The Ultimate Mocha Coffee Cake Recipe

Is there anything better than the smell of coffee and chocolate baking in your kitchen?

I don’t think so!

This Mocha Coffee Cake is like a big, warm hug for your taste buds.

It’s got a super soft, moist cake base with just the right hint of coffee and a crumbly chocolate-cinnamon streusel on top.

Oh, and don’t even get me started on the drizzle of coffee glaze!

This is the kind of cake you can enjoy with a cup of coffee in the morning, as a mid-day snack, or even as dessert.

Bonus?

It’s kid-friendly if you go light on the coffee flavor—my kids love the chocolatey crumb topping!

Let me show you how easy it is to make this crowd-pleaser.

You’re going to love it, and I bet it’ll become one of your family’s favorite recipes too!

What You’ll Need

Here’s everything you’ll need to whip up this delicious cake:

For the Cake:

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
½ cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
¼ cup brewed coffee (cooled)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Streusel Topping:

½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

For the Coffee Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons brewed coffee (adjust to desired consistency)

Pro Tips

Use room temperature ingredients. This helps everything mix together smoothly for the fluffiest cake!
Don’t overmix the batter. Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, stop mixing. Overmixing can make the cake dense.
Go heavy on the streusel topping. Seriously, the more, the better—it’s the best part!
Taste-test your coffee glaze. Adjust the strength of the coffee flavor to your liking. If kids will eat it, go lighter on the coffee.
Let the cake cool before glazing. Otherwise, the glaze will just melt off (been there, done that).

Tools You’ll Need

Mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
Hand mixer or stand mixer
9×9-inch baking pan
Whisk
Fork (for the streusel)
Spatula

Substitutions & Variations

No sour cream? Use Greek yogurt instead.
Want a caffeine-free version? Use decaf coffee or swap it with milk.
Chocolate boost? Sprinkle chocolate chips into the batter for extra indulgence.
Nutty topping? Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the streusel for some crunch.

Make Ahead Tips

You can bake the cake a day in advance and glaze it just before serving. Store the cake covered at room temperature.
Freeze unglazed slices for up to 3 months—just thaw and add the glaze when you’re ready to eat!

How to Make Mocha Coffee Cake

Step 1: Preheat the oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×9-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 3: Cream the butter and sugar

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Step 4: Add wet ingredients

Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Then add sour cream, vanilla, and cooled coffee, mixing until smooth.

Step 5: Combine wet and dry ingredients

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t overmix!

Step 6: Make the streusel topping

In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and cubed butter. Use a fork to mix until crumbly.

Step 7: Assemble and bake

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 8: Make the coffee glaze

Whisk together powdered sugar and brewed coffee until smooth.

Step 9: Glaze the cake

Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top. Slice and serve!

Leftovers & Storage

Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can refrigerate it for up to a week—just bring it to room temp before eating.