National Coffee Cake Day

Whether it’s a sponge cake that is actually flavored with coffee in the European tradition, or a more modern American version that simply refers to a sweet cake that is meant to be eaten while drinking coffee, there’s no question that coffee cake is a delightful treat that anyone can enjoy. 

Take some time on this National Coffee Cake Day to bring some attention and honor to this scrumptious baked specialty!

History of National Coffee Cake Day

Coffee cake brings along with it a tradition that likely dates back to 17th century Germany. Originally, these cakes would have been made with coffee as an actual ingredient. These might have been baked in two circular layers, separated by deliciously sweet coffee butter icing and perhaps topped with walnuts.

In the more recent American tradition, coffee cakes are often made in a single layer, flavored with cinnamon or perhaps some fruit. They may contain streusel which is the German word for “sprinkling”, that often indicates the presence of a topping made from butter, sugar and flour. But, even though the name is coffee cake, these typically don’t contain coffee at all. Presumably, the name comes from the fact that these cakes are meant to be served as an accompaniment to coffee.

National Coffee Cake Day was founded with the purpose of calling attention to the delightful simplicity of these cakes and paying them the respect that they deserve!

How to Celebrate National Coffee Cake Day

A delicious and delightful day to get involved with, National Coffee Cake Day offers all sorts of ideas and opportunities for anyone to celebrate. Get started with some of these:

Bake Some Coffee Cake

Actually, as cakes go, coffee cakes are typically a fairly simple recipe that doesn’t require a great deal of fuss. In modern times, many recipes allow them to be made with a simple cheat by using a boxed cake mix and then adding some other ingredients. From cinnamon and brown sugar streusel to fruit and jams, coffee cakes offer a wide range of enjoyment for different tastes, preferences and dedicated sweet tooths.

Other options for National Coffee Cake Day might include using a sourdough starter, trying it with cornmeal or spelt, or even adding some ricotta cheese to the mix. Those who are experts in the kitchen might want to take this opportunity to make up their own signature coffee cake recipe by exploring a number of different varieties.

Host a Coffee Cake Party

Once that favorite coffee cake recipe has been perfected, perhaps it would be fun to celebrate National Coffee Cake Day by inviting some friends over for a little celebration of the day. This could be a simple gathering of friends to enjoy some coffee cake made by the host, or it could be a more competitive affair where everyone makes their best recipe and it turns into a coffee cake bake-off. Whatever the case, the best part about it is that there will always be more coffee cake to eat!