This post is generously sponsored by Natural Delights Medjool Dates and I was compensated for my time in creating this recipe. Thank you for supporting the brands that make The Recipe Rebel possible! When I think back to all of the good times I’ve had in my life, one that stands out is the day I found out it was actually acceptable to eat dessert for breakfast. 😉 Cinnamon Buns Recipe, monkey bread, baked lemon blueberry donuts, cinnamon roll bites, and of course coffee cake! Coffee cake is a sweet treat that’s designed to be served with coffee, which sounds to me like the perfect excuse to eat dessert first thing in the morning! This Medjool Date Coffee Cake one of my favorite coffee cake recipes to date (no pun intended.) 😉 It’s moist, dense, sweet, and is layered with filling made with Natural Delights Medjool dates and brown sugar. Now, if you’ve never experienced the magic of Medjool dates, then you are in for a real treat. Medjool dates are a fresh fruit and a superfood that can be used in both cooking and baking either as part of more savory recipes or in sweeter ones! They are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and natural sugars that gives them a super sweet, almost caramel-y flavor. They are also available all year round in the produce section of most grocery stores so don’t worry — you can eat this coffee cake any time of the year. 😉
What is coffee cake?
Coffee cake is a moist single-layer cake that’s typically flavored with fruit or cinnamon and topped with a streusel or glaze topping. It’s typically enjoyed with a cup of coffee (or tea), hence the name coffee cake!
Ingredients for Medjool date coffee cake
There are three simple components to this coffee cake recipe!
Medjool Date filling:
Natural Delights Medjool Dates: you’ll need about 28 Medjool dates for this recipe. Water: boiled with the dates to help soften them into the filling. Brown Sugar: gives the filling a touch of extra sweetness to accentuate the sweetness of the dates. Lemon Juice: cuts the sweetness with a bright, tangy flavor. Baking Soda: helps to soften the dates so they form a smooth filling
Coffee cake
Greek Yogurt: a lot of coffee cake recipes use sour cream to add moisture. In this recipe, we’re using plain Greek yogurt instead. It still adds so much moisture and that delicious tangy flavor, but is a little bit of a lighter option. Brown Sugar: adds warm sweetness and results in an ultra moist cake. Canola Oil: I don’t recommend using a different type of oil. Canola oil has a neutral flavor that doesn’t over-take the flavor of the coffee cake and adds great moisture. Eggs: binds the ingredients together so the cake can hold its shape. Vanilla Extract: adds flavor depth and a bit of extra sweetness. All-Purpose Flour: provides the coffee cake its structure. Baking Powder and Baking Soda: gives the cake a little lift so it doesn’t get way too dense as it bakes. Salt: brings out the other flavors of the coffee cake.
Streusel:
All-Purpose Flour and Brown Sugar: a sweet and fluffy base for the crumble topping Salted Butter: melted and mixed with the flour and sugar to give the topping its crumbly texture.
How to make Medjool date coffee cake
The magic of coffee cake is the topping is baked with it. Unlike other cakes, you don’t have to cool it fully to frost it. Once it’s done baking, you can just slice it and serve!
Variations on this recipe
Add nuts. Give the cake a bit of crunch with a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans. Frost it. Traditional coffee cake isn’t frosted, but if you want to give it even more sweetness feel free to top it off with a cream cheese glaze of your favorite frosting. If you’re doing this, make sure you cool the cake completely so the frosting doesn’t melt. Spice it up. This coffee cake is plenty flavorful but if you want to give it more of a spice cake flavor, feel free to sprinkle in some cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Remember, a little goes a long way! Make coffee cake muffins. You can use this same batter to make coffee cake muffins too! Fill a greased muffin pan about ½ full with batter, add a swirl of filling and top with more batter. Sprinkle with streusel, and bake for 20-25 minutes instead!
How to store
Leftover coffee cake will last at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for 2-3 months. To enjoy again, thaw in the fridge or at room temperature if frozen, then serve at room temperature or warm in the microwave or oven until heated through.
More coffee cake recipes you’ll love
Blueberry Coffee Cake Apple Coffee Cake with Crumb Topping Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
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