Recipe Summary
Enjoy this delicious Cream Cheese Coffee Cake! With a golden cake like crust and a luscious baked cream cheese topping finally dusted with powdered sugar.
It’s all full of gooey yumminess …
Cream Cheese Coffee Cake!
Cream cheese coffee cake starts with a yellow cake mix base and a sweet, baked cream cheese topping, finished with powdered sugar. Expect a golden crust and a soft center.
This cake is SO good! My mom got the recipe from a neighbor when I was a wee little girl (yes I said wee). It’s had many names through the years and in our family we always referred to it as Columbus Cake. No idea why. Maybe it was all the rave in Columbus, GA during the 60’s and 70’s. But what I do know is that our friends lived in Columbus, GA for a while so maybe it was where she first heard of this Cake.
My brother and I would frequently beg for mom to make this dessert. My favorite part is the CORNER piece where it’s slightly chewy, gorgeous! I have been known to be fairly cranky if you touch my corner piece. Touch it and things could get messy *mine mine mine* 😉
Goodness me! Do you see that drool worthy gooey top??? It’s mighty good stuff! Cream Cheese. POWDERED SUGAR. Heaven.
Tips for this cream cheese coffee cake
Use softened cream cheese for the topping so it blends smoothly. Keep its time out of the refrigerator within two hours, or one hour if the room is above 90°F.
The cake mix forms a stiff bottom layer. For the topping, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time and start the mixer on low so it stays in the bowl.
Use one of the pan sizes in the recipe card. A smaller dish makes the layers deeper and can change how they bake. Look for the card’s lightly golden surface and slight cracks on top; a clean toothpick is not the cue for this soft cream cheese topping.
If you survive and come out of the kitchen unscathed, unlike me, then such a treat awaits! The golden cake like crust with a luscious baked cream cheese topping then dusted with powdered sugar (be careful of that stuff and DON’T inhale!). Serve it up with your favorite coffee or tea (best at room temperature) and enjoy every morsel.
Make ahead and storage
You can bake this cake the evening before. Let it cool, then cover and refrigerate it promptly at 40°F or below. Do not leave it on the counter overnight.
The cream cheese and egg topping needs refrigeration. Keep the cake covered in the fridge between servings, and limit its total time at room temperature to two hours, or one hour above 90°F. Let an individual slice lose its chill before serving rather than leaving the whole pan out.
Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Ingredients Â
MethodÂ
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and Flour either a rectangle 8 1/2 x 11 or 9 x 13 baking dish. (Do not use a smaller size or it will not bake as well)
- In large bowl, mix together Cake Mix, melted Butter and beaten Eggs until it's a stiff batter.
- Spoon out and spread in prepared Baking Dish.
- In large bowl, mix together the softened Cream Cheese, Eggs and all but 1 Tablespoon of the Powdered Sugar. (Add Powdered Sugar 1 cup at time until well blended.)
- Spread over bottom layer.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes until lightly golden brown and started to slightly crack on top.
- Remove from oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes.
- Sift remaining 1 Tablespoon of Powdered Sugar over top of cake.
- After the initial cooling period, cover and refrigerate the cake promptly at 40°F or below. Keep refrigerated between servings. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than two hours total, or one hour above 90°F.
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