Soft, buttery, and topped with a thick layer of cinnamon streusel, this Greek Yogurt Cinnamon Coffee Cake is the perfect breakfast treat or afternoon snack. Full-fat Greek yogurt keeps the cake incredibly moist while adding a subtle tang that balances the sweet cinnamon swirl. Baked in a loaf pan, it’s easy enough for a weekend brunch but delicious enough to enjoy any day of the week.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour: Provides the foundational structure for a soft, stable cake crumb.
- Full-fat Greek yogurt: The secret to an ultra-moist cake. Its thick texture and natural acidity break down gluten, creating a tender crumb while adding a subtle tang that balances the sweet cinnamon.
- Unsalted butter: Creamed with the sugars to incorporate air, giving the cake a light, traditional bakery-style texture.
- Granulated sugar & brown sugar: A dual-sugar approach that provides a perfect balance of clean sweetness and rich, moisture-locking caramel flavor.
- Eggs: Bind the batter together and provide structural lift. Using room temperature eggs prevents the creamed butter from seizing.
- Vanilla extract: Infuses a warm, sweet aroma that elevates the overall flavor of the cake base.
- Baking powder & Baking soda: Working together, these leaveners react with the acidic Greek yogurt to give the dense loaf a beautiful, airy rise.
- Salt: Sharpens the buttery flavors and cuts through the heavy sugar layers.
- Packed light brown sugar: Melts in the center of the loaf during baking to create a distinct, sticky ribbon of caramel.
- Ground cinnamon: Provides that signature, bold spiced inner core.
Equipment
- 9×5-inch loaf pan
- Baking parchment paper
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (for creaming the butter and sugar)
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 medium mixing bowl (for dry ingredients)
- 2 small mixing bowls (for the swirl and streusel)
- Fork or pastry cutter
- Rubber spatula
Our tips for the best coffee cake
For the softest texture, make sure your butter, eggs, and Greek yogurt are at room temperature before mixing. Creaming the butter and sugars for a full three to four minutes creates tiny air pockets that help the loaf bake up light and tender. When adding the flour, mix only until no dry streaks remain—overmixing can make the cake dense.
Chilling the streusel while you prepare the batter helps it hold together during baking, creating those large bakery-style crumbs instead of melting into the cake. If you enjoy extra cinnamon flavor, add an additional ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the swirl mixture or sprinkle a little extra over the streusel before baking.
For the cleanest slices, allow the coffee cake to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. The cinnamon swirl will continue to set as the cake cools.
How to store your coffee cake
Store the coffee cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Before serving, warm individual slices in the microwave for 10–15 seconds to soften the butter and bring back that fresh-from-the-oven texture.
This coffee cake also freezes beautifully. Wrap individual slices or the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature before serving.
FAQ
Can I use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt?
Yes, absolutely! Full-fat sour cream is a perfect 1:1 substitute for Greek yogurt in this recipe. They share the same thick consistency and acidity, meaning your coffee cake will turn out exactly as rich, moist, and tender.
Why did my cinnamon swirl layer cause the top of the cake to separate?
If the top half of your cake slides right off the bottom half when you slice it, the cinnamon sugar swirl layer was likely too thick or went too close to the edges of the pan. When layering, keep the cinnamon sugar slightly away from the absolute edges so the top batter can touch and fuse to the bottom batter.
Can I bake this in an 8-inch square pan instead of a loaf pan?
Yes! You can bake this in an 8×8-inch square metal baking pan. Because a square pan spreads the batter out much thinner than a deep loaf pan, it will bake much faster. Start checking it with a toothpick around the 22–25 minute mark.
Why is my streusel sandy instead of chunky?
If your streusel looks like wet sand rather than distinct pebble-like crumbs, your butter was either too warm (melted) or it was overworked. Always use cool, softened butter and stop mixing the exact second large clumps begin to stick together. Chilling it before baking helps lock those chunks in place!
Greek Yogurt Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup full-fat Greek yogurt (about one 5.3 oz container)
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy removal.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon swirl. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt for the streusel. Add the softened butter and use a fork or your fingertips to work it into the dry ingredients until large, crumbly pieces form. Refrigerate while preparing the batter.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the Greek yogurt. Mix just until combined.
- Spread half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon swirl evenly over the batter. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the cinnamon layer. Finish by sprinkling the streusel evenly over the top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. If the streusel begins browning too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil during the last 10-15 minutes of baking.Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before lifting it out with the parchment paper. Cool slightly before slicing.
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