Lemon Coffee Cake tastes like spring! The lemon zest filled cake has a moist crumb and is topped with a lemon cream cheese mixture and topped with a buttery crumb topping. It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert!
Who can say no to cake for breakfast?! Coffee cake is the perfect reason to indulge a little at breakfast time, and this Lemon Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Filling is absolutely delicious. It has spring written all over it, with the bright and cheery lemon flavoring and the cream cheese layer is irresistible.
Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is not only yummy, but it’s not as hard to make as it might seem. There are three components: the cake, the cream cheese filling, and the crumb topping. This cake also needs awhile to cool, so I would recommend making it the night before so you don’t have to impatiently wait in the morning!
Ingredients in Lemon Coffee Cake
This recipe for Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is made with pretty standard baking ingredients. The addition of lemon zest and lemon juice adds a bright lemon flavor to the cake and the cream cheese filling.
Butter
Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla
Milk
Flour
Baking Soda and Baking Powder
Lemon Juice
Lemon Zest
Cream Cheese
Brown Sugar
How to Make Lemon Coffee Cake
To begin, you make the cake layer. Beat together butter and sugar until nice and creamy. Next, you add the eggs and vanilla extract, followed by lemon juice, lemon zest, milk, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Lastly, fold in the flour. This mixture is poured into a greased springform pan. I love using a springform pan because then the cake easily comes out of the pan.
Next, make the cream cheese filling. Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, and egg. Spread it over the cake batter.
Last, make the crumb topping. I just don’t think coffee cake is complete without a crumb topping! Mix together melted butter, flour, sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Sprinkle it over the cream cheese layer. This cake is definitely heavy on the crumb topping!
Bake the cake in a 325 degree F oven for 38-42 minutes. The top should be golden and the cream cheese layer may still seem a little jiggy. Don’t worry – it will set up once it cools. Cool the cake completely, cut into slices, and enjoy!
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Lemon Layer Cake with Raspberry Filling
Lemon Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
Lemon Coffee Cake:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Lemon Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- zest from 1 lemon
Crumb Topping:
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
Coffee Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease a 9" springform pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until well combined.
- Add the vanilla, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and beat until combined.
- Add the flour, and fold in with spatula, mixing until just combined.
- Pour into prepared springform pan.
Lemon Cream Cheese Filling:
- In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and lemon until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over the cake, keeping it about 1/2" away from the edges so it doesn't touch the side of the pan.
Crumb Topping:
- In a medium bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and flour with a fork until well combined.
- Sprinkle over the top of the cream cheese layer.
- Bake the cake in the preheated oven until slightly golden on top, about 38-40 minutes. It will still seem a little jiggly in the middle due to the cream cheese layer but it will set up.
- Cool completely.
- Release from the springform pan. Cut and serve. Enjoy!
This looks perfect!
Thank you!