Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake with Vanilla Icing

This Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake is warm, spiced, and incredibly moist and tender. Finished with a streusel topping and sweet vanilla icing, it’s the perfect sweet treat!

this recipe

Why You’ll Love This Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake 

If you’ve never tested baked goods with Greek yogurt before, prepare to be amazed. The acidity helps the cake batter rise, becoming soft and fluffy. Then, it adds extra moisture and a subtle tang, creating a tender crumb and incredible taste. 

Combine it with the sweet sugar and warm cinnamon in this coffee cake with Greek yogurt, and there’s truly nothing better. Enjoy a slice with a warm cup of coffee in the morning, and you’ll feel like you’re in a fancy café. 

More Ways to Use Greek Yogurt

• Greek Yogurt Chicken 
• Greek Yogurt Pancakes 
• Greek Yogurt French Onion Dip
• Curry Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
• Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip

Recipe Ingredients

• Dark Brown Sugar: this adds sweetness and a rich, molasses flavor. 
• Flour: I use all-purpose flour in the cinnamon layer, streusel topping, and cake batter. I’ve included notes below on how to keep this Greek yogurt coffee cake gluten free, if needed. 
• Ground Cinnamon: a staple in any coffee cake recipe, this adds sweetness and warmth to every layer. 
• Salt: it may seem counterintuitive to add salt to a sweet cake batter, but it is very needed. A bit of salt helps to give all of your baked goods the best flavor.
• Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter when baking. 
• Greek Yogurt: this keeps the coffee cake moist and tender! I like to use whole milk Greek yogurt for this recipe, but you could swap it for low-fat if you prefer.
• Vanilla Extract: a must-have in any baked good!
• Eggs: you’ll need two large eggs to give the cake some stability.
• Granulated Sugar: sweetens the cake batter.
• Milk: helps combine the ingredients and adds a bit of moisture to the cake. 
• Confectioner’s Sugar: this sweetens the icing, melting into the milk without causing it to become grainy. 

Ingredient Substitutions 

• Milk – I use full-fat milk for the richest taste, but low-fat will also work. Or, use unsweetened almond milk or your favorite plant-based milk if needed. 
• Yogurt – you can substitute sour cream. Need to keep these pancakes dairy free? Swap the Greek yogurt with your favorite dairy-free yogurt instead! 
• Brown Sugar – you can swap the brown sugar for coconut sugar if you prefer.
• Flour – need to keep this recipe entirely gluten free? you can swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten free cup for cup flour instead. My favorite gluten free flour replacement to use is CUP 4 CUP GLUTEN FREE FLOUR. It always work well for me as a 1 to 1 swap for all-purpose flour. Please note that you cannot substitute almond flour, coconut flour, or cassava flour 1:1 in this recipe.

How to Make a Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake 

Step One: Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.

Step Two: Make the Cinnamon Layer. Add the dark brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and ground cinnamon to a small bowl. Stir until well combined.

Step Three: Make the Streusel Topping. Next, add the melted butter, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, and salt to a small mixing bowl. Stir until well combined and a crumbly consistency forms. Then, set aside. 

Step Four: Make the Coffee Cake Batter. Add the melted butter, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and milk to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Then, whisk the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a second bowl. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients until you have a thick cake batter. 

Step Five: Assemble and Bake. Transfer half the batter to the prepared baking dish, and spread it out in an even layer. Next, sprinkle the cinnamon layer evenly over the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the top, smoothing it out evenly. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the cake. 

Step Six: Bake. Transfer the coffee cake to the oven, and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Step Seven: Make the Vanilla Icing. While the cake bakes, whisk the confectioner’s sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. 

Step Eight: Cool and Ice. Let your Greek yogurt coffee cake cool for about 15-20 minutes. Then, drizzle the icing over the top while the cake is still warm. Slice it into squares, and enjoy! 

How to Store and Reheat 

Store: If you plan to eat the coffee cake within a few days, you can leave it wrapped tightly or in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days. If you would like the cake to last a bit longer, you can wrap it tightly and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

Freezing: You can also freeze this coffee cake! First, slice the cake into even slices. Then, wrap them individually in food-safe plastic wrap. Transfer the cake slices to a freezer-safe storage bag. Store the sliced cake for up to three months. If you are freezing, I recommend waiting to put any of the icing on the cake until after it is thawed.

Reheat: You can reheat a slice of the coffee cake from frozen in a 350-degree oven until warmed through. I like to wrap the cake in a bit of aluminum foil before placing it in the oven to reheat. To reheat out of the fridge, you can place a slice in the microwave for 15-30 seconds at a time until it is warmed through. 

More Coffee Cake Recipes

• Apple Coffee Cake
• Banana Coffee Cake with Peanut Butter Icing
• Pumpkin Coffee Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake
• Brown Butter Orange Cinnamon Coffee Cake
• Sweet Potato Coffee Cake with Sweet Orange Icing

I hope you give this Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake a try! It’s soft, moist, and sweet! If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.

Print

Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: The Mindful Hapa