Carrot Cake Coffee Cake
Carrot Cake Coffee Cake is the perfect breakfast with a creamy cheesecake layer, crumbly topping, and moist clumps of sweet butter and cinnamon on top. The cream cheese layer makes this dream coffee cake an easy dessert or brunch to serve at your next family get-together.
If you want a fast and easy breakfast dessert, try our Instant Pot Coffee Cake flavored with chocolate chips and almond extract. If you are not in a hurry, our Slow Cooker Coffee Cake is mouthwatering and easy to make with yellow cake mix and sour cream.
This is one of the best carrot cake recipes I have ever made, and it is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert any time of day.
In fact, this is my family’s favorite coffee cake recipe with its ribbon of cinnamon streusel and creamy layer of deliciousness.
For a less sweet breakfast, our Carrot Zucchini Bread made with cinnamon, walnuts, and raisins is amazing.
Ingredients needed:
Our easy carrot coffee cake only needs a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. The measurements and directions are found on our recipe card below.
Cinnamon Crumb Topping:
- Unsalted butter: At room temperature.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark will both work.
- Flour: We used all purpose flour, but you can use your personal preference.
- Seasonings: We used kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest.
Carrot Cake:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder: Not baking soda.
- Seasonings: We used cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt.
- Unsalted butter: At room temperature.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark.
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs: At room temperature.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract is best.
- Plain yogurt
- Finely grated carrots
- Raisins
Cream Cheese Layer:
- Cream cheese: At room temperature.
- Granulated sugar
- Egg: At room temperature.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract.
How to make carrot coffee cake recipe?
- Preheat: To begin, heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a square pan with parchment paper sprayed with vegetable oil.
- Grate: Meanwhile, grate carrots and set them aside.
- Make the crumb topping: In a small bowl, whisk the dry ingredients of the crumb topping before using a pastry cutter to work in the butter. It should have pea-sized clumps.
- Make the cream cheese layer: Beat the vanilla, sugar, and cream cheese in a medium bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed. Add in the egg and keep mixing at low speed until there are no lumps. Set aside.
- Mix: In another small bowl, whisk flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder until combined.
- Cream: Using a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to cream the butter and sugar together until it is smooth. Then add the vanilla and egg and mix well.
- Mix: Start mixing in the dry flour mixture with the yogurt a little at a time until it is evenly combined.
- In the pan: Add the raisins and carrots and stir well. Spread cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Spread: Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture on top but do not go all the way to the edges.
- Crumble topping: Crumble streusel topping on top of the cream cheese frosting.
- Bake: Last, bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Serve: Finally, serve after letting the cake cool for about 10 minutes.
Recipe variations:
- Other creams: Try using sour cream instead of yogurt for a richer flavor.
- Different flour: Feel free to use whole wheat flour or whatever you like best.
- Chocolate: For chocolate lovers, add a handful of chocolate chips to the mix.
- Buttermilk: You could also use buttermilk instead of yogurt.
- Different extracts: Using different flavor extracts can make this recipe unique. Try almond, lemon, or cinnamon.
- Tropical: For a tropical flavor, add some shredded coconut to your batter.
How to serve:
This carrot coffee cake recipe goes perfect with a cup of coffee for Easter brunch or anytime. Here are some other great serving ideas:
- Serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream on top.
- Surprise your family with this instead of the classic carrot cake from mom’s recipes at your next brunch.
- You can also use our delicious cream cheese frosting instead of the cream cheese layer.
- For dessert, serve with a scoop of homemade blackberry ice cream.
- You could also top it with blueberry or strawberry sauce for a fruity taste.
- Our thick and rich keto caramel sauce is also a fantastic topping.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between dessert cake and coffee cake?
The answer depends on who you ask but we found that the main difference is that coffee cake has a streusel layer, most often cinnamon flavored.
It is also not frosted like a traditional cake, but it can have a glaze or light drizzle of icing on top.
How do I make easy cream cheese frosting?
Just mix one brick (eight ounces) of cream cheese with ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup milk, and one teaspoon vanilla.
Whip it with a mixer for one minute or with a whisk until it is fluffy. You could also use powdered sugar instead of granulated for a lighter frosting.
What is the nutritional information of traditional carrot cake?
Each serving contains 340 calories, 43 carbs, and 30 grams of sugar.
But it also has three grams of fiber, six grams of protein, 2,545 IU of vitamin A, and 4mg of vitamin C.
The total cholesterol is about 50mg, but you can lower this by using low-fat ingredients.
How to store leftovers:
- Store: After cooling to room temperature, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three or four days.
- Freeze: If you intend to freeze it, let it cool completely before wrapping it in plastic wrap and putting it in a freezer bag or container. It will stay fresh for up to 90 days.
- Reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving. You can serve this moist carrot cake cold or reheat it in the microwave.
More coffee cake recipes:
Cooking tips:
- We used an 8×8-inch pan for this recipe. If you use a larger pan, you should reduce the cooking time by a few minutes. For a smaller pan, increase the cooking time.
- A springform pan or Bundt pan would also work well for this recipe.
- You could also use a food processor instead of a mixer.
- If you do not have a pastry cutter, two forks will do the same job.
- Feel free to use a boxed carrot cake to save time.
Carrot Cake Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Cinnamon Crumb Topping:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar or dark
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Carrot Cake:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg-room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- 7 oz. finely grated carrots
- 1/3 cup raisins
Cream Cheese Layer:
- 12 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9x9 inches or 8x8 inches square pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
- Next, grate carrots and set them aside.
Make Crumb Topping:
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, and salt. Using two forks or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter. The mixture should resemble pea-sized crumbs.
- Set the mixture aside.
Cream Cheese Layer:
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add in egg and mix until combined, set aside.
Make Carrot Cake:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars together until smooth.
- Add in egg and vanilla and mix well.
- Alternate adding the dry mixture with the yogurt, finishing with the dry ingredients and mixing until well combined.
- Finally, mix in carrots and raisins. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.
- Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture on top, avoiding the edges.
- Next, sprinkle crumb mixture on top.
- Bake for 50-60 min or until the toothpick comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
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