This Medjool Date Coffee Cake made with a moist coffee cake base, a layer of sweet and fruity Medjool date and brown sugar filling and a crumbly streusel topping! It’s an extra special breakfast or dessert for any time of the year!
Table of Contents
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!
- Make the filling: In a medium pot, combine all filling ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to medium-low, and cook until tender. Mash with a potato masher, then set aside to cool.
- Mix the cake batter: Whisk together yogurt, brown sugar, and oil. Add eggs and vanilla, then whisk in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Assemble the cake: Spread half of the cake batter into a greased and parchment paper-lined 9×13″ baking pan. Spread the cooled date filling over top, then layer on the rest of the batter.
- Make the topping: In a medium bowl, stir together all streusel topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over the cake.
- Bake the cake: Bake the assembled coffee cake at 350ºF for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Remove, cool for 15 minutes, then serve or store in the fridge.
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
Medjool Date Coffee Cake
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Medjool Date Filling
- 3 cups Medjool Dates (pitted and chopped) about 375 grams or 28 dates
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
Coffee Cake
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- ½ cup canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour (fluffed and spooned into the cup – 260 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Streusel
- 1¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ½ cup melted salted butter
Instructions
Medjool Date Filling
- Combine dates, water, brown sugar, lemon juice and baking soda in a medium pot.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and cook on a low boil until tender. Mash with a potato masher and set aside to cool slightly.
Coffee Cake
- Lightly grease a 9×13" pan (line with parchment paper if desired — this just ensures it can be removed easily). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, brown sugar and oil.
- Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk just until combined.
- Spread half of coffee cake batter into prepared pan.
- Spread cooled date filling over the batter and top with remaining batter. Leave a little space at the edge to prevent the filling from running out and try to seal the filling between the bottom and top layers of batter. The batter is thick and can be a little tricky to spread evenly, but do your best! Even if it's not perfect it will still be delicious.
Streusel
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar and melted butter until crumbly (it will become more crumbly as the butter cools).
- Sprinkle evenly over cake.
- Bake for about 60 minutes (you may need a few minutes more or less depending on the temperature of your oven, size and type of pan), until the center is completely set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cover with foil for the last 20 minutes if the top browns too quickly.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. For clean slices, letting set for a day in the fridge is best.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Want to save this recipe?
Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again.
Tried this recipe?
Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel — I love to see what you’re making!
Tag @thereciperebel
Libby says
Really yummy! I TRIPLED this recipe because I had several events in one day that I was supposed to bring food to. I ended up filling (almost to spilling over) a 9×13 and TWO 9 inch round cake pans! I added lemon extract to the glaze for what I THOUGHT would be extra oomph, but it ended up being gross. I tossed that and just made the glaze over again….
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Libby! Thanks for the feedback about the lemon extract. Glad you enjoyed the cake!
Victoria Wilcox says
Just making but noticed there is no actual coffee in the cake? Is this right.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Victoria, coffee cake is a term and the origin dates back to the 17th century. The cake is meant to be served with coffee or tea. Hope that helps!
Jean Johns says
Hello Ashley:
Just purchase some Medjool Dates & I’m looking forward to snacking on them & using them in recipes.
Your coffee looks yummy. Will be making it this week. I have one question, on your nutritional values what is the serving size?
Thanks,
Jean
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jean! There are 12 servings to the cake.
Annette McDonald says
Thankyou for your recipes. All the ones l have made and tried are so yummy.
Your directions are easy to follow.
Wishing you, your family and friends a Happy Christmas andan awesome New Year.
Regards Annette. 🎄🎅🙏
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Annette! Thank you so much! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!