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Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

Published January 15th 2012 Updated December 12th 2023

This single layer Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake is filled with a nutty pecan brown sugar filling that includes a hint of orange zest. Serve it warm, at room temperature or chilled alongside your favorite flavored coffee or cuppa tea.

easy-cinnamon-coffee-cake

Easy Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake Recipe

I’ve heard it said that coffee cake was invented just so we would have an excuse to eatcake for breakfast. God bless the one who had foresight to make that a reality, it works perfectly for me. Origin aside, coffee cake is a spectacular breakfast or brunch indulgence and also goes over well for tea parties. Coffee cakes come in many different flavors and forms, and don’t necessarily contain coffee as an ingredient. A couple of fan favorites you can find here in the MSSK recipe index are fruity Blueberry Crumble Coffee Cake and Raspberry Cream Filled Coffee Cake.

Cinnamon Pecan Filled Coffee Cake

Homemade Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake Recipe

Coffee cakes are generally one layer cakes in a variety of shapes. Some are made as bundt cakes or individual size in muffin pans. I think it’s ideal for sharing with friends or neighbors with a cup of coffee or espresso, or a warm cup of steamy hot tea. Anytime of day, it’s a bonafide treat. This cake features a scratch made cake batter with cinnamon and a crunchy streusel topping. Coffee cake is delicious any time of day. Ingredients you’ll need to make easy Pecan Coffee Cake:

  • Cake – Use a whisk to sift together all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Fat – Salted or unsalted butter.
  • Sugar – Granulated sugar.
  • Flavorings – Vanilla extract and orange extract. Orange extract will give a more concentrated flavor than orange juice alone. Two tablespoons of orange zest will also pack flavor.
  • Eggs – Two large eggs.
  • Milk – Whole or lower fat buttermilk works.
  • Filling – Light brown sugar, all purpose flour, ground cinnamon, orange zest, salted or unsalted butter and roughly chopped pecans. You could swap out walnuts for the pecans, if desired.
Orange Cinnamon Pecan Filled Coffee Cake

How to Make the BEST Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake Recipe

  • Kitchen tools you’ll need to make homemade Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake: Two medium bowls, electric hand mixer or stand mixer nut chopper or sharp knife and cutting board, citrus zester, measuring cups and spoons.
  • This cake is baked in a 10 inch springform pan. You could make it in a 9 x 9 inch pan or a similar size deep dish pie pan. It has to be deep dish to hold the cake, filling and topping.
  • How to Make the Filling: 
  • In a medium bowl use a whisk to sift together 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup of flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon and orange zest.
  • Using a pastry blender or food processor cut in 1/4 cup of cold cubed butter until the mixture appears crumbly. By hand stir in toasted pecans. Set aside.
  • To Make the Cake Batter:
  • Cake: In a medium size mixing bowl use a whisk to sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • Using an electric mixer cream together granulated sugar, butter, vanilla and orange extracts until combined.
  • Add the eggs one at a time. Whip for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is a pale yellow then add the orange zest. Mix well.
  • Add the dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk beginning and ending with flour. Beat together just until fully combined stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally so everything combines.
  • Spray a 10-inch round springform pan with a baking spray or butter and flour.
  • Spread half of the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan, and sprinkle one half of the brown sugar pecan filling over the batter.
  • Repeat with the remaining batter ending with the crumb filling.
  • Bake the coffee cake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove the outer ring from the spring form pan. Cool completely on a baking rack.
  • Serve Orange Pecan Coffee Cake warm or at room temperature.
  • Storage: You can store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or chilled for up to one week.
  • Freeze Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake for up to 3 months.
cinnamon-pecan-coffee cake-recipe

More Cake Recipes to Make

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Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Cooling time2 hours
Total Time3 hours 5 minutes
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: cinnamon-coffee-cake, cinnamon-pecan-coffee-cake, coffee-cake-recipes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 432kcal
Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

  • Filling:
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp orange zest
  • 4 Tbsp cold butter cubed
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • Cake:
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp orange extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tbsp orange zest
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread pecans in a single layer on a sheet pan and toast pecans for 6 minutes then set aside to cool.
  • Filling: In a medium bowl use a whisk to sift together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and orange zest. Once combined, use a pastry blender or food processor to cut in 1/4 cup of cold butter until the mixture appears crumbly. By hand stir in toasted pecans. Set aside.
  • Cake: In a separate medium size mixing bowl use a whisk to sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • Using an electric mixer on medium high speed cream together granulated sugar, butter, vanilla and orange extracts until combined.
  • Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Whip for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is a pale yellow. Add orange zest. Mix well.
  • Lower the speed of the mixer and gradually add the dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk beginning and ending with flour. Beat together just until fully combined Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl periodically.
  • Spray a 10-inch round spring form pan with a baking spray or butter and flour. [If you don't have a spring form pan, an 9 x 9 square baking dish will work]
  • Spread half of the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan, and sprinkle one half of the brown sugar pecan filling over the batter. Repeat with the remaining batter ending with crumb filling.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove the outer ring from the spring form pan. Cool completely on a baking rack.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 339mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 496IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!

4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Just made this tonight and it is SO good! I can’t wait to have more for breakfast over the next few days.
    Next time I’ll put a little more of the batter in the bottom as I just eyeballed it and the bottom layer was very thin. It didn’t affect the taste but next time I’ll measure better.
    Definitely a winner recipe! By the way, I baked it in our new air fryer/toaster oven as a “test” of baking in there. It worked out great — just had to put a piece of foil over the top after about 15-20 minutes so it wouldn’t get too brown.

  2. 5 stars
    I just made this today. I can’t even begin to explain how fabulous the flavor is on this one, HUGE. Be sure you like orange because it certainly comes through. I love the flavor of orange in anything, pancakes, French toast. This recipe is no exception. Sooooooo good, and the cake is moist, soft, uhhmmm, ya, sooooo goood.

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