Caramel Cream Cheese Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe

How on earth is it November already!? Maybe a bag of our caffeine free Organic Defogger is in order this morning as the gentle twang of holiday anxiety tickles my temper as I realize we are only weeks away from having a house full of in-laws and family members ascend on the sanctity of our home. Don’t get me wrong, I love family gatherings but without a doubt there is always some interesting political or religious conversation over dinner, dessert, or drinks which welcomes in a touch of oddity and awkwardness the following morning. 

We have a solution… this Caramel Cream Cheese Streusel Coffee Cake is so good it will get even Uncle Barry and Aunt Nancy to reach across the aisle and nod in favor, whatever the topic. This moist, perfectly textured, flavor explosion of a Holiday moment will save the day on Black (Coffee) Friday or any other day of the Holiday Season where you may need some extra Christmas or Thanksgiving deliciousness or a reason to bring your friends and loved ones around the table. 

Ok, let me tell you more about the damn cake.

Isn’t it weird that coffee cakes never have actual coffee as an ingredient. Well this one flips that script. By incorporating our best-selling dark roast organic coffee, Foglifter®, into the coffee cake batter and the vanilla glaze, you end up with a hint of mocha without the dessert feeling like a shot of espresso in your mouth, you can save that for your cup. The other elements that make this cake a showstopper are the buttery, crunchy, sweet brown sugar cinnamon streusel topping and the cream cheese, cinnamon, caramel center. Wowie. 

Let’s get to the recipe...

Coffee Cake

1 stick (8 tablespoons)salted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup packed organic brown sugar 

2 teaspoons Madagascar vanilla extract

2 large eggs at room temperature

1 cup plain organic greek yogurt

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup Carmel Valley Coffee Organic Foglifter®

1/2 cup Kings Cupboard Organic caramel sauce or homemade.

Streusel

1/2 cup organic packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons extra cold butter, grated

6 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

Coffee, Vanilla, and Caramel Glaze

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk

1/2 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract

¼ cup brewed Carmel Valley Coffee Organic Foglifter®

¼ cup Kings Cupboard Organic caramel sauce or homemade.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter a 9-inch bundt pan. You want to find a pan that has the traditional fluted center but best to find one that doesn’t slope down too much as you’ll be keeping the streusel side up when served.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the sour cream and vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Slowly mix in the coffee until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

3. To make the streusel. In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup organic brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 1/4 cup organic brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. We suggest putting the stick of butter into the freezer for a bit. You want it to be extra cold when you go to use the greater so it doesn’t clump back together while grating. Grate the butter directly into the flour mix and use your fingers to mix the butter into the flour until a crumble forms.

4. Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the batter.

5. Then, dollop the slightly warmed cream cheese into a pastry bag. This makes it easier to apply an even layer in the center of the cake. Pipe the cream cheese onto the cinnamon sugar and batter and spread in an even layer. Then drizzle about ¼ cup of the caramel sauce over the piped cream cheese.

6. Spoon the remaining cake batter over the cream cheese in an even layer. Top evenly with the buttery streusel mix.

7. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool 30 minutes and then invert the cake onto a plate, flipping it back upright onto a serving plate.

8. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and Carmel Valley Organic Foglifter®. Add a pinch of flaky Maldon sea salt. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake. Then using a spoon, drizzle the lightly warmed caramel sauce on top of vanilla espresso glaze. Let the cake rest 10 minutes. Serve the cake slightly warm or at room temperature and watch the holiday smiles pop up on happy faces!