What Is Coffee Cake? Streusel, Origins & Variations

Published on September 18th, 2023
Updated on September 8th, 2025

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIGHT AND FLUFFY COFFEE CAKE WITH CRUMB TOPPING

Coffee plus cake? Yes, please! When it comes to getting a kick-start to our morning, we can’t think of a better combination than a piping hot mug of freshly roasted coffee and a thick slice of moist and flavorful coffee cake.

If you haven’t tried coffee cake with a cup of Joe, one bite and you’ll wonder where this coffee combo has bean all your life.

Does Coffee Cake Actually Have Coffee in it?

Despite the name, traditional American coffee cake doesn’t usually contain coffee. Instead, it’s a moist, sweet cake with a cinnamon ribbon and a crumbly topping of nuts, glaze, or streusel. While early European versions, and some made outside the U.S., were coffee-flavored sponge cakes, today’s coffee cakes are meant to be served with coffee, not made with it.

Does Coffee Cake Taste Like Coffee?

No, coffee cake also does not taste like coffee, because there is no coffee or caffeine in this cake. Instead, it’s a lightly sweet, tender cake often flavored with warm spices like cinnamon or nutmeg and finished with a crumbly streusel topping. Unlike richer desserts, coffee cake is subtly sweet and meant to pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea.

What Makes Coffee Cake Different From Cake?

The difference between coffee cake and regular cake is the topping. Coffee cake and regular cake are made with the same ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, and butter and a leavening agent like baking powder. 

The difference is that instead of frosting on top, coffee cakes have crumble or streusel. Just like a cake, it can also have glaze or icing. Another difference is coffee cake typically has a thin layer of cinnamon in the middle. Regular cakes have no filling or inner layers of frosting, ganache, custard, or jam.

Crumb cake is similar to coffee cake, but crumb cake has a thicker layer of streusel.

Read More: Different Types of Cakes Explained

Why is it Called Coffee Cake?

Coffee Cake is a staple in coffee shops and delis because it pairs well with coffee. It’s called coffee cake because it goes well with coffee. This delightful cake is delicious on its own but even better when it’s paired with a coffee drink like coffee, espresso, and lattes, or tea.

Throughout Europe and Scandinavia, it’s common to take a coffee break and socialize with friends over coffee and cake. The Danish were the first to pair coffee and sweet breads together. Germans also have the tradition of enjoying kaffee und kuchen and the Swedish have fika, a coffee and cake break.

Many attribute the German kaffekuchen as the inspiration for today’s coffee cake. European and Scandinavian immigrants coming to America in the 19th century brought their sweet breads. It wasn’t long before these transitioned to sweet cakes and the contemporary cake with a ring in it was born.

Often eaten at breakfast or during coffee breaks, this cake became extremely popular initially in New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. Nowadays, it’s easy to find this tasty cake everywhere, from coffee shops to delis to grocery stores.

Most Famous Coffee Cakes

America’s best bakeries, coffee shops, and delis are making the most flavorful, moist, and delicious cakes to help you have the best coffee break ever.

Make the coffee + cake combo of your dreams crumb true. The best coffee cakes from America’s top bakers are shipping nationwide on Goldbelly!