14 Coffee Cakes for Easy Holiday Get-Togethers

sour cream coffee cake baked in a bundt pan
Photo: Crin

With the holidays in full swing, dinner parties and cocktail gatherings likely already fill up the evenings on your calendar. So, what to do if you want to get together with still more friends and family without making a big fuss? How about an easy Christmas brunch? Or even a low-key "coffee break" party? Whether you go big or mellow, any of these holiday coffee cake recipes from our Allrecipes community of bakers will make a delicious part of a buffet or the perfect pairing for a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

01 of 15

Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake

a slice of cranberry- and pecan-topped coffee cake on a white plate with the rest of the cake in the background
Scott M.

"This cake is very delicious, moist, and not to mention absolutely beautiful," says community member ggglitch. "The tartness of the cranberries, the crunchiness of the nuts, and sweetness of the gooey topping complement each other extremely well."

02 of 15

Hot Orange Coffee Cake

1127512-hot-orange-coffee-cake-photo-by-kims-cooking-now
Kim's Cooking Now

This holiday coffee cake recipe combines in-season oranges with cinnamon to make a treat that can't help but make you feel cozy. It's simple and delicious, which is precisely what holiday gatherings need.

03 of 15

Cranberry Sour Cream Kuchen

cranberry sour cream kuchen
Baking Nana

This recipe draws raves from fellow cooks, who seems to have found a coffee cake fave with this sweet/tart treat. "Delicious! I made it for a Christmas party last Tuesday and will make it again for tomorrow," exclaims Cwilson.

04 of 15

Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Coffee Cake

Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Coffee Cake
Stephanie Abrams

The outside of this Bundt cake looks delicious and comforting, but the inside hides a spiral of spice. The best part about this holiday coffee cake? You can make it several days in advance, and as long as you store it properly, it'll be straight-from-the-oven delicious.

05 of 15

Plum Kuchen

1029506-plum-kuchen-photo-by-mauigirl
mauigirl

"Pflaumenkuchen (Plum Cake) is a very popular dish among Germans. My husband loves it so I made this recipe," says community member zweikinder. "The dough is stiff but seems in keeping with every other German Kuchen of this sort that I have made. It still came out light and tasty so don't worry about that aspect."

06 of 15

Sandy's Cranberry Coffee Cake

slice of cranberry coffee cake
Happyschmoopies

"We have this every Christmas and Easter morning, as well as for company," says recipe creator commanderl. "I have given it as a gift when we are house guests as well."

07 of 15

Kentucky Butter Cake

kentucky butter cake

Suzanne Stull's recipe for this buttery cake that's glazed with a buttery topping (seeing a theme here?) is a go-to for fellow Allrecipes community member TLRAN: "I've baked this cake at least a dozen times and always get rave reviews. The cake is very moist with great flavor, and tastes even better the next day!"

08 of 15

Apple Crumble Coffee Cake

slice of apple crumble coffee cake on a plate
Chef John's Apple Crumble Coffee Cake. Chef John

Chef John says this hybrid dessert is like baking a crumb-topped coffee cake on top of another coffee cake, so there's no doubt it's doubly delicious. He advises using Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples for the best flavor.

09 of 15

Cranberry-Hazelnut Coffee Cake

slice of cranberry hazelnut coffee cake on a plate
lutzflcat

"Delicious cake!" says reviewer NEWARKMOM. "I will definitely make it again, but would add more cranberries next time."

10 of 15

Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake

Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake
meryl

"I made this for Christmas morning and everyone loved it!" says reviewer KARAMEL. "Very moist and tasty. I added a orange glaze to the top made with powdered sugar and orange juice. It was a good complement to the cranberry. Will make this one again!"

11 of 15

Sour Cream Coffee Cake I

sour cream coffee cake baked in a bundt pan
Crin

Allrecipe community member Eileen shared this recipe from her mother-in-law. It has just the right amount of sweetness, says fellow member ALOW. "VERY good coffee cake! I made the glaze but instead of adding sprinkles, I sprinkled on some leftover chopped walnuts. It looked beautiful!"

12 of 15

Pecan Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Pecan Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Chef John

"For me, the best part about coffee cake is the crispy, crunchy, buttery crumbs," says Chef John. "So here I significantly upped the amounts used. Bake times will vary according to pan size and composition."

13 of 15

Dried Cherry Cake

8336683-dried-cherry-cake-photo-by-reneepaj
ReneePaj

Tart dried cherries and mild almond extract complement one another in this moist, elegant coffee cake. It's easy to make and very forgiving if you need to substitute something in for the vanilla yogurt.

14 of 15

Polish Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

coffee cake with cream cheese filling and streusel topping
Deb C

"Perfection!" says reviewer Christy Cooks. "One of the few recipes that make me wish there were more stars to pass out. Incredible not-too-sweet coffee cake!"

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