter: Replace the oil on the cake mix instructions for the same amount of melted butter for a richer, more buttery cake.
  • Ingredients on the box to make the cake: Swap out melted butter for oil and milk for water.

Crumb Topping Ingredients

  • Butter: I used salted butter, cold, cut into cubes
  • All-Purpose Flour: I use organic, unbleached all-purpose flour.
  • Cinnamon: Adds that amazing flavor, traditional to coffee cake
  • Brown Sugar: I used light brown sugar, but you could use dark, too
  • Vanilla Extract: Go for pure vanilla it’ll make the flavors shine.
  • Kosher Salt: to enhance the flavors
  • Powdered Sugar: optional, for dusting

Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.

Ingredients for Starbucks Coffee Cake. L-F Brown Sugar, vanilla cake mix, butter, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, flour.
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Fresh Tips for Boxed Mixes
Give any boxed cake or brownie mix a homemade boost! Swap the oil for melted butter (let it cool a bit first), and use milk instead of water for a richer, moister texture. Slowly mix in the cooled butter for best results. It’s an easy way to level up your baked goods!

How to Make Starbucks Coffee Cake

  1. Preheat your oven to 350º F (175° C). Crack eggs into a 2 qt mixing bowl (or stand mixer) and add milk (or water) and give them a whirl to mix.
  2. Add cake mix and blend for the recommended amount of time on the box, generally about 2 minutes at medium-high speed.
  1. Pour half of the batter into two greased 8×8 pans or 9×13 pan. It measured about 4 cups of batter, pour 2 cups into each pan. Eyeballing works just fine too.
Pouring Starbucks coffee cake batter into prepared pans.
  1. Bake at 350° for 12-18 minutes or until the center is wiggly, semi-set, but not soupy, you don’t want the cake completely baked as you’ll put it back in the oven.
  2. A few minutes longer if you opted for the 9×13 pan. Keep in mind you may need to check it sooner or keep it in longer, I bake at mile high altitude and sometimes you need to adjust your times up or down. 

How to Make the Best Crumb Topping

  1. Cut the cold butter into cubes (I slice the cube lengthwise down the middle then chop the cube into tablespoon sized chunks). You can also grate your cold butter using a box grater, then pop in freezer until ready to use
  2. Add your all-purpose flour, packed brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla into a large bowl.
A bowl filled with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and flour while pouring in vanilla for coffee cake crumb topping.
  1. Break out your “Big Bertha” and use it, you’ll be happy you did, plus it must count as exercise right? Lift it up and down elbows tight against your sides, 10 reps should do it. I tried.
  2. Don’t forget a nice little pinch of sea salt.
Crumbly coffee cake crumb mixture.
  1. You want it to stick together when you grab a handful, like this! Much better and less mess too!

As soon as your cakes are partially done, remove them from the oven and grabbing handfuls of the crumb topping, gently break apart and spread evenly onto the hot cakes.

The crumbs  will “sink” into the cake slightly.

Hand placing rich buttery crumb topping on top of hot coffee cake.

Return to the oven immediately and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, under-baking them slightly (around 10-12 minutes) if you want to reheat them in the oven when ready to serve.

Let cool fully on a cooling rack, then cover with foil for easy reheating the next day and freeze the second one for later.

Finished starbucks coffee cake in red square baker.

How to Make Coffee Cake Starbucks Gluten Free

As with many of my recipes, I offer gluten free options as I have many family and friends who are gluten free, my suggestions are below:

  • Gluten-Free Cake Mix: Use your favorite vanilla (<–my favorite), yellow or white gluten free cake mix and the follow other ingredients and instructions.
  • Crumb Topping: Use a good cup-for-cup gluten-free all-purpose flour, or even better (in my opinion), use ½ gluten-free oat flour and ½ gluten-free all-purpose flour in the crumb mix.

If you are looking for gluten-free options, you might try these recipes:

  • Double Crumb Apple Cake
  • Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars
  • Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

Dust with powdered sugar just prior to serving. Yummy! I sure hope you enjoy this Starbucks Coffee Cake Copycat recipe!

This recipe is inspired by Picky Palate’s Copycat Starbucks Cake recipe.

Square of Starbucks Coffee Crumb Cake on white plate with fork pie and a few berries.

Starbucks Coffee Cake Tips

  • Chill Crumb Topping: While the cake is baking, place the crumb topping in the fridge or freezer; this will slow down the melting of the butter.
  • Underbake: Ever so slightly, when you reheat it it will finish baking, but not become dry.
  • Bake Ahead: Do not skip the step of pre-baking the cake portion; this enables the heavy crumb to stay on top and not sink.

How to Store Starbucks Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This coffee does well on the counter in an air tight container for 3-4 days. Refrigerate up to a week. Freeze up to 6 months.

Freeze: I highly recommend you freeze one of these cakes, wrap in plastic and place in ziplock baggie.

Starbucks Coffee Cake Recipe FAQs

Can I Use White or Spice Cake Mix?

While I have not tried it, I do not see why they wouldn’t work, in fact I think the spice cake mix would be grand.

Does Coffee Cake Have Coffee In It?

American coffee cakes typically do not have coffee in them, instead they are called coffee cakes as we eat these cakes with our coffee.

Can I Add Coffee to the Coffee Cake?

Yes! I would replace ¼ cup of liquid (milk or water) with strong brewed coffee to the cake mix. You could also add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder to the cake mix.

Try these other delicious breakfast and brunch recipes:

  • Ooey-Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
  • Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
  • Chile Relleno Casserole
  • Gluten-Free Breakfast Cookies
  • Cinnamon Crunch Scones

More Great Breakfast Treats!

  • Honey Bun Cake
  • Strawberry Bread: Gluten and Dairy Free – but def not taste free!
  • Chocolate Bourbon Monkey Bread: a decadent, chocolate filled surprise bread!
  • Old Fashioned Apple Crisp: doesn’t get better than this!
  • Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake: the taste of fall and sugar and spice!
  • Apple Crumb Cake with a double crumb!
  • Banana Bread: recipe ever or these amazing Banana Bars with cream cheese frosting.
  • Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread: I hide that zucchini in this delicious bread!

Like this recipe?

Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!

Recipe Card
Starbucks Coffee Cake wedge on a plate.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Starbucks

5 from 3 readers
Author: Kathleen Pope
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
Servings: 18 -14 servings
Print Pin SaveSaved!
A delightfully simple, moist, make-ahead coffee cake bursting with flavor and loads of crumb! Inspired by Starbucks Coffee Cake. Plus Gluten free instructions.

Equipment

  • USA Pan Bakeware Round Cake Pan, 8 inch, 
  • Silicone Spatula Set – Heat Resistant BPA FREE
  • Anchor Hocking 2 Quart Glass Batter Bowl With Lid 

Ingredients 

CAKE BASE

  • 1 box yellow cake mix or vanilla, spice, butter cake mix – or substitute with your favorite Gluten Free cake mix
  • plus ingredients for cake mix; eggs, butter/oil and water/milk I recommend you substitute 1:1 melted butter for oil, milk for water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CRUMB TOPPING

  • 1 cup salted butter cold, cut into cubes, if using unsalted, add ¼ – ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour I use organic or substitute with GF AP Flour or Oat Flour
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1 ¾ cups brown sugar packed, light or dark
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • Powdered sugar optional, for dusting
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Crumb Topping (make first and place crumb topping in fridge)

  • In a large bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment, combine butter, flour, brown sugar, vanilla and salt and mix until butter incorporated and mixture is uniform without large chunks of butter. You amy also mix by hand using a pastry cutter, then your hands. Chill until ready to use on the cakes.
    1 cup salted butter, 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ Tablespoons cinnamon, 1 ¾ cups brown sugar, 1 ½ Tablespoons vanilla extract, Pinch kosher salt

Make Cake Base

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175° C) and spray two 8×8 pans or 9 inch round cake pans with spray oil or one 9×13 pan.
  • Prepare cake mix in a large mixing bowl according to box instructions. It's helpful if the bowl has measurements if you plan on splitting the batter. If you are using butter in place of oil, make sure you have cooled the butter slightly to avoid "cooking" your eggs, stir in vanilla extract.
    1 box yellow cake mix, plus ingredients for cake mix; eggs, butter/oil and water/milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Mix 2 minutes on medium-high, scraping down sides of bowl once. Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake for 12-18 minutes, until center is wiggly, barely set, not soupy.
  • Once cakes are finished with initial baking, remove and immediately crumble the topping over the hot cake(s), spreading evenly.
  • Return to the oven and continue baking an additional 10-15 minutes. If you will be freezing or serving later, pull out on the earlier side (about 10 minutes) and reheat at 300°F (150° C) for 10-15 minutes when ready to serve.
  • Cut into triangles or squares and dust with powdered sugar. Cool completely and wrap well if freezing. To reheat, cover with foil and place in 275° oven for 20-30 minutes. Removing foil for last 5-10 minutes.
Last step! Leave a RatingRate this recipe here. This helps other readers and helps support this website.

Notes

*I swap out equal amounts of melted butter for the oil in the recipe and use milk instead of water. Please note that because every cake mix requires different amounts the nutritional information does not include these amounts. Be sure to plug your exact amounts into your favorite nutritional calculator. 
Gluten-free Coffee Cake
  • Swap out the cake mix for your favorite gluten free cake mix and make as directed.
  • Crumb topping use a good GF All-Purpose 1-1 or cup for cup flour in place of regular flour, or try half GF All Purpose and half GF Oat Flour.
Storage Tips:
Store on the counter, covered well or in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. or wrap 2x in plastic wrap, then again in foil or in freezer baggie. 

Nutrition

Serving: 11 serving | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 317IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg
Starbucks Coffee Cake wedge on a plate.
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My Signature Recipes!

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Kathleen Pope

Meet Kathleen

Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, Iโ€™m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen.

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  1. Derri

    Sun, Dec 10, 2023 at 4:48 pm

    Hi Kathleen, if I froze one coffee cake, when I go to reheat it, do I defrost and bake or straight from the freezer to bake? Thanks for the reminder!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Sun, Dec 10, 2023 at 4:53 pm

      If you baked it already you can thaw overnight in fridge or pop straight into oven.

      If unbaked, bake covered with foil straight from freezer, remove the foil about 15 minutes before removing. You may have to bake it a few minutes longer.

      Reply
  2. Wendy McElroy

    Tue, Sep 19, 2023 at 3:13 pm

    5 stars
    This is an EXCELLENT coffee cake! The cake is so moist and flavorful and the crumb topping is awesome!. I’ve made it twice all ready and will definitely make it again! Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Tue, Sep 19, 2023 at 4:08 pm

      Thank YOU so much, Wendy! I so appreciate your kind words and taking the time to comment and rate! Means so much to me!

      Reply
  3. Heather

    Fri, Mar 31, 2023 at 9:27 pm

    Topping came out a soupy mess with puddles of butter and the crum completely melted. I think it kept the cake from baking through as well. It was way too much butter, or perhaps my butter got to warm or was not mixed enough? Either way, this did not work for me.

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen Pope

      Thu, Apr 6, 2023 at 11:34 am

      So sorry to hear about that Heather. It could be your oven temp is off, or your butter was too soft. Maybe try baking the cake portion a little longer and put the crumb topping in the freezer while it backs so your butter is nice and firm.

      Reply
  4. Robin Latham

    Sun, May 9, 2021 at 1:30 pm

    Our cakes are baking now. We love the idea of having one for another time but were a bit confused about the freezing directions. Are you suggesting two methods?- one with sliced squares of partially baked coffee cake and one for freezing and baking/reheating as a whole? or both?

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen

      Mon, May 10, 2021 at 3:21 pm

      Sorry Robin, no just one method. The cake you do not eat, allow to cool completely, then wrap well and freeze, rewarming when ready to dig in! Hope you loved them!

      Reply
    • Robin Latham

      Fri, Jun 18, 2021 at 8:30 pm

      So how do reheat the frozen one? I’m doing it tomorrow and can’t remember the process.

      Reply
      • KathleenKathleen

        Mon, Jun 21, 2021 at 5:19 pm

        Reheat in a 300 degree oven for 15-20 minutes covered until the last 5 minutes. Hope you love it!

        Reply
  5. Donna A Pollock

    Fri, Mar 12, 2021 at 11:29 am

    This cake is so delicious. I did what you said and made plenty of the crumb topping. It came out so good. Every one loves the crumb topping anyway so make plenty. This was a show stopper and very good. You need a great cup of coffee, or tea, or even a big glass of milk for this delicious cake. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen

      Fri, Mar 12, 2021 at 3:34 pm

      Love hearing that Donna! Yes, it has heaps of crumb topping, which totally makes the cake! So appreciate your kind comment! Take care and happy baking, Kathleen

      Reply
  6. Kimberly

    Tue, Jul 25, 2017 at 10:54 am

    Is this the same coffee cake that you made for us that was gluten free and if so what did you do differently to make it gluten free?

    Reply
    • Kathleen[email protected]

      Tue, Jul 25, 2017 at 11:34 am

      Hi Kimberly, no this one is different, I’m attaching the other one here, because it’s fast become a family favorite!
      Give it a try and let me know what you think! If you don’t have one of the specific flours, just exchange it for another GF flour in it’s place.
      Every Day Coffee Cake | Gluten Free

      Reply
  7. Patty Gerze

    Fri, Mar 17, 2017 at 12:08 pm

    5 stars
    You won’t believe it…but reading this actually makes me want to bake!! Lol you are THAT good my friend! Love that your recipe instructions are full of your personality too. I have yet another reason to look forward to Fridays! โค

    Reply
  8. Patty Gerze

    Fri, Mar 17, 2017 at 12:08 pm

    5 stars
    You won’t believe it…but reading this actually makes me want to bake!! Lol you are THAT good my friend! Love that your recipe instructions are full of your personality too. I have yet another reason to look forward to Fridays! โค

    Reply
    • Kathleen[email protected]

      Sat, Mar 18, 2017 at 1:08 am

      I love that you want to bake! YAY Patty! So grateful for you and our friendship! Bake away, let me know how it goes!

      Reply

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Kathleen Pope

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Hey there! I'm Kathleen Pope, a proud wife, mom of two awesome college boys, and recipe nerd. Welcome to my world of easy recipes with a healthy twist! Join thousands who trust The Fresh Cooky as their go-to recipe source. Let's cook up some magic!

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