Cake mix coffee cake uses a 15.25-ounce yellow mix with sour cream, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla to make a thick batter. A buttery cinnamon-sugar mixture runs through the center and over the top. Bake it in a rectangular pan, then allow a short cooling period before cutting. There is no brewed coffee in the batter; the name refers to the kind of cake commonly served alongside a cup.
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Why This Recipe Works
The boxed mix supplies the flour, sugar, and leavening for cake mix coffee cake. Sour cream adds moisture and a little tang without requiring a separate homemade flour mixture. The oil remains liquid as the cake cools, which helps the crumb stay tender.
The filling has sugar, cinnamon, butter, and salt, but no flour. It behaves as a moist cinnamon ribbon and sweet topping rather than a dry, flour-based streusel. Mix it evenly and break apart any hard brown-sugar lumps before layering so one spot does not carry all the sweetness.
Ingredients for Easy Cake Mix Coffee Cake
Check the weight printed on the cake-mix box. This formula uses 15.25 ounces, and a smaller package changes the balance of dry mix to eggs and dairy. Measure the three eggs, one cup sour cream, half cup oil, quarter cup milk, and vanilla as written.
Cake mix coffee cake does not require the extra water or oil listed on the box directions. Those directions are replaced by this recipe’s measured additions. The topping uses both brown and granulated sugar, so combine them before stirring in melted butter.
For the cake
- 1 box yellow cake mix (15.25 oz)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the topping
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
How to Make Easy Cake Mix Coffee Cake
Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch pan. Combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the six tablespoons of melted butter until everything is dampened. Let the mixture sit briefly while you prepare the batter; it may look sandy or paste-like rather than forming dry crumbs.
In a second bowl, combine the dry cake mix with eggs, sour cream, oil, milk, and vanilla. Beat until the ingredients are incorporated, scraping around the bottom of the bowl. Spread half the batter in the pan, then scatter half the cinnamon mixture over that layer.
Add the remaining batter in small spoonfuls so you can join them gently without dragging the filling into one corner. Distribute the rest of the cinnamon mixture across the surface. Bake cake mix coffee cake for about 32–36 minutes, checking the middle with a toothpick. Moist crumbs are acceptable; streaks of wet batter mean it needs more time. Avoid pressing down the top while it is hot.
How to Serve
Allow cake mix coffee cake to cool for at least 20 minutes, then cut twelve pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature. The cinnamon-sugar finish is already sweet enough to stand alone. If you choose a serving decoration, apply it to individual portions rather than hiding the doneness of the baked top under a thick layer.
Storage
Once cake mix coffee cake has cooled, store it covered for up to two days at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to four days. Use the shorter refrigerator window if serving it with dairy toppings. Freeze individual plain pieces in sealed wrapping for up to two months and thaw them while still wrapped.
Preparation reference: Betty Crocker, Honey Bun Cake. Follow FDA raw-flour guidance.
Tips and Variations
A metal pan usually heats more directly than a deep glass dish. Begin the doneness check on time and extend the bake as needed rather than treating one minute count as a guarantee. If the top darkens early, lay foil loosely over it while the center finishes.
For cake mix coffee cake, a gentle spread is more useful than vigorous swirling. Deep repeated stirring can bury all the topping. Keep the two-layer structure for a visible ribbon, and let the cake cool enough that the slice edges do not collapse when you lift them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does cake mix coffee cake contain coffee?
No. It is a cinnamon cake intended to accompany coffee or another drink; the batter has no coffee ingredient.
Do I also follow the box directions?
No. Use the ingredients in this recipe instead of adding the package water, eggs, and oil again.
Can I use a smaller box of mix?
The stated quantities are for 15.25 ounces. A smaller box needs a separately adjusted formula.
Is the topping supposed to be dry crumbs?
No. With melted butter and no flour, this topping is a moist cinnamon-sugar mixture that forms a ribbon.
Why is the middle still wet?
Pan depth, oven accuracy, and batter temperature affect timing. Continue baking until the center test shows crumbs rather than liquid batter.
More Recipes to Try
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe with Cinnamon
- Air Fryer Mug Coffee Cake
- One Bowl Banana Bread with Melted Butter
- Blueberry Cobbler
Easy Cake Mix Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 box yellow cake mix (15.25 oz)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the topping
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Grease a baking pan measuring 9×13 inches; set the oven to 350°F.
- Mix both topping sugars with cinnamon and salt, then stir in melted butter to moisten them.
- Combine the cake mix, milk, eggs, vanilla, oil, and sour cream into a smooth batter. Do not add extra package ingredients.
- Spread half the batter, scatter half the topping, then gently add the remaining batter and topping.
- Bake 32–36 minutes, continuing if a center toothpick shows wet batter.
- Cool at least 20 minutes before cutting twelve portions.
