Almond Coffee Cake

ByJamie Posted onNovember 17, 2023November 6, 2024 Updated onNovember 6, 2024

This almond coffee cake is a perfect spin on the classic. The sour cream ensures that this is a light and moist cake, while the pure almond extract and a squeeze of lemon juice give the cake its delicious flavor! It is topped with a buttery brown sugar and sliced toasted almond crumble. This cake is perfect on the brunch menu for special occasions such as bridal showers, Easter mornings, or tea parties with the kiddos!

Closeup picture of almond coffee cake cut in eight slices.

Growing up in the nineties, it seemed that everyone had at least one church cookbook in their kitchen. You know the one. Spiraled, stained from use, pages folded or missing with scribbled handwriting that noted the good recipes.

And my favorite recipe in those books was always the coffee cakes. This recipe is an ode to the Midwestern coffee cake with an almond-flavored twist. P.S. If you’re a sourdough lover, make sure to check out this sourdough discard apple walnut coffee cake!

Looking for more brunch desserts? Check out these apple pie cinnamon rolls, lemon blueberry scones, strawberry cheesecake sweet rolls, or cranberry orange scones.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Almond Cake Flavor – If you love the flavor of pure almond extract, brown sugar, and the crunch of sliced almonds, this cake is for you. This coffee cake focuses more on that unique flavor than the classic cinnamon and brown sugar combination. The squeeze of lemon juice only heightens this flavor!
Incredibly Moist and Soft – This is truly one of the best coffee cakes thanks to the sour cream. It’s so moist! Each bite melts in your mouth in the most delicious way.
Buttery, Brown Sugar Crumb Topping– No coffee cake is complete without the crumble on top. Simply sprinkle it on top along with the sliced almonds.
Easy to Make – You only need one bowl to make this recipe! This is a great choice if you’re looking to save time on washing dishes.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The almond coffee cake ingredients: flour, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, almond extract, baking soda, baking powder, salt, lemon juice, sour cream, eggs, sliced almonds.

Butter – Room temperature butter. I always use salted butter, but you can also use unsalted butter and add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar – This adds more of a molasses, caramelly flavor to complement the granulated sugar. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
Eggs – Room temperature eggs work best in this cake.
All-Purpose Flour – You could also use cake flour, but all-purpose is much easier and more accessible.
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Salt – Use 1/4 teaspoon if using salted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon if using unsalted butter.
Sour Cream – Helps make the cake so moist! You can also use full fat plain yogurt or Greek yogurt.
Lemon Juice – Adds a tang of flavor to the cake.
Almond Extract – I’ve tried it with half vanilla extract and half almond extract also. The almond extract just heightens the flavor we’re going for–almond coffee cake!

For the Crumble:

Butter – Again, I use salted butter. Unsalted also works.
Flour – All-purpose flour.
Brown Sugar – Light or dark-brown sugar works.
Sliced Almonds – I buy them already pre-sliced.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Butter and sugars creamed together in a mixing bowl.

Step 1: The first thing you’ll need to do is cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl for about two minutes on low speed with an electric mixer.

Almond coffee cake batter mixed together in a mixing bowl.

Step 2: Add the eggs one at a time. Next, you’ll mix in the wet ingredients: almond extract, lemon juice, sour cream, baking powder, and baking soda. Finally, gradually add the flour into the batter, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to incorporate all the ingredients.

Almond coffee cake batter in the springform pan.

Step 3: Line the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan or round cake pan with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan.

Brown sugar and almond crumble in a mixing bowl.

Step 4: In a separate mixing bowl, add the cubed butter, brown sugar, flour, and sliced almonds. With your hands (or a pastry cutter) combine the butter with the dry ingredients until it resembles a course crumble.

Step 5: Sprinkle the crumble on top of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes. The cake will be done when you put a toothpick in the center and no wet batter sticks to it. A few moist crumbs are perfect. The edge will have a nice browned crust. You can keep the almond crumb cake in the pan, or remove it and let it cool on a wire rack–just a matter of preference!

Almond coffee cake on parchment paper and a cutting board with a slice of coffee cake on a plate near it and a cup of coffee on the top right corner.

Step 6: Cut in individual slices and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Almond Crumb Cake

Combine the ingredients on low speed until just combined. You don’t want to over-mix the cake.
Make sure you use pure almond extract for that delicious almond flavor.
Buy already toasted and sliced almonds from the store or you can toast them yourself for the best flavor!

Equipment

Storage

Store at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

You can also freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight and freezer-safe container. Before eating, take it out of the freezer and let it come to room temperature.

FAQ

Can I use vanilla extract instead of almond extract?

Yes, you can! It will still taste delicious, just much less almond-y. You could also use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon almond extract for a vanilla almond coffee cake.

Do I need sour cream?

I recommend using full fat sour cream or full fat plain Greek yogurt. Both work well!

Does coffee cake have coffee in it?

Nope. Not this one at least. It’s called coffee cake because it’s usually enjoyed alongside a hot cup of coffee.

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