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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.
This delicious recipe is one of my featured posts on this weeks SSPS #251! Have a great week ahead, and thanks for sharing with us.
Melynda, I positively LOVE sweet surprises like this – THANK YOU! x – Jenny
Absolutely delicious thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Sue, thank you. And thank you for EVERYTHING where conversions are concerned because I intend to add to every single recipe on this website. x – Jenny
Your Recipe looks fabulous. Would you be able to be so kind as to convert the recipe into grams? Thank you!
Hi Sue, YES! I have just adjusted the recipe card in the post. You can toggle the ingredients from US Customary to Metric now. Please tell me if this is working for you, as I would love, love, LOVE for you to assemble this little taste of Brooklyn, New York!
This looks better than Entemanns! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party. Hope your week has been amazing!
Thank you, Helen! I hope you’re doing well!
Omgoodness, this looks exactly like the Entenmanns Coffee Cake I have bought a zillion times! Pinned!
Thanks Cindy! I’m biased, but it’s a dead ringer for both looks and taste 🙂 X – Jenny
My family loves the Entenmann’s coffee cake but we haven’t been able to find it in our stores. We especially love the powdered sugar (white) topped coffee cake. Can you tell me how to make that topping?
Joy, great question, and an EASY answer! This copycat cake IS THAT CRUMB COFFE CAKE. I just don’t sprinkle powdered sugar on mine. I did speak with a chef friend of mine who indicated that when he baked this recipe, he literally “rolled about half of the giant crumb hunks in Confectioners’ sugar before plopping them atop the cake batter.” DO THIS! 🙂 Let me know how you enjoy it should you make it.
Thank you Jenny I’ll try it. I’m always in search of the the perfect crumb cake.
🙂 !!!
I’m going to make your recipe tomorrow but with a twist. I am going to bake individual crumb cakes in paper crumb cake liners
Re the powder sugar.
King Arthur Flour Company sells a non melting powdered sugar that you can apply to the crumb cake when it’s cold, and it will not melt away. Good stuff!
Joy, I am SUPER EXCITED to know how the bake time is altered and how you enjoy them as minis! This is an incredibly smart idea for so many reasons and I’d love for you to share your success and any tips you may have so other readers may benefit from your bake. Please consider dropping back by and giving us the gen! x – Jenny
Fattening but delicious – thank you for a great recipe!
Mich, you’re correct about both! But once in a while, we’ve GOT to splurge!
What can I use instead of eggs.
I have an egg allergy.
Lorraine, I have had good results with Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer in other recipes. I have yet to try it in this recipe, however. I wouldn’t hesitate to try it, and if you do, please drop me a line and let me know how it works for you.
Thanks for the recipe; Oh so good! Made for a family gathering. Not much left, but a small piece for husband and me to share next morning. Please keep the delish recipes coming.
FYI Not a problem printing on both sides of the paper. 😉
AJ, thanks for taking the time to drop me this sweet message letting me know you made the cake and enjoyed it! It’s soooo good, right? And good to know your printer is functioning adequately! 😉
Your recipe is great!
Could you please have a square to remove equipment list?
I think it’s ridiculous, especially since most instructions tell you what pan etc. to use.
Don’t understand reason for list.
The other reason I don’t like is, adding the equipment list makes printing the recipe in 2 pages…
Hi Mary, thanks for your message…I think. First, thanks for mentioning that the recipe is great. It really is, and it helps that NEA readers think so, too. Now, onto your next point. I hope I can help you understand the reason for the (equipment) list. I use a form to generate my recipe cards. For non food bloggers, the form is pre-scripted meaning the sections available to fill in are the important “parts” Google wants to see in order to give me ranking. I want a good ranking every time. This is, after all, my livelihood. I’m in it to give you free recipes (you’re welcome) and to generate the most inclusive material I can to rank with the Google Gods to make my advertisers happy. Happy advertisers pay me, so it’s a win-win for everybody all the way around. If two pieces of paper is inconvenient, just click the button that allows your printer to ‘print on both sides’ of the paper. Problem solved.