Easy Coffee Cake

Quick and easy coffee cake with cinnamon-brown sugar swirl, made using cake mix and pudding. Perfect for breakfast or dessert!

If you’re looking for a comforting, homemade treat that’s easy to throw together yet still impresses, this Easy Coffee Cake is the answer.

Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even a casual dessert, this recipe uses a shortcut of yellow cake mix and instant vanilla pudding to create a cake that’s moist, fluffy, and loaded with flavour.

The highlight of this cake is the rich cinnamon-brown sugar swirl that adds warmth and sweetness to every bite, giving it that classic coffee cake taste without the fuss.

Storage Instructions

• At room temperature: Store the cake covered for up to 3 days.
• In the fridge: It will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Cake mix: Any 15.25 oz yellow cake mix works. You can also use butter pecan or vanilla cake mix.

Pudding mix: Use 3.4 oz (4-serving size) vanilla pudding mix—don’t prepare it. The pudding mix adds moisture and richness.

Eggs: Room temperature eggs will help the batter rise, resulting in a fluffier cake.

Milk: Whole milk gives the best flavor, but lower-fat or non-dairy milk can be substituted. You can also replace the milk with water.

Oil: Vegetable oil keeps the cake moist, but you can use applesauce for a lower-fat option.

Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar offers a rich flavor, but light brown sugar works as well.

Cinnamon: Adds warmth to the cake. You can add a pinch of nutmeg for extra spice.

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Easy Coffee Cake

Yields: 12 servings | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
• 2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• ¾ cup water, room temperature
• ¾ cup whole milk, room temperature
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Optional Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13″ pan and set aside.

Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and pudding mixes.

Add wet ingredients: Mix in the eggs, water, milk, and oil until just combined—don’t overmix.

Prepare cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon.

Layer the batter: Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar.

Add the second layer: Pour the remaining batter into the pan, spread evenly, and top with the rest of the cinnamon sugar.

Bake: Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If using a glass baking dish, reduce the bake time by about 10-15 minutes to avoid over-baking.

Cool: Let the cake cool to room temperature before slicing.

Optional glaze: For an added touch, mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to create a glaze. Drizzle it over the cooled cake before serving.