This Irish cream coffee cake is soft, buttery, and perfect with a cup of coffee. Irish cream adds a subtle boozy kick to the tender sour cream cake. A thick, crunchy cinnamon crumble and creamy Irish cream cheese glaze make it a festive breakfast treat for St. Patrick’s Day.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and mix with a fork until small clumps begin to form. The streusel will look soft and slightly wet. Chill uncovered in the refrigerator while you prepare the cake.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9-inch springform pan (or 9x9-inch square pan) with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes. The mixture should look pale, light, and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract until combined, then scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
Add the sour cream and Irish cream. Mix on medium speed until the batter is smooth and glossy.
120 grams sour cream, 120 grams Irish cream
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold them together with a rubber spatula until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear to avoid overmixing.
240 grams all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Add the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it into an even layer with an offset spatula. Break the streusel into small crumbles with a fork, then sprinkle it evenly over the top of the batter.
Bake for 25-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then release the springform sides (if using) and transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Icing
Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, Irish cream, and heavy cream together in a small bowl until smooth.
Drizzle the icing over the completely cooled coffee cake. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Measuring flour: Weigh the flour in grams with a kitchen scale for the best results. If using measuring cups, fluff the flour in the bag, then gently scoop it into the measuring cup. Once overflowing, swipe the excess back into the bag with the back of a knife.
Check the cake toward the earlier side of the bake time. The temperature of each oven can vary, and overbaking can dry out coffee cake. The center should spring back lightly when touched. If it isn't done, bake for another 5 minutes and check again.
If the streusel begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent the cake with foil during the last 10-15 minutes of baking.