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My copycat Entenmann’s coffee cake recipe is a classic New York dense vanilla cake laden with a divine brown sugar cinnamon streusel and topped with powdered sugar! This is the perfect sweet treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee at breakfast or as an afternoon pick-me-up.
If you love easy and delicious cake recipes, don’t miss my recipes for Huguenot Church Blueberry Coffee Cake and this mouthwatering Skillet Cranberry Upside Down Cake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tangy and Tender Cake– Buttermilk and vanilla give the dense cake base a sweet and tangy and altogether scrumptious bite!
- Renowned Crumb Topping – New York-style crumbs are legendary for their buttery brown sugar and cinnamon streusel toppings being as thick as the cake itself, sometimes thicker!
- Better than Entenmann’s – This recipe yields 15 generous servings for a fraction of what it would cost to purchase a mere 17 ounce Entenmann’s NY crumb at your grocery store…and this copycat recipe is that good that it gives Entenmann’s a run for its money!
Introduction
The New York crumb cake, beloved since 1898, has earned its reputation as the perfect companion to a morning cup of coffee. I still remember the smell of cinnamon sugar filling our local bakery, the hustle of ladies shouting orders, and the big white boxes tied with red and white baker’s twine. With this easy, modified method, I can recreate that iconic treat from my childhood anytime I like. This moist, dense golden cake is crowned with buttery cinnamon crumbs and hits all the marks!
Ingredients
There is no mistaking the obvious pantry staples required to assemble this cake, but I have noted why these ingredients are needed. Grab these key ingredients, along with a few others, and you’ll be ready to bake this easy cake!
- Dark Brown Sugar: The molasses in brown sugar helps to create a moist and tender crumb topping.
- Ground Cinnamon: This is the essential flavor in the dish! The cinnamon is warm and sweet, pairing perfectly with the buttery, crumbly topping. (If you love cinnamon cakes, don’t miss my autumn apple cream cheese bundt cake!)
- All-Purpose Flour: This type of flour has a moderate protein content, which gives it the ability to hold both air and moisture, ideal for crumb cake, as it helps to create a tender and moist cake base.
- Buttermilk: This adds a tangy flavor, tenderizes the cake, and helps create a light and airy crumb topping. If you have extra buttermilk left over, make this butternut squash cake with buttermilk glaze!
- Powdered Sugar: Garnishing with a sprinkle of powdered sugar adds a touch of sweetness and a tempting visual garnish atop the cake – highly recommended!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Butter: Substitute shortening for butter in the crumb cake batter. Shortening will give the cake a slightly different texture, but it will still be moist and flavorful.
- Sugar: Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar in the crumb cake batter. Brown sugar will give the cake a richer flavor and a slightly chewier texture.
- Spices: Add other spices to the crumb cake batter, such as nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom.
- Topping: Add other ingredients to the crumb topping, such as oats, nuts, or dried fruit. If you love anything with streusel or crumb topping, try my easy recipe for berry good cornmeal streusel muffins.
How to Make Entenmann’s Crumb Coffee Cake
Scroll down for the full printable recipe or stick around for the step-by-step breakdown with photos to walk you through every delicious detail.
1
Make the Crumb Topping
- Melt 1 cup of unsalted butter, then use some of it to grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch cake pan. Refrigerate the pan to set the butter. In a large bowl, sift together 2 cups of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of cinnamon, 3 1/2 cups of flour, and 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt.
- Add melted butter and stir until large clumps form. I go in with my hands and squeeze. If needed, add more melted butter in tablespoon increments. Aim for a variety of crumb sizes, including some ‘cherry tomato-size’ crumbs, to spread over the cake.
2
Make the Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the prepared cake pan from the refrigerator. Combine the remaining 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk to combine.
- Add 1 1/2 sticks softened butter to a medium bowl.
- Whip with a hand mixer until light, then add 1 ½ cups granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, blending after each addition, then 1 1/4 cups buttermilk and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Blend until just incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture in two separate additions. Now the cake batter is ready!
3
Assemble the Layers
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking pan, ensuring you scrape all the batter from the bowl.
- Spread the batter into the corners using the back of a wooden spoon or an offset spatula, smoothing the top.
4
Bake & Enjoy
- Evenly distribute the cinnamon crumb topping over the batter, placing the largest lumps in each corner and along the sides. Work from the outside edges to the center to prevent crumbs from sinking.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the streusel topping is golden brown and slightly crunchy, about 50-70 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack, then cut into 15 squares. Dust with confectioners’ sugar once completely cooled and serve.
Recipe FAQs
The store-bought version of Entenmann’s coffee cake includes a long list of preservatives to keep it shelf-stable, but my homemade version is made with basic pantry ingredients and is healthier without the additives! You’ll need simple ingredients like all-purpose flour, sugar, butter, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, cinnamon, and a touch of baking soda and baking powder.
Ah, the age-old question! Despite the name, coffee cake doesn’t contain coffee in the actual recipe (although you can pair it with a coffee glaze if you’re feeling extra). It gets its name from the company it keeps! These cakes were made to be served alongside a cup of coffee, especially during brunches or mid-morning gatherings. Think of it as the perfect slice to nibble while sipping a hot mug and catching up with a friend. It’s less about the ingredient and more about the tradition!
This dessert is called streuselkuchen in Germany, and is known in English-speaking countries as crumb cake.
Buttermilk is the single ingredient in this method that offers the exquisite tangy flavor to the crumb that Entenmann’s products are known for. It is strongly recommended that buttermilk be used, and a handy homemade buttermilk ratio has been added to the notes in the recipe card for this purpose.
Yes, it can! Especially since this is a large cake, once cooled and cut into 15 squares, I wrap it in plastic film, then slip inside a labeled freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
Serving Copycat Entenmann’s Crumb Coffee Cake
As the name implies, serve this cake New York style with a hot cup of joe! But seriously, serve slightly warm or serve completely cooled, it’s your choice. However you serve it, this cake is always a crowd-pleaser—especially when enjoyed fresh from the oven and dusted with a bit of powdered sugar!
This crumb coffee cake is a cozy match for lazy weekend mornings or casual get-togethers with friends. For a full brunch spread, offer up a savory balance with Spinach Quiche with Bacon and Bleu Cheese, Copycat Bob Evans Sausage Gravy & Biscuit Casserole, or a side of Cheddar Bay Biscuit Breakfast Casserole. For lunch, round this out with school cafeteria mac and cheese and Strawberry Blueberry Salad with Mozzarella.
Expert Tips
- You’ll need a 13 x 9-inch cake pan for this cake, as anything smaller will result in cake batter overflowing! Ask me how I know this…
- Grease the bottom and sides of the cake pan by brushing with melted butter, then place the prepared pan into the refrigerator while preparing the remaining parts of the cake. The butter will set and the greased sides will stay greased.
- Bring refrigerated items to room temperature before making the batter for a better result.
- Distribute the cinnamon crumb topping evenly so that each square will have BIG lumps. When adding crumb topping, start at the edges and work your way to the center. This will prevent the crumbs from sinking.
- Don’t press the crumbs down! It will push out the air and prevent the cake from rising.
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Copycat Entenmann’s Crumb Coffee Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Crumb Topping
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (2 sticks)
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
For the Cake Batter
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (1½ sticks)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Make the Crumb Topping
- Melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan. Use a silicone pastry brush to grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch cake pan with some of the melted butter. Place the pan in the refrigerator to set the butter.
- In a large bowl, sift together the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and kosher salt. Add the melted butter and stir until large clumps form. If needed, add more melted butter in tablespoon increments. Aim for a variety of crumb sizes, including some 'cherry tomato-size' crumbs, to spread over the cake.
Make the Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the prepared cake pan from the refrigerator. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, add the softened butter and whip until light. Add the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add both eggs one at a time, blending after each addition, then add the buttermilk and vanilla. Blend until just incorporated; it will be thick but fluid.
- Add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture in two separate additions, mixing gently between each addition. The cake batter is now complete.
Assemble the Layers and Bake
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking pan, ensuring you scrape all the batter from the bowl. Spread the batter into the corners using the back of a wooden spoon or an offset spatula, smoothing the top.
- Evenly distribute the cinnamon crumb topping over the batter, placing the largest lumps in each corner and a few on the sides and middle. Work from the edges to the center to prevent crumbs from sinking.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the streusel topping is golden-brown and slightly crunchy, anywhere from 50 to 70 minutes. Your oven may bake differently than mine, so begin testing for doneness at 50 minutes and re-test every 10 minutes if additional bake time is required.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack, then cut into 15 squares. Dust with powdered sugar once completely cooled and serve.
Notes
- Bring refrigerated items to room temperature before making the batter for a better result.
- To Make Homemade Buttermilk: For every 1 cup of 2% or whole milk, add either a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar or a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice (no pulp). Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes at room temperature. During this time, the acid will curdle the milk slightly. (I recommend using 1 1/4 cups whole milk with 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar for this crumb cake recipe.)
- Distribute the cinnamon crumb topping evenly so that each square will have BIG lumps. When adding crumb topping, start at the edges and work your way to the center. This will prevent the crumbs from sinking. Also, don’t press the crumbs down! It will push out the air and prevent the cake from rising.
- Storing Leftovers: To freeze, wrap individual squares with film, then slip inside a labeled freezer safe plastic zipper bag, freezing up to 3 months. To thaw, defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
With great appreciation, this recipe is adapted from Erren’s Kitchen’s New Jersey Coffee Cake.
Is 1% buttermilk ok to use? I’m finding it difficult to find whole milk buttermilk.
I do see where people have made their own.
What is best for this recipe? Thank
Sheri, yes, 1% buttermilk will work just fine in this recipe 🙂 Most store-bought cultured buttermilk is already fairly low in fat, so using 1% will not negatively affect the rise or structure of the cake. In baking, buttermilk’s main job is providing acidity. That acidity reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise and keeps the crumb tender. That reaction happens regardless of whether the buttermilk is whole or reduced-fat. Using a higher-fat buttermilk can add a touch more richness, but the difference in the finished coffee cake is very subtle. Texture and moisture remain excellent with 1% buttermilk. If 1% is what you can find, you can confidently use it as written. Homemade buttermilk can work in a pinch, but cultured buttermilk from the store will give the best and most consistent flavor and texture for this cake! Please let me know if you assemble and how you and yours enjoy it! Jenny
Haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I do have one inquiry before any attempt is made. I want to make this cake in a 10 inch cake pan. I’m guessing it can be done by altering the measurements, but I wanted to explain my theory and how I would attempt this, then get an opinion on weather this is feasible.
Given that the area of a circle (A = 1/4πd^2) that is 10′ in diameter is 78.54′ and the area of a rectangle (A= wl) that is 9′ x 13′ is 117′, we can see that the area of the 10′ pan is almost exactly 2/3 the area of the 9′ x 13′ pan. (78/117 = 0.666667).
Understanding these factors, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to suggest reducing the ingredients in the recipe by 1/3. However, as I would personally find this rather tedious, I think my best course of action would be to make the crumbs and batter as stated in the recipe, then divide the batter and crumbs by weight. 2/3 of the batter and crumbs would go in the 10′ whereas the remainder would be more than enough for a 6′ mini crumb cake (adjusting bake times as needed of course).
So that’s the idea. What do you think?
Also, any ideas of adjusted bake times would be appreciated.
Chris, your math checks out — using a 10-inch round pan will give you roughly two-thirds the surface area of a 9×13, so dividing the batter and crumbs as you described would work well. You’ll likely need to reduce the bake time a bit, probably checking around the 25–30 minute mark for doneness since it’ll bake a bit faster in a smaller area. The idea to use the extra for a mini cake is a smart one — nothing goes to waste!
I’d really love to make this with the cream cheese filling. Would it be possible? Do you have a recipe for that or can you guide me in the right direction? Thanks!
Jacob, that’s a great idea — cream cheese fillings are always a hit! While I don’t currently have a version of this coffee cake that includes one, I recommend finding a recipe designed specifically for that method to ensure the proportions and bake time work out.
One I trust completely is from America’s Test Kitchen, which you can find here: Cream Cheese Coffee Cake. Their testing process is meticulous, and it’s a reliable example of how a proper cream cheese layer should be incorporated.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for trying my Entenmann’s Coffee Cake recipe! Warmly, Jenny
How much salt is used for the cake batter portion? The directions say that salt is needed, yet I only see the amount listed for the crumb portion. Thank you!
Kelly, the amount of salt required for the batter is 1/2 teaspoon. I will rewrite to try and make that more clear. I hope you LOVE THIS!!!
Jenny
Followed the recipe to the letter and the topping sunk. Maybe the clumps on the rest were too big. So frustrating. It tastes good, but it’s not what it’s supposed to be. Any suggestions are welcome.
Hi there, Kevin! I almost didn’t see you, as your comment went straight to my spam folder! I RESCUED YOU!!
I’m so glad you reached out—crumb sinking is one of those tricky challenges, but with a few tweaks you’ll get that perfect topping next time 😊
Make sure your topping has nice chunkier clumps—think cherry‑tomato size—not fine and smooth. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to mix, just until clumps form.
Double‑check your measurements—especially the flour and butter. If the topping feels too buttery or wet, try adding a little extra flour or even some oats or chopped nuts to firm it up.
Your cake batter should be thick enough to hold up the crumbs—if it seems thin, a tablespoon or two more flour can help give it sturdiness.
Go ahead and chill your crumb topping for about 10–15 minutes before sprinkling it on—the cooler butter helps the crumbs stay in place.
Apply the topping carefully: start at the edges, work toward the center, and don’t press it down. Those lofty bits are what make the texture magic!
Trust these small adjustments, and I think you’ll be slicing into that ideal crumb cake in no time. As you said, the flavor is there, it’s just about the technique. Let me know how it goes – I love hearing your results! – Jenny
Can you use light brown sugar instead of dark brown?
Karen, good morning, and yes! The sugar is changeable, NOT the flour. This is one of those ‘follow me to a ‘T;’ recipes. I’d LOVE to know how yours turns out 🙂 Jenny
Thank you for getting back to me. This recipe looks delicious!!!!
Could you give cooking times and temperature if the recipe is doubled..as I did? Having trouble getting it to cook through
Hi Terry, when you say ‘doubled’ do you mean to say you assembled two 13×9 pans or do you mean to say you doubled the recipe and are baking in a single, large pan?
This cake will NOT bake through if you are trying to bake it in a single, large pan.
Let’s establish before we go any furthar. But if you have two pans, try boosting your oven by 15 to 20 degrees.