Meet your new favorite coffee cake breakfast or dessert – the Cream Cheese Coffee Cake. It’s got the perfect balance of sweetness and creaminess from the cream cheese, and when paired with a hot cup of coffee, it truly makes a delightful treat. This is not just any ordinary classic coffee cake.

Slice of strawberry coffee cake on a plate in front of ap an of coffee cake — Photo Credit: Pear Tree Kitchen.

Add a layer of strawberry pie filling and this one will steal the show. Don’t like strawberries? No Problem, add your favorite fruit pie filling. We don’t mind.

Ingredients

All purpose flour
Granulated sugar
Butter
Cream cheese
Baking powder
Large eggs
Milk
Vanilla extract
Strawberry pie filling (optional)

How to Make Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

1 – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Ensure a 9×13-inch baking pan is lightly greased or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

2 – Make the streusel topping first. Combine flour mixture: 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup melted butter in a medium bowl until you obtain a crumble topping mixture. This should be put aside for now.

3 – In a small bowl, blend the softened cream cheese with one cup of sugar, an egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract on low speed. Keep mixing until you achieve a creamy and smooth consistency. Set this aside.

4 – Mix 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of sugar, and some baking powder in a large bowl.

5 – Add to the dry ingredients, the remaining egg, milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and the remaining 1/2 cup of melted butter. Mix these until you don’t see any lumps and the batter is smooth.

6 – Pour this batter into the prepared pan. Then pour a layer of cream cheese mixture over the top of the batter.

7 – If you’re adding pie filling, place the filling and cream cheese into rows evenly across the top of the cream cheese layer.

Strawberry pie filling and cream cheese filling in strips — Photo Credit: Pear Tree Kitchen.

8 – Swirl the cheesecake batter and pie filling.

Swirled pie filling and cream cheese filling — Photo Credit: Pear Tree Kitchen.

9 – Finally, add the crumb topping that you had prepared earlier over the cheesecake layer.

crumb topping on coffee cake — Photo Credit: Pear Tree Kitchen.

10 – Place the pan into the oven that has been preheated and set a bake time of 40 minutes.

11 – Wait for it to cool down before you cut it into individual pieces and serve.

Recipe Tips

Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature before starting. This will help it mix more smoothly.
Don’t be in a rush to serve the cake! Let it cool completely before cutting into it; this helps the layers set and makes it easier to cut clean slices.
You can dust the top of the cake with a bit of powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.
For a fun serving idea, try warming individual slices in the microwave for about 15 seconds before serving. It’ll feel as if it’s fresh out of the oven. Just be careful not to overheat, as it can make the cake a bit dry.

Coffee cake on a plate — Photo Credit: Pear Tree Kitchen.

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Storage

Storing this Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is a piece of cake! Simply store the whole thing in an airtight container at room temperature, it will remain fresh for up to three days. If you prefer it chilled, you can store the cake in the fridge, where it will keep for up to a week.

This cake also freezes wonderfully. Just wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. You can store them in the freezer for up to three months.

The next time you’re ready for a slice, let it thaw at room temperature or give it a quick zap in the microwave if you’re in a hurry.

Can I Make This In Smaller Pans?

Absolutely. You can use two 8×8-inch baking pans instead. Keep an eye on the cooking time, as it may vary slightly.

Can I Use Another Filling Flavor?

Absolutely!

My crew loves it when I mix up the flavors. I have used peaches, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. It doesn’t have to be pie filling either. You can use these fruits from fresh or frozen. If using frozen, don’t thaw them first.

You can use lemon pie filling or lemon curd. Both are delicious!

Is there a way to make this recipe less sweet?

Of course. If you find the original recipe too sweet for your liking, feel free to reduce the amount of sugar in the cake batter. You could also opt for a lower-sugar pie filling or even omit it altogether. It’s easy to adjust this easy recipe.

Can I prepare parts of this cake in advance?

If you’re pressed for time, you can prepare the crumb mixture and cream cheese filling a day in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature for a smoother spread.

You can then proceed with the rest of the steps as per the recipe. This is especially handy if you’re planning to serve this cake for a brunch or morning gathering.

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Cream cheese coffee cake with strawberries — Photo Credit: Pear Tree Kitchen.

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Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller

Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller is a food journalist, CEO of Pear Tree Kitchen, and co-creator of Food Blogger Help. She also has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a registered nurse licensed in the State of Oklahoma. When she has free time between writing, blogging, and cooking, she can be found volunteering as an RN with the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps.

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake