Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake with a Twist
Cinnamon Streusel
This cinnamon streusel coffee cake has an added twist with pecans (finely chopped) and graham crackers in the streusel. It’s easy to make because you start with a cake mix. A cinnamon streusel is a “crumbly mixture of fat, sugar, and flour and sometimes nuts and spices that is used as topping or filling for cake.” This streusel has the fat, nuts, spices and graham crackers that substitute for the flour.
Use a yellow cake mix. Instead of vegetable oil, use sugar-free applesauce. This makes a healthier and moister cake. Follow the cake mix directions for the rest of the batter.
For the streusel, you combine graham crackers, pecans, and butter. Put the crackers and the pecans in a blender and blend them until they are fine. Put half the batter in the bottom of a greased 9 x 11 cake pan. Sift half the streusel mixture on top of the batter. Spread the remaining batter on top of the streusel, then add the last of the streusel on top. You can substitute walnuts instead of pecans if you’d rather. Personally, I think walnuts give a dry taste to the streusel. If you prefer walnuts over pecans, then have at it.
Simple, easy, and tasty
This cinnamon streusel coffee cake recipe is easy to make ahead. You can serve it warm from the oven or freeze it for later. Pair it with a cup of coffee, hot tea, milk, or lemonade.
The recipe
Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 1 yellow cake mix
- 1 cup water
- 3 eggs beat together
- 1/2 cup sugar-free applesauce OR Vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup fine graham crackers
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons chopped pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Mix cake mix according to box directions. Substitute applesauce for vegetable oil
- Combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon together
- Add melted butter; stir until well blended
- Grease a 9 x 13 in cake pan.
- Pour half the cake batter into the bottom of the cake pan
- Put half the crumb mixture on top of the batter
- Add the remaining batter on top of the crumb mixture slowly and carefully
- Spread the batter to cover all the layers
- Put the remaining crumbs on top of the last layer
- Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done
