Cooking with Mom: Best Ever Coffee Cake Recipe

Easy Dessert Ideas

Something I’ve been wanting to do for awhile is blog through my mom’s recipe box. My mom was the kind of cook who didn’t really ever even need a recipe…I think they served more as “reminders” to the things she didn’t make as frequently. This coffee cake recipe, easy and delicious, is not one of these recipes. I don’t even think she taught me how to make it with the actual recipe, which makes it odd to see as I flip through the box. When I actually read through it, I was like, oh, I didn’t know it had a name other than “coffee cake,” or, “wow! It says to use a bundt pan.”

One of the reasons it was so popular with her, I’m sure, is because it really is such a breeze to make - and nearly all the add-ins are staples, meaning I hardly ever have to “shop” for those ingredients. I periodically pick up the cake mix so it’s there and when I know people are coming over (or, when I get a sweet tooth), I can quickly prepare this dessert to serve.

This semi homemade cake has to be one of the best yellow cake recipes I’ve tried. And I don’t think anyone can argue that semi homemade desserts aren’t EVERYTHING…wait, who am I kidding? Semi homemade anything is everything:) Who doesn’t want to create something delicious without spending all day in the kitchen? Count me here for that!

But, back to this recipe…specifically back to my mom’s recipe box, and her in general.

My mom was an AWESOME cook. Growing up, we didn’t have a ton of money, but she would be able to create so many meals out of seemingly nothing. Of course, there was the time we were snowed in for several days and she had to get creative. She did so by making homemade pizzas. One of them had fruit cocktail as the topping. She didn’t tell us…I think she was hoping we didn’t notice and just would think it was delicious. I remember taking a bite and seeing that something looked off. I was like, “wait, is that a cherry???” Sure enough, we all started finding things - things like peaches, pears and grapes. It was edible…I mean, we were snowed in so we didn’t really have a choice, lol, but, needless to say, it never made the dinner rotation again.

My mom passed away in 2006 from an extremely rare type of cancer called leiomyosarcoma. When she was diagnosed with it, the doctor’s told us that at any given time, only 12 people (yes….TWELVE) are living with it. It’s always terminal and because of it’s rareness, they aren’t really sure how to treat it. What slows it in some people has no effect on it in others. They also cannot find a connection with any of leiomyosarcoma’s victims so there is no answer to how she ended up with it. Not that knowing would make it any better for us, but, it would be nice to find out so other’s could possibly avoid it.

Anyways, I love cooking and baking using her recipes because, 1) many of these recipes were and still are, staples in my family because of their deliciousness and 2) I miss her. Even though she passed away in 2006, there isn’t really a way to get rid of that feeling. And there’s something about seeing these cards in her handwriting that make it seem like she’s not really all that far away.

Strangely however, some of the recipes in this box, I swear she never made, lol. And yet I know - if it was something worth eating, it went in that box. I’m anxious to try a few of those, just to see if once I taste them I suddenly remember it. A good portion of the recipes were even typed and laminated - ridiculously official, haha, and yet, I don’t remember them:)

Need another quick recipe? Try my easy homemade guacamole here!

Tips for Making this Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe

You can make this cake one of two ways - just like the recipe below, OR, if you find a cake mix that says “pudding in the mix,” use that and then follow the directions/ingredients list for the cake listed on the box. Pick back up on the recipe when it comes to the streusel and the glaze. It seems like the “pudding in the box” yellow cakes are harder to find than they used to be. Unless I just missed them, I didn’t see any last time I was in Walmart.

If anyone needs easy cake recipes for beginners, or needs the perfect brunch cake, or wanting a Friday night dessert to share with friends or family, this would be ideal. It tastes great with a glass of milk (that almost makes it healthy doesn’t it?) but of course, is the perfect compliment to a cup of coffee too.

My mom’s recipe calls for the bundt style cake which makes sense, but I honestly don’t ever remember her having it like that for some reason. I always remember the 9x13 pan. If you want to get crazy, these would be fun as muffins as well if you’re needing some brunch ideas for an upcoming get together.

Coffee Cake Recipe

So here it is, in all it’s delicious wonder: The Best Coffee Cake Recipe. Moist, tasty and will be eaten as fast as you can make it. You can download the below recipe by right clicking and then selecting “Save As” on your PC, or if you’re on your cell, long press the recipe and then select download.

Please please please let me know how this turns out when you make it. I’ve never served it to anyone and had it not be a hit.