Lemon Coffee Cake with Crumble (Printable)
Moist lemon cake layered with cinnamon crumble topped with a bright zesty glaze.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 cup sour cream
06 - 2 tablespoons lemon zest
07 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Cinnamon Crumble
12 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
13 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
14 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
15 - 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
16 - Pinch of salt
→ Lemon Glaze
17 - 1 cup powdered sugar
18 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
02 - Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Chill until needed.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
04 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
05 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in three parts, alternating with sour cream, mixing until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the crumble over it. Add remaining batter, then top with remaining crumble.
07 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Let cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake prior to serving.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- The crumble stays crispy even after a day or two, unlike most coffee cakes that go soft and forgettable.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest wake up your palate in a way that feels less guilt-inducing than pure sugar.
- It's forgiving enough for a weeknight bake but impressive enough to serve without apology.
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and create a better texture—cold eggs or sour cream will cause lumps that don't disappear with stirring.
- Overmixing the batter after adding flour is the quickest way to a dense, tough cake, so fold gently even if you see a few streaks of flour.
- Don't glaze the cake until it's completely cool or the glaze will melt and slide off in a sad puddle.
03 -
- Invest in a microplane zester if you don't have one—it creates fine, fluffy zest that distributes evenly rather than chunky pieces that can feel bitter.
- Make the crumble topping the night before and store it in the fridge; you can sprinkle it cold directly onto the batter without losing its texture.