This Strawberry Coffee Cake is a total crowd-pleaser: soft, buttery cake swirled with a cinnamon-brown sugar streusel, loaded up with sweet strawberries, and finished with a fresh strawberry glaze/icing that drips down every slice.
4 Reasons You'll Love This Strawberry Coffee Cake
- Packed with streusel: I don’t skimp on the brown sugar-cinnamon crumble! There’s a layer in the middle and a big pile on top—every bite gets some crunch—similar to my blueberry coffee cake.
- Moist and fluffy texture: Thanks to sour cream and milk in the batter, this coffee cake is never dry (plus, the strawberries help keep things extra tender).
- Fresh strawberry glaze: I make a quick icing with mashed fresh strawberries, lemon juice, and cream. It’s sweet, a little tangy, and has a natural pale pink color - so much prettier than plain icing. If you love beautiful cakes, don't miss my simple cherry cake, no-bake blueberry tiramisu, or blueberry shortcake.
- Great for sharing: Perfect for spring and summer when strawberries are in season (or you just need a taste of summer in winter—see notes below for frozen berry tips). It slices into 8 generous pieces, making it ideal for brunch with friends, baby/bridal showers, or after-dinner dessert.
What Is a Coffee Cake?
Coffee cake is a moist, usually dense cake served with coffee or tea—despite the name, it doesn’t actually contain coffee. It gets its name from being a classic pairing for your coffee break. It’s typically topped with a cinnamon-sugar streusel (sometimes layered inside), and may include nuts, fruit, or a simple glaze instead of a heavy frosting. My strawberry coffee cake checks all those boxes. Here are all the ingredients you need:
Tips for Success
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Once you add the flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
- Parchment Paper Lining: Lining the pan with parchment makes it way easier to lift out the cake and get clean slices.
- Check for Doneness Early: Ovens vary, so I start checking with a toothpick at the 45-minute mark. If it comes out with just a few crumbs, it’s done.
- Let It Cool Before Glazing: If you glaze the strawberry coffee cake while it's still warm fresh out of the oven, the icing will melt right off. I wait until it’s completely cool.
- Add Nuts to Streusel: Sometimes I add chopped nuts (like pecans or walnuts) to the streusel - it adds crunch and flavor.
Strawberry Coffee Cake
This Strawberry Coffee Cake is a total crowd-pleaser: soft, buttery cake swirled with a cinnamon-brown sugar streusel, loaded up with sweet strawberries, and finished with a fresh strawberry glaze/icing that drips down every slice.
Ingredients
Streusel
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 3 cups chopped fresh strawberries
Strawberry glaze
- 1 large strawberry diced
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
For the streusel
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Don't overmix to keep the larger chunks. Set aside.
For the cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x9 inch round cake pan or springform pan. Line with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 1–2 minutes until fluffy and pale.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, mix until combined.
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low just until combined. Add in the sour cream and milk, mixing for 30 seconds. Finish by adding the remaining flour mixture and mix just until no streaks remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Spread half the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle ½ of your streusel evenly over the batter. If you love cinnamon, a light dusting here will amplify the flavor in the center swirl. Gently spread the remaining cake batter over the crumb layer.
- Add the chopped strawberries in an even layer over top of the batter, followed by the remaining streusel.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted into the center and come out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool.
For the glaze
- In a small bowl, use a fork to mash the chopped strawberries until juicy. Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and lemon juice, then whisk until the mixture is smooth and pourable. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, slice, and serve!
Notes
- Strawberries: I use fresh, but you can use frozen berries—just thaw and drain first so the cake doesn’t get soggy. If your berries are super juicy, toss them with a teaspoon of flour before adding—they won’t sink as much.
- Strawberry Glaze: You can sub cream with milk and use a spoonful of strawberry jam instead of a fresh strawberry.
- Let the Cake Cool: The glaze sticks best and the slices hold together if you let the cake cool completely.
- Add Nuts: Mix in chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) into the streusel for crunch.
Storage, Reheating, Freezing, Make-Ahead
- Storage: I keep the cake covered at room temp for 1-2 days, or up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Reheating: A quick 10-15 seconds in the microwave brings back that “fresh-baked” taste.
- Freezing: This cake freezes well (unglazed)! Slice and wrap pieces individually for grab-and-go treats. Glaze after thawing.
- Make Ahead: Bake the strawberry coffee cake the day before, let it cool, and glaze the next morning. The flavor actually improves overnight!
What Baking Pans to Use?
- 9-inch Round Cake Pan or Springform Pan: That's what I used - it works perfectly for a more “cake-like” presentation, and the springform makes it easy to lift out.
- 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch Square Baking Pans: You might have to adjust baking times slightly.
- Deep Pie Pan/Dish: If you want to serve it pie-style, this works, though the cake may be a bit softer in the middle.
- Muffin Tin: For strawberry coffee cake “muffins” or mini cakes, just divide the batter among the cups, and bake for a shorter time (typically 20 or 30 minutes). You can even use cupcake liners for cleaner presentation.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Step-by-Step for How to Make Strawberry Coffee Cake
- For the streusel: I mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl, then stir in the melted butter—just until it comes together, leaving some bigger chunks for extra crunch. I set that aside while I make the cake batter.
- I preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x9-inch (or round) pan, lining it with parchment for easy removal.
- For the cake batter: I whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then in a separate bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. After mixing in the eggs and vanilla, I alternate adding the dry ingredients and the sour cream/milk, mixing just until combined.
- Assemble the cake in a baking pan: I spread half the batter into the pan and sprinkle half the streusel over it (sometimes I dust on a little extra cinnamon here for more swirl). I gently spread the remaining batter over the top.
- Add toppings: Then, I add an even layer of chopped strawberries, and finish with the rest of the streusel.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean, then let the cake cool.
- For the glaze: I mash a strawberry in a bowl, then whisk it with powdered sugar, cream, and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Once the strawberry coffee cake is cool, I drizzle on the glaze, slice, and serve!
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