Best Quick and Easy Coffee Cake Recipe - Happy Hooligans (2024)

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This bundt pan coffee cake coffee cake recipe is quick and easy to make using a boxed cake mix and a boxed pudding mix. It’s always moist and delicious, and it makes a great dessert, or breakfast cake for overnight guests, and a delicious snacking cake as well.

Most of the cakes that I make are from scratch, but I make an exception for this one. This coffee cake is made with a couple of boxed mixes, but my goodness, it’s delicious. It’s ridiculously moist and so easy to make. Everyone always asks for the recipe.

This is my go-to whenever someone’s coming over for coffee. I always make this coffee cake when we’re having overnight guests too because it’s great to serve for breakfast. Likewise, if we’re visiting friends for a weekend, or if my boys are going to someone’s house or cottage, this coffee cake goes along too.

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It’s certainly not the fanciest coffee cake on the block, but you will LOVE how easy it is to make. It’s fool-proof, crazy moist and so delicious. I guarantee, you’ll love it.

P.S. We have these 2 fabulous bundt cake recipes too. Check ’em out.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Quick and Easy Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg golden cake mix
  • 1 instant vanilla pudding mix (the powdered kind – my box reads “4 servings”, 102 g)
  • 1 cup oil (I use veg. or canola)
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
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Making your Coffee Cake:

In large bowl, mix (electric beaters) cake mix, pudding mix, oil and water until combined.

Add eggs one at a time, beating at med-hi speed, for one minute after each addition (whatever…I’m all for keeping it simple, so I crack all the eggs in at once and beat it for 4 mins on med-hi).

Yes, the photo below is a shot of my impromptu stand mixer. When I need my hands free, I wrap the cord around the mixer and the handle of the bowl, and voila, now I can prep my pan and put my ingredients away.

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Pour half of batter into greased and floured bundt pan. I just spray my pan with non-stick spray to keep things simple.

Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half the mixture over the batter.

Pour the remaining batter into pan and top with the remaining cinnamon and sugar.

Now, swirl the cinnamon and sugar through with a knife. This will create a nice marble effect that looks pretty when you cut into the coffee cake.

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Bake your coffee cake at 350ºF for 55-60 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.

Wait 5-10 minutes before removing the coffee cake from the bundt pan.

To remove the cake from the pan, simply place a cooking rack on top of the pan and invert the whole thing. Jiggle gently until the coffee cake loosens from the sides of the bundt pan and slides out.

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Wasn’t that easy?

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Can I make different flavours of cake with this recipe?

Yes! This easy recipe is totally versatile. You don’t have to use this recipe to make coffee cake. You can use any combination of cake and pudding flavours.

To make a quick and easy lemon cake:

Substitute the cake mix and pudding mix above with a lemon cake mix and lemon pudding mix. Dust it with icing sugar or make a simple glaze to pour over.

To make a quick and easy chocolate cake:

Substitute with a chocolate cake mix and chocolate pudding mix, and drizzle a simple glaze or ganache icing over.

You could also combine a ginger cake mix or carrot cake mix with a vanilla pudding mix for a quick and easy snacking cake.

Anything goes really. Have fun coming up with your own combinations of cake and pudding flavours, and enjoy!

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4.50 from 2 votes

Quick and Easy Coffee Cake Recipe

This quick and easy coffee cake will be your go-to for all occasions. It’s so moist and never fails to impress.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time55 minutes mins

cool5 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Easy Cake Recipe, Quick and Easy Coffee Cake

Servings: 12

Calories: 209kcal

Author: Happy Hooligans

Ingredients

  • 1 box golden cake mix
  • 1 box instant vanilla pudding
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF, and spray (or grease and flour) bundt pan

  • Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl, and set aside

  • In medium sized bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil and water

  • With beaters on high-speed, add eggs one at a time beating well in between each addition for a total of 4 minutes

  • Pour half of mixture into bundt pan & sprinkle with half of sugar/cinnamon mixture

  • Pour remaining batter over in pan and top with remaining sugar/cinnamon

  • Swirl knife through to create a marbled effect

  • Bake 55 mins & let cool for 5 mins before removing from pan

  • To remove from pan, place cooling rack on top of bundt pan and flip, and gently jiggle cake out of pan

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 44mg | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 1.2mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @happyhooligansblog or tag #happyhooligansblog!

More easy, awesome cakes to love:

Crazy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Crazy-Good Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Easy Rhubarb Scratch Cake

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Jackie Currie

Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.

Best Quick and Easy Coffee Cake Recipe - Happy Hooligans (2024)

FAQs

How do you increase the flavor of coffee in a cake? ›

Here's how we made it happen:
  1. Infuse the Batter With Coffee Two Ways. Bakers know that that the easiest way to get coffee flavor into a baked good is to add instant espresso powder to the batter. ...
  2. Add a Mocha Swirl. ...
  3. Pack the Crumb Topping with Coffee, Too. ...
  4. Finish with a Boozy Latte Glaze.
Apr 28, 2015

What does adding coffee to cake mix do? ›

Its rich, bittersweet flavour adds depth to cakes, cheesecakes, pies, cookies, muffins, loaves, and soufflés. It boosts the chocolatey appeal of Fudge Layer Cake with Chocolate Avocado Icing, Coffee Brownies and soft, fudgy Coffee Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.

How to make a cake mix light and fluffy? ›

For a light, airy cake, swap out whole eggs for egg whites. Use two egg whites for every egg called for on the box. Combine the cake mix with the ingredients aside from the eggs. Whip the egg whites separately until medium peaks form, then gently fold them into the batter.

What makes coffee cake unique? ›

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.

What enhances coffee flavor? ›

9 Things to Put in Your Coffee to Up the Ante
  • Cinnamon. If you find yourself ordering autumnal drinks at your closest coffee chain, this powder should be your new at-home staple. ...
  • Cardamom. This Turkish tradition adds an earthy, almost floral taste to your brew. ...
  • Mint. ...
  • Cocoa Powder. ...
  • Salt. ...
  • Vanilla Extract. ...
  • Ginger. ...
  • Espresso.
Aug 17, 2023

Why my coffee cake doesn t taste like coffee? ›

Basically, it's a case of not looking at coffee exclusively as a dry ingredient - try adding it to your cake mix in its liquid form. And don't be afraid to keep it nice and punchy, as the rest of the ingredients will dilute the flavor significantly.

Can I add instant coffee to box cake mix? ›

INGREDIENTS
  1. 2 tablespoons Folgers Classic Roast Instant Coffee Crystals.
  2. 1 cup water.
  3. 1 box Pillsbury Moist Supreme® Devil's Food Cake Mix.
  4. 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil.
  5. 3 large eggs.

Can I put coffee in a box cake mix? ›

Boost the flavor of a boxed chocolate cake mix by adding hot water instead of tap. The hot water helps to "bloom" the cocoa (just like adding hot water to coffee grounds). Speaking of coffee, instead of making your cake mix with hot water, try replacing it with strong brewed coffee.

Can I add coffee to box cake mix? ›

Boxed cake mix isn't as good as scratch-made, but it's fast and convenient. If you are relying on a box, give it a helping hand by swapping the water in your batter for coffee. It'll give the final cake a deeper, richer flavor.

Should you beat eggs before adding to cake mix? ›

Martina says, “Late in the mixing stage, eggs will incorporate better if you lightly beat them before adding to the batter.

What does adding an extra egg to cake mix do? ›

Add an Extra Egg

Most cake mixes call for two to three eggs. Just one more egg will add extra moisture, fat, and a little protein, which means the cake will be softer and less likely to overbake and dry out in the oven.

Why add sprite to cake mix? ›

The carbon dioxide bubbles in soda pop act as a leavening agent — the element that makes baked goods rise and makes them light and fluffy. Kitchen staple leaveners — like baking soda and baking powder — use a chemical reaction to create carbon dioxide bubbles.

What is the fancy name for coffee cake? ›

American Coffee cake—also referred to as gugelhupf or Austrian German: kaffekuchen—evolved from other sweet dishes from Vienna. In the 17th century, Northern/Central Europeans are thought to have come up with the idea of eating sweet cakes while drinking coffee.

What is the real name for coffee cake? ›

Thus, it became commonplace in these countries to have a small sweet served alongside a coffee. It wasn't until 1763 before coffee cake was first mentioned, though technically even then by another name, the German “gugelhupf”.

What is in a Bakers Treat coffee cake? ›

Sugar, enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate or reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, soybean oil, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter (cream, salt), contains 2% or less: modified cornstarch, glycerin, egg, cinnamon, tallow, palm oil, salt, natural ...

Can I replace water with coffee in cake mix? ›

Try Adding Coffee to Boxed Baking Mix

Or try a more flavorful liquid than water. For chocolate treats, coffee or espresso is the best addition.

How much instant coffee to add to cake mix? ›

The simplest way to accentuate the chocolate flavor in your baked goods is to add a teaspoon or so of espresso powder or instant coffee granules. Espresso powder tends to be more concentrated, so you definitely only need a teaspoon to do the trick.

Does coffee bake out of cake? ›

For example, if you add coffee to your cake, can caffeine cook out during the baking process? Unfortunately, this is a myth. Caffeine is a stable compound that doesn't break down easily, even at high temperatures.

How much coffee should I add to chocolate cake mix? ›

Your cake will only need about a ½–1½ teaspoons, depending on your preferences. Anything beyond that will lead to a more notable coffee or mocha flavor—if that's what you're going for, feel free to use another teaspoon or two.

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