Cream-Filled Cinnamon Coffee Cake -- A Sunday Cake That Holds Three Days

Brayden is two hundred and three weeks old. Eden is one year and nine weeks. The cream-filled cinnamon coffee cake is a small brunch-cake with a hidden cream-cheese-and-vanilla center.

Sunday I made the cake.

The Sapulpa-Elementary cooking-class continues. The small Wednesday-afternoon rhythm has settled. The small kids are progressing through the small twelve-week curriculum. Tracy Patton has been the small partnership-and-support presence the program needed.

The Pantry Rules cookbook companion has been selling at its small steady-trickle pace. The catering-cookbook continues at its small steady-pace too. The small online-store revenue is the small additional-revenue-stream the catering business has built.

The small Sunday-cooking is now the small family-of-four event. Brayden helps. Eden watches from the bouncer (later from the high-chair). Dustin handles the small dishes-and-cleanup. The small kitchen has become the small family-stage. The small role of the small Sunday-cook has shifted from the small individual-creative-act to the small family-orchestration-act.

The small recipe-archive of the blog continues to grow. The small ten-year-anniversary in March 2026 is the small approaching-milestone. The small five-hundredth-post was in October 2025. The small archive is now in its small thousand-post-trajectory.

Cream-Filled Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for topping)

Instructions

1. Preheat and prepare. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside.
2. Make the cream filling. Beat the softened cream cheese, egg yolk, powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
3. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with 1 cup of the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the sour cream and remaining vanilla extract.
5. Combine batter. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. Do not overmix.
6. Make the cinnamon swirl. In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon, brown sugar, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
7. Layer the cake. Spread half the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Dollop the cream cheese filling over the batter and gently spread to an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle half the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the cream layer. Carefully spoon and spread the remaining batter on top.
8. Add the topping. Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the batter, then sprinkle evenly with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture.
9. Bake. Bake for 38–42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (avoid the cream layer) and the top is golden. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 390 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 52g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 230mg