Coffee Cake with Yellow Cake Mix

How to make coffee cake with yellow cake mix is here. An easy way to make this breakfast in a 9×13 pan or into muffins with a brown sugar crumble and a simple glaze on top. One of our many easy boxed cake mix recipes that go well beyond a regular dessert.

Cake mix coffee cake for breakfast is so good!! We have a lot of cake mix hacks to make an ordinary mix into something else beyond just cupcakes. With a crumbly cinnamon butter topping you will see how easy it is to transform this boring mix into one of your favorite morning treats. (post may contain affiliate links present)

How to Make Coffee Cake with Cake Mix

For years I didn’t make this family favorite dish very often because it was somewhat labor intensive. Occasionally I would make this Instant Pot coffee cake which was so delicious and never lasted long. But homemade isn’t always possible when we have hectic schedules with kids and work.

Then a few months ago I got to experimenting with pie filling and came up with a goodie, this cherry coffee cake with cake mix my kids loved. At that point I realized that it was possible to make it with fewer ingredients and I might be able to tweak things to use just the box + ingredients on the back + crumb topping.

It worked out great!! You see I make a muffin crumb topping often to jazz up the ordinary and bring those babies to a new level. Using a version of that on top of our prepared cake batter should transform it into the dish I was looking for. Success!

Cake Mix Coffee Cake Ingredients

Now you will need to prep the batter with the ingredients listed on the back of your box. Most are the same with oil, egg and water necessary to transform the dry mix into what you will need. The topping is what changes it all. Now you can use a 9×13″ pan like we did here, or make coffee cake muffins with it too. There are several alterations to the topping you can make like;

Variations

1. Classic streusel is a popular choice for coffee cakes. Mix together equal parts of flour, granulated sugar, and cold butter until crumbly. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon or ground nuts to the mixture for added flavor and crunch.
2. You can add a sprinkle pf chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts over the top before baking too. The nuts add a wonderful crunch and nutty flavor.
3. Toasted coconut flakes can provide a tropical touch. Simply sprinkle the flakes on top of the batter before baking.

Or simply mix together some cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it generously over the batter like we do with our healthy coffee cake. The combination of the two adds a sweet and aromatic touch, but not as thick as the butter brown sugar mixture shown below.

Betty Crocker Cinnamon Coffee Cake with Cake Mix

You can use any boxed mix brand you want really, there are some with pudding inside which will make it more moist too. Serve this easy coffee cake recipe as is warm, or make a simple glaze/frosting to the top for even more YUM. No one will ever know you started with a boxed mix to make this. You can keep that secret or share it with your closest friends. 😉

Glaze for Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

1. Classic Vanilla Glaze
   • Ingredients: 1 cup powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
   • Instructions: In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until you achieve a smooth and pourable consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled coffee cake.
2. Lemon Glaze
   • Ingredients: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest.
   • Instructions: Mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until you get a smooth glaze. Adjust the consistency with more sugar or lemon juice if needed. Pour the glaze over the coffee cake and let it set.
3. Maple Glaze
   • Ingredients: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1-2 tablespoons milk.
   • Instructions: Combine the powdered sugar and maple syrup, then gradually add milk until the glaze reaches the desired consistency. Drizzle the maple glaze over the coffee cake and allow it to set.
4. Cinnamon Glaze
   • Ingredients: 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2-3 tablespoons milk or sour cream.
   • Instructions: Whisk together the powdered sugar and ground cinnamon. Add milk gradually until you achieve a smooth and slightly thick glaze. Drizzle it over the top for a delicious cinnamon twist.
5. Almond Glaze
   • Ingredients: 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 2-3 tablespoons milk, sliced almonds (optional for decoration).
   • Instructions: Stir together the powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the coffee cake and sprinkle with sliced almonds for a lovely nutty touch.
6. Or put a dollop of Coffee Frosting on the top for a morning kick!

Feel free to customize these glazes to your taste by adjusting the flavors, thickness, or sweetness to complement your coffee cake perfectly. Whether you prefer a classic vanilla glaze, a zesty lemon kick, or a rich maple twist, adding a glaze can elevate your coffee cake into a truly irresistible treat. Enjoy!

Cake Mix Coffee Cake Muffins

If you are looking for really quick to make and baking time you can use the same instructions but spoon it into a mini muffins pan. Then sprinkle the topping on and bake for 11-12 minutes. Regular muffin tin size take 18ish minutes so you could go with that.

This size really isn’t bad and much faster than from scratch. If you wanted to use two smaller pans, this is how long to bake a cake in round or square shapes if you’d rather. The smaller the size is the timing will decrease but not by much since it will be thicker so keep that in mind.

How to Make Quick Coffee Cake with Cake Mix

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, create the box of yellow cake mix according to package instructions.  Set aside.
• In a separate bowl make the streusel topping.
• Combine flour, light brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract.
• Add cold butter and mix together until you have a crumbly texture. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray. 
• Spread approximately ⅔ of the cake batter in the pan. 
• Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top.  Layer with remaining batter and cinnamon sugar mix. 
• Then swirl the batter with a knife. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. 
• Use an inserted toothpick to test in the center of the cake. If it comes back with moist crumbs attached it is done. You want a MOIST cake so don’t over-bake it.
• Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing for at least 15 minutes.

Whisk together a glaze if you would like to serve it with a drizzle of that too, our favorite part. Serve with a cup of coffee hot, frozen coffee or orange juice.

How to Reheat Leftover Coffee Cake

Reheating in your oven works but will take the longest, and heat up your house quite a bit in the process. You just preheat your oven to 350°F. Wrap the coffee cake in aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. Place the wrapped coffee cake on a baking sheet. Heat the coffee cake in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until it’s warmed through.

If you want to heat in your microwave, our choice, it is quite fast and keeps it rather moist. You just cut the desired portion from the whole cake, add a bit of glaze to the top to keep moist. Place the slice on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on a low power setting (50%) for about 20 seconds at a time until warmed. Be cautious not to overheat, as it can make the cake tough or rubbery.