Easy Ina Garten Coffee Cake Recipe: A Slice of Morning Joy

Ina Garten’s coffee cake represents the ultimate comfort breakfast treat that transforms ordinary mornings into delightful culinary experiences.

Warm, tender crumbs melt in your mouth with each decadent bite of this classic dessert.

Her signature recipe balances rich, buttery textures with a delicate sweetness that makes everyone crave another slice.

Soft sour cream ensures an incredibly moist interior that contrasts beautifully with the crunchy streusel topping.

Traditional baking techniques blend seamlessly with her signature sophisticated approach to creating memorable morning meals.

Generations of home cooks have fallen in love with this timeless recipe that feels both nostalgic and innovative.

Prepare to elevate your breakfast game with a slice that promises pure comfort and irresistible flavor:

Why Ina Garten’s Coffee Cake is the Perfect Morning Indulgence

• Indulge in Comfort Cuisine: This coffee cake brings warmth and nostalgia with its classic homestyle flavor that hugs your taste buds like a comforting memory.
• Texture Triumph: Enjoy a perfect balance between tender, moist cake layers and crunchy streusel topping that creates an exciting contrast in every single bite.
• Foolproof Baking Adventure: With straightforward steps and simple ingredients, even novice bakers can confidently create a professional-looking dessert that impresses family and friends without stress or complicated techniques.
• Versatile Treat for Any Moment: Whether you're hosting a weekend brunch, enjoying an afternoon break, or wanting a delightful dessert, this coffee cake adapts beautifully to multiple occasions and mood settings.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Ina Garten’s Coffee Cake

Main Ingredients:

• Butter: Rich and creamy base that provides tender texture and deep flavor.
• Sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps create a light, fluffy consistency.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients together and add moisture and structure to the cake.
• Sour Cream: Adds moisture and creates a tangy, tender crumb.
• Cake Flour: Provides a soft, delicate texture with lower protein content.

• Brown Sugar: Delivers deep caramel-like sweetness and helps create crumbly texture.
• Flour: Helps bind the streusel and create a crumbly consistency.
• Cinnamon: Adds warm, aromatic spice to the streusel.
• Cold Butter: Creates flaky, crumbly streusel texture when cut into dry ingredients.
• Walnuts: Provides crunch and nutty flavor to the streusel topping.

• Confectioners' Sugar: Creates smooth, sweet glaze with perfect drizzling consistency.
• Maple Syrup: Adds rich, distinctive sweetness and complementary flavor to the glaze.

• Vanilla Extract: Enhances overall flavor with warm, sweet undertones.
• Baking Powder: Helps cake rise and creates light texture.
• Baking Soda: Assists in leavening and balances acidic ingredients.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances other flavors in the cake.

How to Bake Ina Garten’s Coffee Cake

Step 1: Prepare Oven and Pan

Warm up your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10-inch tube pan thoroughly with butter or cooking spray, then lightly dust with flour to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar

Using an electric mixer, blend butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and looks like a soft cloud.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and sour cream until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.

Step 4: Prepare Dry Ingredients

• Cake flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt

Ensure the mixture is light and free of any lumps.

Step 5: Combine Mixtures

Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture on low speed. Use a spatula to scrape down sides and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

Step 6: Create Streusel Topping

• Brown sugar
• Flour
• Cinnamon
• Salt

Cut in cold butter using a fork or fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Fold in chopped walnuts.

Step 7: Assemble and Bake

Layer half the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle of streusel mixture. Add remaining batter and top with remaining streusel. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Step 8: Cool and Finish

Allow cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate. Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup to create a glaze. Drizzle over cooled cake. Serve at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.

Pro Tips for Ina Garten’s Coffee Cake

• Soften Butter Strategically: Pull butter out early, placing it in a cool kitchen spot away from direct sunlight to prevent melting while achieving the perfect creamy consistency.
• Crack Eggs with Precision: Select fresh eggs at room temperature, gently cracking them into a separate bowl to catch any shell fragments before adding to the batter.
• Mix Mindfully: Fold ingredients using a gentle hand, stopping the mixer the moment dry ingredients disappear to maintain the cake's delicate, tender crumb.
• Calibrate Oven Accuracy: Position an oven thermometer on the center rack to verify actual temperature, compensating for potential inaccuracies in built-in oven settings.
• Prep Pan Perfectly: Line the cake pan with parchment paper, allowing slight overhang for easy removal and clean, professional-looking cake edges.

How to Store Ina Garten’s Coffee Cake

• Vacuum Seal: Extract air completely from a specialized bag using a vacuum sealer. Protects the coffee cake from freezer burn and preserves its original texture and flavor for maximum 4 months.
• Slice Before Freezing: Cut the coffee cake into individual portions before wrapping. Allows easier thawing and prevents needing to defrost the entire cake when craving just a single serving.
• Room Temperature Storage: Keep the coffee cake on a covered cake stand at room temperature for up to 2 days. Ensures the cake remains moist and soft without refrigeration, perfect for quick snacking during gatherings or casual mornings.

Creative Twists on Ina Garten’s Coffee Cake

• Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake: Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips into the batter for a rich, indulgent version that chocolate lovers will adore. The melted chips create pockets of gooey goodness throughout the cake.
• Berry Burst Coffee Cake: Gently mix in 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries into the batter before baking. The burst of fruit adds a tangy freshness and beautiful color to the classic recipe.
• Nutty Caramel Coffee Cake: Replace walnuts with pecans and sprinkle a drizzle of caramel sauce over the glaze. This variation brings a deep, buttery sweetness and extra crunch to the traditional coffee cake.
• Spiced Autumn Coffee Cake: Add 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the streusel mixture and include 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree in the batter. The warm spices create a cozy, seasonal feel perfect for fall mornings.

Ina Garten’s Coffee Cake: A Fluffy, Sweet Morning Treat

Ina Garten’s coffee cake emerges as pure culinary poetry, blending rustic comfort with sophisticated flavor profiles.

Rich layers of cinnamon-walnut streusel create delightful complexity within each tender crumb.

Classic ingredients dance together, producing an irresistible masterpiece that transcends ordinary breakfast pastries.

Maple glaze adds elegant finishing notes, transforming simple ingredients into extraordinary experience.

Family gatherings, weekend brunches, and quiet morning moments become magical with this remarkable recipe.

Passionate bakers: savor each delectable slice, share this delicious creation across social platforms, and spread sweet inspiration with fellow culinary enthusiasts!

Ina Garten Coffee Cake Recipe

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4.8 from 16 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s classic coffee cake brings comfort from her Barefoot Contessa kitchen, blending rich cinnamon streusel with tender sour cream cake. Warm slices paired with fresh coffee promise pure morning bliss for family and friends.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 ml) unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream
• 2 ¼ cups (280 g) cake flour
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup (30 g) flour
• ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Topping and Flavoring Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) unsalted butter
• ¾ cup (90 g) walnuts
• ½ cup (60 g) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup

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Instructions

1. Prepare the oven environment by heating to 350°F (175°C). Thoroughly coat a 10-inch tube pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray, then lightly dust with flour to prevent sticking.
2. Using an electric mixer, whip butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes soft, light, and voluminous with an airy texture.
3. Introduce eggs individually, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Incorporate vanilla extract and sour cream, blending until the mixture achieves a smooth, uniform consistency.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, ensuring a light and even distribution of dry ingredients.
5. Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture using low mixer speed. Use a silicone spatula to scrape bowl sides, gently combining until ingredients are just integrated.
6. Create streusel by combining brown sugar, flour, ground cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Incorporate cold butter using fingertips or a fork until mixture resembles coarse, crumbly texture. Fold in chopped walnuts evenly.
7. Divide batter into two layers within the prepared pan. Sprinkle approximately 3/4 cup streusel between layers and across the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes, checking doneness with a cake tester that should emerge clean when inserted.
8. Allow cake to rest in pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate. Prepare glaze by whisking confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Drizzle glaze over completely cooled cake, ensuring even coverage.

Notes

• Elevate weekend brunches or afternoon tea with this irresistible coffee cake that promises pure comfort.
• Indulge in a supremely moist cake boasting a luxuriously buttery crumb that practically dissolves on your tongue.
• Crunchy streusel topping delivers an unexpected caramel-like warmth with every delightful bite.
• Decadent maple glaze transforms this classic treat into an elegant dessert experience.
• Walnuts introduce a robust, earthy dimension that complements the cake’s rich flavor profile.
• Effortlessly prepare in advance and store at room temperature for stress-free entertaining.
• Wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months for a make-ahead dessert solution that never disappoints.
• Ensure smooth batter by bringing ingredients to room temperature before mixing.
• Sift dry ingredients to guarantee a cloud-like, tender crumb without pesky lumps.
• Create picture-perfect streusel clusters by using cold butter for maximum crumbly texture.
• Confirm cake perfection by checking center with a clean cake tester or thin knife.
• Cool completely before glazing to maintain the maple syrup’s luxurious, glossy finish.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 400 kcal
• Sugar: 30 g
• Sodium: 200 mg
• Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 50 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg