Overnight Coffee Cake (and a Stained Recipe Card) (2024)

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What is the most stained recipe card in your recipe box? Mine is my mom’s Overnight Coffee Cake recipe card. Pretty gross, huh?

Overnight Coffee Cake (and a Stained Recipe Card) (1)

But… can’t you just tell by this card that this is a fabulous recipe? It has been made and loved and devoured countless times. We eat it for birthday breakfasts, holidays (always at Christmas!), baby and wedding showers.Yesterday, I made it for a Father’s Day breakfast, and it was perfect.

Addison and I enjoyed makingit together.

Overnight Coffee Cake (and a Stained Recipe Card) (2)

The buttermilk, brown sugar, and cinnamon were added to the batter while we talked about how long this recipe has been in the family. I told her that my mom (grandma) received this recipe many many years ago from a good friend.

As we mixed up the topping and sprinkled it over the top, I also told her that my mom made if often when I was a child for her weekly Bible studies. She always offered me a piece, but I refused to eat it because I thought that it was literally coffee flavored (an ingredient I have since come to love). How many times did I pass us this wonderful cake? Tragedy!

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We popped the cake into the oven and it baked for about thirty minutes while we made scrambled eggs and cooked bacon: a common Sunday mealat our house. Soon the kitchen was filled with warm, delicious flavors, and the kids started to say, “What’s in the oven? It’s coffee cake!”

This truly is my favorite coffee cake recipe. The simple flavors of brown sugar, buttermilk, and cinnamon are so warming and comforting. The light topping makes it seem special and decadent, but it’s not as heavy as a strusel.

And I especially love the versatility of preparing this cake. As its name suggests, it can be made the night before and simply popped into the oven on the morning of a brunch or holiday. Or as we did today, it can be made and baked all at one time and ready in about 40 minutes.

I hope you can make this soon- for breakfast or familybrunch or for a Sunday lunch, or just because. Of course, enjoy it with a steaming cup of coffee.

P.S. Don’t worry if you don’t have buttermilk in your fridge. See the notes below about how to easily make your own. I NEVER buy buttermilk.

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Overnight Coffee Cake (and a Stained Recipe Card)

Author:Annie (from my mom, Denise)

Recipe type:Breakfast, bread, cake

Cuisine:American

Prep time:

Cook time:

Total time:

Serves:12 servings

Ingredients

  • For the cake:
  • ⅔ C shortening
  • 1 C sugar
  • ½ C brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 C flour
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 1 C buttermilk (see notes)
  • For the topping:
  • ½ C brown sugar
  • ½ C chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
  • ½ t cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Cream the shortening, sugar, and brown sugar.
  3. Add 2 eggs, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix until combined.
  4. Add the buttermilk. Mix until combined.
  5. Pour batter into the 9 x 13 pan. Mix the topping ingredients together and sprinkle over the top.
  6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

To make buttermilk, add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar to milk and let sit for about five minutes. The milk with thicken, just like buttermilk.
If using the cake at a later time, refrigerate before baking. I also sometimes make this ahead and freeze before baking. Allow the cake to defrost in the refrigerator before baking.
Some members of our family love this cake served with a pat of butter on top. Yum!

We this for every Christmas morning, along with some other family favorites. Check out the complete menu here:

Overnight Coffee Cake (and a Stained Recipe Card) (8)

Overnight Coffee Cake (and a Stained Recipe Card) (9)

About Annie

Annie spends her days learning alongside her five kids, reading aloud intriguing literature, and whipping up new recipes in the kitchen. She and her family live in Southern California, enjoying both the mountains and the ocean.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Overnight Coffee Cake (and a Stained Recipe Card) (10)Mindy says

    Oh, definitely the recipe card for Sour Cream Raisin Pie! I actually don’t use the recipe card because it was my grandma’s (so the card is probably 60+ years old) and I don’t want to add any more stains — it would become unreadable at this point. What always makes us laugh is that while everyone always called it Sour Cream Raisin pie, my grandma said it’s just Raisin Cream Pie because it doesn’t have actual sour cream (just buttermilk and cream). But she just let everyone call it that because it was a family tradition and everyone’s favorite pie.

  2. Overnight Coffee Cake (and a Stained Recipe Card) (11)Annie says

    Thanks for reading, Mindy! With all of the wonderful pies that you make, I’m sure you’ve got more stained cards than just the Sour Cream Raisin pie card. Funny story about the sour cream. Isn’t that how family recipes go? I am enjoying reading your pie recipes at Pie on Sunday. Lots of good one that I want to try! Friends: check it out here: https://pieonsunday.blogspot.com/

  3. Overnight Coffee Cake (and a Stained Recipe Card) (12)Natalina says

    Hi Annie, just wondering we do not have shortening here in Australia and was wondering if we can use butter instead in this recipe – thank you for your help. Have a great day.

    • Overnight Coffee Cake (and a Stained Recipe Card) (13)Annie says

      Yes, butter would work just fine! I just learned a new fact about Australia! No shortening. Interesting! Thanks for reading and for taking the time to comment. Have a great day!

Overnight Coffee Cake (and a Stained Recipe Card) (2024)

FAQs

Can you use parchment paper for coffee cake? ›

Our parchment paper trick worked beautifully. Just be sure to spray the bottom of your cake pan with cooking spray, then place the parchment paper round on top and coat the top of the paper with more cooking spray.

Should you store coffee cake in fridge? ›

Coffee cake can last up to a week in the fridge, though it's worth noting that the cold could cause it to dry out, even if it's still technically good to eat. Tightly sealing the cake can help it maintain its moisture in the refrigerator, but mileage may vary.

Does traditional coffee cake have coffee in it? ›

Curiously, coffee cake contains zero coffee itself. I think (and I am totally speculating here) that it's meant to be served with coffee, sort of in the tradition of tea. My sleuthing on the internet points to origins in German yeasted cakes, but it's not entirely clear.

Can you eat coffee cake for breakfast? ›

Coffee cake can is a versatile pastry that you can serve for breakfast or dessert! It's nice having an excuse to eat a cake for breakfast, so indulge in a delicious slice in the morning. Or serve it for a snack in the afternoon. It's also amazing served as an after-dinner dessert.

Does parchment paper prevent browning? ›

It helps ensure baking sheets stay clean, prevents baked goods from over-browning and sticking to the pan, keeps poaching liquids from evaporating, and can be used as a sling around bread dough or cheesecake to help release them from the pan. You can even use it to line the basket of your air fryer.

When should you not use parchment paper for baking? ›

Parchment paper is not designed for high-heat cooking. Avoid using it in your oven or on the grill if temperature will exceed 400 degrees, says Michelle Weaver, chef at Charleston Grill in South Carolina, as there's a chance it could catch fire.

Can I leave coffee cake out overnight? ›

Coffee cakes will keep at room temp for a day or so (why would it last that long?), and will have more flavor than ones from the fridge. Refridgeration increases the rate of starch retrogradation (staling) by up to 7 times. Rich breads (cakes) fare better than lean ones (French), but still, it's sub-optimal.

Should I leave cake out overnight or in fridge? ›

How long can cake sit out unrefrigerated? If your cake is frosted with buttercream, it will last covered at room temperature for up to four days. However, it is best to refrigerate cakes with other frostings such as cream cheese or ganache. A fully covered unfrosted cake will last for up to 2 days at room temperature.

Can I leave a cake in the fridge overnight? ›

If you made a cake that won't be served for a few days, cover and refrigerate your cake. Lastly, if your cake includes a fresh fruit filling or topping, or has a frosting made with whipped cream or mascarpone, cover and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve, and refrigerate any leftovers as well.

What makes coffee cake taste like coffee cake? ›

No, coffee cake does not taste like coffee. There is no coffee or caffeine in this cake despite its name. This streusel cake tastes like a lightly sweetened cake and oftentimes has spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Why is my coffee cake dry? ›

A dry cake is usually the result of one of the following pitfalls: using the wrong ingredients, making mistakes while measuring or mixing the batter, or baking the cake too long or at too high a temperature. Once you understand which common cake-baking blunders to avoid, you'll know how to bake a moist cake every time.

Why was Aunt Jemima coffee cake discontinued? ›

Aunt Jemima is no longer producing this product due to challenges competing with other products in local supermarkets which resulted in declining sales. Please don't deny our families and future generations the simple joy of this wonderful home baked coffee cake on a Sunday morning (or any morning!).

How do you store coffee cake overnight? ›

If you want to prevent coffee cake from getting stale for as long as possible, storing it in an airtight Tupperware is your best bet. That should keep the freshness and flavor for around two to three days at room temperature.

What pairs with coffee cake? ›

You can pair coffee cake with a medium roast coffee. This will help to bring out the natural sweetness of the cinnamon, which is the predominate flavor of coffee cake. My specific coffee pick to go along with this cinnamon dessert would be Blue Bottle's Giant Steps.

Can you use parchment paper instead of coffee filter? ›

Unlike coffee filters, parchment paper also features a thin layer of silicone. This not only gives parchment paper its nonstick qualities, it also allows it to repel heat and water, promoting even baking. Because coffee filters do not have a silicone coating, they aren't quite as nonstick as parchment paper.

Is it better to bake a cake with wax paper or parchment paper? ›

Only parchment paper is safe for use in the oven, and only up to 425° to 450°F before it will begin to break down and get brittle or burn. Wax paper is not oven-safe in any application.

Can you use parchment paper to smooth a cake? ›

This removes air bubbles and spatula marks creating a smooth surface. You may do the same technique with parchment paper or waxed paper but may have to wait longer for icing to be drier. Also, for even smoother icing, you can smooth again with the parchment paper or waxed paper after you've used the paper towels.

Is it OK to bake with parchment paper? ›

Parchment paper is oven-safe in conventional ovens for temperatures up to 425°F. For safety, never let the parchment paper touch open flames, the sides or bottom of the oven, or use it with a broiling unit or a toaster oven.

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