Carrot Cake Coffee Cake is a delicious way to enjoy breakfast! This soft, moist coffee cake recipe is loaded with shredded carrots, chopped walnuts and then topped with a crumbly topping and a simple powdered sugar glaze.
Cake for breakfast? Sign me up for that! Coffee cakes are a perfect alternative to sweet rolls or muffins and this one is absolutely delicious. Made with simple ingredients, this delicious breakfast cake is so easy to make and is perfect for brunch too!
We have a delicious traditional carrot cake recipe that we love, but this one is a little more suitable for breakfast with the crumbly streusel topping instead of a thick cream cheese frosting. This breakfast version also has a lot less sugar and is quite a bit less sweet than the carrot cake we typically have for dessert.
WHAT IS COFFEE CAKE?
This super easy treat has been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. It is not too sweet, but the cinnamon sugar topping gives it a nice balance of sweet with the fluffy cake. It is so perfect for brunches, casual weekend breakfasts, breakfast buffet events and more! Unlike traditional cakes with frosting and glazes, this one is simple and perfect for a morning brunch.
CARROT CAKE COFFEE CAKE
Carrot Cake Coffee cake is made with whole wheat flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, carrots and walnuts. Add in some vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for a perfectly spiced coffee cake. The crumb topping is made with brown sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon and is baked onto the cake. And then a simple powdered sugar glaze is literally the frosting on top of this delicious coffee cake recipe!
INGREDIENTS IN CARROT CAKE COFFEE CAKE
CAKE BATTER
Flour – The recipe calls for whole wheat flour, but you can swap it out with all-purpose flour if you prefer.
Sugar – Just 3/4 cup of sugar provides the sweetness in the cake. Most traditional carrot cake recipes have more than twice that amount, so the sugar in the recipe gives the cake some sweetness without turning it into dessert!
Butter – You will need 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter. Melt the butter before adding to the other ingredients.
Eggs– 3 large eggs will help to bind everything together.
Carrots – This is a key ingredient in the carrot cake, so don’t leave them out! I usually cheat and buy shredded carrots, but you can easily shred your own.
Walnuts – You will need 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts to add to the cake. If you don’t like nuts or have allergies, you can definitely leave these out.
Milk – Just 1/3 cup of milk provides the rest of the necessary liquid for the cake. You can use any type of milk you have on hand.
Vanilla extract – A little bit of vanilla extract adds a little extra flavor to the cake. The higher the quality of the vanilla, the better!
Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg – Just a little bit of each of these spices really gives this coffee cake the most delicious flavors!
Baking powder – Baking powder is the leavening agent in the coffee cake and what prevents it from being too dense. For best results, make sure the baking powder isn’t old or expired.
Salt – Just a little bit of salt helps all of the other flavors to pop.
CRUMBLY STREUSEL TOPPING
Brown sugar – For best results, make sure your brown sugar is fresh and not dried out.
Flour – Again, the recipe calls for wheat flour, but all-purpose flour works well too!
Butter – 4 tablespoons of melted butter is used to help mix the topping ingredients together.
Ground cinnamon – Cinnamon adds the perfect flavor to the crumb topping.
POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE (optional)
Powdered sugar – Use powdered sugar as the main ingredient in the glaze. It allows the glaze to be sweet and smooth.
Milk – Just a tablespoon of milk should provide the right amount of liquid to make the glaze the perfect consistency to be drizzled over the coffee cake.
Vanilla extract – A half teaspoon of vanilla extract flavors the glaze perfectly.
HOW TO MAKE CARROT CAKE COFFEE CAKE
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper or grease the pan with a non-stick baking spray.
MAKE THE CAKE
In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Add in the eggs, milk, and melted butter. Mix batter until no lumps remain.
Mix in the shredded carrots and chopped walnuts.
Pour batter into a lined pan, set aside.
MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING
Mix all crumb topping ingredients in a medium bowl well. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake batter.
BAKE THE CAKE
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
MAKE THE GLAZE (OPTIONAL)
While baking, make the glaze by mixing all the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
Let the cake cool for 30 minutes, then slice and drizzle glaze over top.
CARROT CAKE COFFEE CAKE
Ingredients
Cake batter
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 stick butter melted
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Crumb topping
- ½ cup brown sugar lightly packed
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Glaze (optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper or grease the pan with a non-stick baking spray.
MAKE THE CAKE
- In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Add in the eggs, milk, and melted butter. Mix batter until no lumps remain.
- Mix in the shredded carrots and chopped walnuts.
- Pour batter into a lined pan, set aside.
MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING
- Mix all crumb topping ingredients in a medium bowl well. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake batter.
BAKE THE CAKE
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
MAKE THE GLAZE (OPTIONAL)
- While baking, make the glaze by mixing all the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Let the cake cool for 30 minutes, then slice and drizzle glaze over top.
Nutrition
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How long is coffee cake good for?
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I like to reheat leftover coffee cake in an air fryer, but the microwave works well too! You can also serve the cake at room temperature, but I really think all baked goods are better warm.
CAN I FREEZE COFFEE CAKE?
Yes, you can freeze this cake after it has cooled completely. To do this simply place the cake in an airtight container or wrap each sliced piece in plastic wrap before storing in an airtight container. Then when you want a piece you can thaw it on the counter or thaw the entire cake before slicing and serving. This is a great idea for lunch boxes!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH COFFEE CAKE
This cake recipe goes great with any of your regular morning favorites. From fresh fruits to orange juice, coffee, or even a tall glass of milk. If desired you could even serve a warm slice of breakfast cake with vanilla ice cream for an after dinner dessert!
MORE DELICIOUS BREAKFAST RECIPES LIKE THIS
- RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE COFFEE CAKE
- CRANBERRY COFFEE CAKE
- PECAN COFFEE CAKE
- PUMPKIN COFFEE CAKE
- EASY PUMPKIN COFFEE CAKE
- CRANBERRY CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE
- BANANA CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE
- EASY CINNAMON BREAKFAST CAKE
Carrot Cake Coffee Cake is a delicious way to enjoy breakfast! This soft, moist coffee cake recipe is loaded with shredded carrots, chopped walnuts and then topped with a crumbly topping and a simple powdered sugar glaze.
Joanne says
I want to make this but in the ingredients it doesn’t say how many cups of wheat flour, could you please let me know
Nellie says
I checked the recipe card and the amount was listed at 2 cups of wheat flour which is correct. Enjoy!
Christopher J Wells says
Great recipe. I added 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom and replaced the milk with buttermilk. I also added chopped pecans to the crumble. It took 39 minutes to bake. The buttermilk keeps it ultra-moist and is very traditional in coffee cake.
Nellie says
Thanks for sharing your suggestions – they all sound delicious!