Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Recipe
Get ready to brighten your breakfast routine with this irresistible Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake. Picture a golden, buttery crumb with layers of tangy lemon zest and a creamy, sweet cheese swirl—each bite topped with a crumbly streusel and finished with an easy lemon glaze. This cake strikes the perfect balance between comforting and fresh, making it just as suited for brunch with friends as for a quiet morning treat. If you love the pairing of zippy citrus and rich cream cheese, this will soon be a new favorite!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The magic of Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is all in the combination—simple staples work together to create bright flavors and melt-in-your-mouth textures. Each ingredient has a purpose, whether bringing moisture, lift, tang, or luscious decadence. Here’s what you’ll need and why each is essential:
- All-purpose flour: The structure behind the cake and the crumbly streusel topping, giving a soft yet sturdy bite.
- Baking powder & baking soda: These leaveners work together to make the cake rise and stay fluffy.
- Salt: Just a pinch balances the sweet and elevates all the flavors.
- Unsalted butter: Brings rich flavor and keeps the crumb tender throughout both the cake and streusel.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens both the batter and cream cheese filling; it also helps everything turn golden as it bakes.
- Eggs: Add structure and moisture, binding everything together with silkiness.
- Vanilla extract: Lends a subtle warmth and depth to the cake base.
- Sour cream: Guarantees a moist, tender crumb while complementing the lemon’s tang.
- Lemon zest & lemon juice: The stars of the show! They infuse the cake, filling, and glaze with that unmistakable sunny citrus taste.
- Cream cheese: Smooth, tangy, and rich, it creates that signature swirl in the middle of the cake.
- Brown sugar: In the streusel, it caramelizes beautifully for extra crunch and a hint of toffee.
- Powdered sugar: Blends effortlessly for a satiny glaze that melts on your tongue.
How to Make Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Dish
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking dish to make sure your Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake will pop out neatly after baking. Don’t skip this step—the cake’s tender crumb and creamy filling can stick if the pan isn’t well prepped!
Step 2: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures the leaveners and salt are evenly distributed throughout your cake, giving it that uniformly fluffy texture and spot-on flavor from edge to edge.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy—this should take about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla extract, sour cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. The batter will look luscious and thick, bursting with citrus scent.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Gradually add your flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. Don’t overmix—you want your Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake to stay delicately tender, not tough. This batter should be velvety and slightly thick.
Step 5: Assemble the Layers
Spread half of the cake batter evenly in the bottom of your prepared baking dish. In a separate bowl, prepare the cream cheese filling by beating softened cream cheese, sugar, an egg, and lemon zest until the mixture is smooth and airy. Gently spread the cream cheese layer over the batter, then finish with the remaining batter, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Step 6: Add the Streusel Topping
For the irresistible crumb topping, blend together flour and brown sugar, then cut in cold, cubed butter using your fingers or a pastry cutter. You’re looking for a sandy, crumbly texture with tiny butter chunks. Sprinkle this all over the top to form a generous, sweet cap that will crisp up beautifully in the oven.
Step 7: Bake the Cake
Slide your assembled masterpiece into the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a little cream cheese on the toothpick is okay, but no wet batter). The kitchen will fill with the scent of lemon and freshly baked cake—a sure sign something delicious is about to happen!
Step 8: Cool and Glaze
Once baked, let your Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake cool completely in the pan. This helps the cream cheese layer set and makes clean slicing possible. For the glaze, simply whisk powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice until smooth and drizzle it over the cooled cake in zigzags, adding an extra sparkle of lemon.
How to Serve Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Garnishes
To make your Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake shine even brighter, try garnishing it with extra lemon zest for a pop of color or a sprinkle of powdered sugar for that classic coffee cake look. A few fresh berries—raspberries, blueberries, even blackberries—add beautiful color and complementary tartness to each slice.
Side Dishes
This cake shines at brunch alongside a platter of fresh fruit, a big bowl of Greek yogurt, or a tangy fruit salad. For a breakfast treat, serve a warm slice next to scrambled eggs or your favorite frittata. And don’t forget a piping hot mug of coffee or tea to sip alongside; the lemon and cream cheese flavors are heavenly with a bold roast.
Creative Ways to Present
Don’t be afraid to get creative with how you serve and style your Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake! Cut it into bite-size bars for a party tray, or use a biscuit cutter for elegant rounds to stack with whipped cream and berries like individual trifles. You can even layer slices with ice cream for a summery dessert twist. Presentation makes for extra smiles!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Once cooled and glazed, cover your Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake tightly with foil or plastic wrap, or transfer individual pieces to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days—the flavors meld even more as it sits, and the cream cheese stays dreamy and soft.
Freezing
This coffee cake freezes like a dream! Wrap individual slices or the entire (unglazed) cake tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Store flat in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying; glaze after thawing for best results.
Reheating
To recapture that just-baked warmth, microwave individual chilled slices for about 15–20 seconds or pop them in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes. If reheating from frozen, let the cake thaw fully first, then warm gently until just heated through—the cream cheese filling stays soft and the streusel crisps up again.
FAQs
Can I use low-fat cream cheese in the filling?
Yes, you can swap in low-fat cream cheese, but keep in mind the filling will be slightly less rich and creamy. Full-fat cream cheese gives the most luscious swirl, but lower-fat options work in a pinch.
Can I make Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake gluten-free?
Absolutely! Substitute a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend (with xanthan gum) for the all-purpose flour. Your cake will still have a tender crumb and taste delightfully lemony.
What’s the best way to zest a lemon?
Use a microplane or the fine side of a box grater to remove just the bright yellow zest, avoiding the bitter white pith under the skin. Zest the lemon right before using to get maximum flavor and aroma.
Is it necessary to refrigerate this coffee cake?
Because of the cream cheese filling, it’s best to keep the Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake in the refrigerator. It stays fresh and slices easily when chilled and pops back to room temperature quickly.
Can I double the recipe and use a larger pan?
You sure can! Double all ingredients and bake in two 9×13-inch pans or use a large sheet pan, keeping in mind you may need to adjust the baking time—check for doneness with a toothpick as you go.
Final Thoughts
Every time I make this Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, it brightens the whole kitchen with citrusy joy. If you’re looking for a recipe that combines creamy, crumbly, and zesty in every bite, look no further. Gather your favorite breakfast or dessert crew and share a pan—you’ll be amazed how quickly it disappears!
Print
Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Indulge in the delightful flavors of lemon, cream cheese, and a buttery streusel topping with this Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake recipe. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, this moist and tangy cake is sure to become a favorite in your home.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Streusel Topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla, sour cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth.
- Gradually stir in dry ingredients until just combined. Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan.
- In a separate bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, egg, and lemon zest until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the batter, then top with the remaining batter.
- For the streusel, combine flour and brown sugar, then cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the cake.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice for glaze and drizzle over the cooled cake before slicing.
Notes
- For a stronger lemon flavor, add extra zest to the batter and filling.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
