Starbucks Classic Coffee Cake

Happy New Year!!! 2011 is here! I was so exhausted on New Year's eve that I slept right through midnight and woke up at 2AM, after all the festivities were over. I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, eh? lol



This cake is a clone of the Starbucks' Classic Coffee Cake. It has a crunchy, buttery topping and a ribbon of cinnamon-brown sugar sandwiched between tender, fluffy cake. I think that what makes this cake stand out from other coffee cakes is the higher ratio of topping to cake. When I first made it I thought I must have measured incorectly because the batter was so thin in the pan, I was struggling to spread it out over the filling. However, the result is delicious!

I have seen baked items come and go... the trends have brought us everything from low-fat vegan brownies to gourmet doughnuts to mini-scones and breakfast sandwiches, but this coffee cake always seems to find its place in Starbucks' pastry cases everywhere. Sometimes it has a sprinkling of pecans on top, sometimes a drizzle of simple glaze, or a dusting of powdered sugar. I guess they call it a classic for a reason!

This year I hope to see lots more people joining in Copycat Club where we bake and cook clones of our favorite famous eats. Click the link above and email me your copycat post or feel free to add it on the 7th of every month when I post the round-up.

Starbucks Classic Coffee Cake
9 x 13" cake | adapted from Top Secret Recipes

TOPPING
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 (1 stick) of butter, softened

FILLING
1/3 cup light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

CAKE
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup whole milk

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine topping ingredients, cutting in the butter to form a crumbly texture. 2. In a separate small bowl combine the filling ingredients.
3. Using an electric mixer cream the butter and sugars together then add the eggs, oil and vanilla. Combine well. Sift together flour, soda, salt and powder. Add the flour mixture alternating with the milk and buttermilk. Do not overmix. Spread 1/2 the batter in a greased 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle filling evenly over the batter then top with remaining batter and finally, spread the topping evenly over the top. Note: The batter will be thin in the pan - it might be challenging to spread it out to cover the filling, but that's OK!
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.