Baharat Coffee Cake

Warm Spice, Soft Crumb, and a Bakery-Style Finish

This coffee cake takes a classic and gives it a deeply aromatic twist with Baharat, layered through a brown sugar swirl and echoed again in the final finish. The crumb topping bakes up golden and tender, and a final dusting of powdered sugar—followed by a light sprinkle of Baharat—ties everything together in both flavor and presentation.

That last step is what makes this feel like something you’d find in a pastry case: simple, beautiful, and just a little unexpected.

Ingredients (makes one loaf pan or 9-inch cake)

Cake Batter
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons (6 g) baking powder (if baking at altitude, use ¾ tsp or 3 g)
¼ teaspoon (1 g) salt
⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup (60 g) yogurt
⅔ cup (160 g) milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon (15 g) vanilla paste

Brown Sugar Filling
1¼ cups (250 g) light brown sugar
1 tablespoon (10 g) Baharat spice blend (get the recipe)
Zest of 1 orange
Pinch of salt

Crumb Topping
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (140 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (145 g) light brown sugar
1½ teaspoons (3 g) ground cinnamon
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a cake pan with parchment. You can also use a loaf pan for this as well.

In a small bowl, rub together the brown sugar, Baharat, orange zest, and salt until fragrant and evenly combined. Set aside.

To make the crumb topping, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and stir until fully moistened. Using your hands, gently rub and roll the mixture until small clumps form. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add the egg and yogurt, mixing well and scraping the bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk with vanilla, starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined, then scrape the bowl and mix briefly again.

Spread a thin layer of batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle an even layer of the brown sugar filling over the batter. Add the remaining batter and smooth the top.

Scatter the crumb topping evenly over the surface.

Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until golden and set in the center.

Let cool before slicing and serving.

Once the cake has cooled completely, dust generously with powdered sugar.

Finish with a light sprinkle of Baharat over the top, focusing slightly toward the center to create a subtle “mound” of spice. This not only looks beautiful but reinforces the warm spice notes in every bite.

Storage

Store at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. This cake also freezes well for up to 1 month.