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Cinnamon Sugar Zucchini Coffee Cake

Cinnamon sugar zucchini coffee cake with a thick, crumbly cinnamon brown sugar streusel covering the entire top. Moist zucchini cake stays tender, and the layers are visible when sliced.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup zucchini grated and squeezed dry
Cinnamon Streusel
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp cold butter cubed

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x9 baking pan.
  2. Make cinnamon streusel by mixing all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then cutting in cold butter until crumbly.
  3. Refrigerate the streusel while you prepare the cake.
  4. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon for the cake until evenly combined.
  5. Beat granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  6. Stir in grated squeezed dry zucchini until the batter looks evenly speckled.
  7. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined, with no visible dry flour.
Assemble and Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the greased pan and spread into an even layer.
  2. Sprinkle half the streusel over the batter in an even, crumbly blanket.
  3. Swirl lightly through the top so ribbons of cake peek through the crumbs.
  4. Top with the remaining streusel, fully covering the surface for a thick crumb layer.
  5. Bake at 350°F for 35–42 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting so the crumb sets and slices cleanly.

Notes

For the tender crumb, squeeze the grated zucchini very dry so the cake bakes through without excess moisture. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days, or freeze slices up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a slightly lighter option, use low-fat sour cream in the same amount.