Name: Best Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour; 2 teaspoons bakign powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup softened butter; 1/2 cup oil (I use canola, but use whatever you like. This helps to tenderize the cake.); 1 cup granulated sugar (or other granulated sugar of choice); 3 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt); 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; dash salt; 1/4 cup chilled butter, cut in 1/4 inch chunks; 3/4 cup chopped pecans (you can also use walnuts if you prefer)

Jump to Recipe

Best Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake. Who doesn’t love a moist piece of coffee cake for breakfast? The richness of the flavors in this recipe can really boost my mood in the morning. This is a healthier version of a classic coffee cake because it uses 25% less sugar than traditional recipes. If you want to know my secret behind making the best cinnamon pecan coffee cake, you have come to the right place.

Wheat Recommendations

For most of my quick bread, cakes, and cookies I love to use soft winter wheat. Why? It has lower protein levels and makes for much more tender baked goods. You can always buy your whole wheat pastry flour. I prefer to buy my soft winter wheat from Farm Fresh Wheat. Then I use my Nutrimill for grinding. I also like to use a partial whole wheat approach with 50% whole wheat flour, 50% all-purpose. Why? I find this is more pleasing to the palate of a lot of people. Any improvement is food improvement.

woman measuring whole wheat pastry flour from ceramic bowl to glass bowl

Streusel How-To

A really great part of this coffee cake is the streusel. Streusel is simple to make, and I love to not only use it on the top but also half in the middle of the cake as well. I also like to use the whole wheat pastry flour in the streusel as well.

woman cutting in butter in s glass bowl for struesel

Mixing The Best Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

This cake is very simple to put together. Combine your dry ingredients, wet ingredients in a separate bowl, and the streusel in another. Then combine the wet and dry, mixing only to combine.

Pour half the batter into a prepared pan. You can line with parchment, but I decided to simply spray, this coffee cake releases pretty easy!

woman pouring coffee cake batter into 9x9 baking pan for baking.

Add half your streusel in the middle. Then pour on the remaining batter. Last, top with the remaining streusel.

woman adding streusel to coffee cake in a 9x9 metal pan

Baking The Best Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

Whenever you bake a whole grain baked good, you always need to be mindful of overbaking. There is a process called carry-over cooking, which means the residual heat from the food will continue to cook it even when it is removed from the heat source. This is really important to note when you are baking with whole grains as they absorb more moisture than refined flours. How to solve this? Under bake just slightly.

Here is the finished cake. Baked to perfection and totally delicious!

In case you didn't know, whole grains are my thing and I have plenty of other ideas for you to try if you are interested.

4 from 4 votes

Best Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

Are you looking for a whole wheat version of the classic coffee cake? This is a great partial wheat recipe everyone will love. It it light, tender and so delicious. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword whole wheat baked goods, whole wheat baking, whole wheat coffee cake

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings servings

Author Amy- A Red Spatula

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons bakign powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup softened butter
½ cup oil I use canola, but use whatever you like. This helps to tenderize the cake.
1 cup granulated sugar or other granulated sugar of choice
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Steusel

½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash salt
¼ cup chilled butter, cut in ¼ inch chunks
¾ cup chopped pecans you can also use walnuts if you prefer

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 9x9 pan and set it aside.
In a small bowl combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In another small bowl, combine all ingredients for the streusel. With a pastry cutter or your hands, blend the butter. Set aside.
In another, larger bowl, combine the butter, oil, and sugar. Beat with a hand mixer, or by hand, until it is light. Add in your eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Blend to combine.
Add your dry ingredients to your wet and mix to combine.
Pour half the batter into your prepared cake pan. Sprinkle over half your streusel mix. Pour over your remaining batter, then top again with the remaining streusel.
Place in pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Test with a toothpick. You will want it to be just SLIGHTLY underbaked. When you remove the cake from the oven, it will still continue to cook with the residual heat of the cake.
Allow it to cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. Invert the cake to remove, then invert again to get it right side up.
It is delicious eaten right away while it is warm, or it is just as good cooled.
The leftover can be stored at room temp for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or, I like to freeze it, wrapped well, for up to 14 days. Simply reheat in the microwave.
Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!