This Seattle Coffee Mug Cake Recipe is a unique and moist recipe, which uses sweet dinner rolls and rich instant espresso. It’s the perfect brunch centerpiece, ready in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Jump to RecipeSeattle Coffee Mug Cake Recipe Ingredients
- Butter, for pan
- Flour, for pan
- 7 sweet dinner rolls (recommended: King’s Hawaiian)
- 1 box (1-pound, 14-ounces) cinnamon swirl coffee cake mix (recommended: Pillsbury)
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs, divided
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
How To Make Seattle Coffee Mug Cake Recipe
- Prep the oven and pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan or a square baking dish to prevent the sticky rolls from adhering to the pan.
- Prepare the rolls: Slice about 1-inch off the tops of the sweet dinner rolls. Tear these tops into rough 1-inch pieces and set them aside for the pudding layer. Place the bottoms of the rolls, cut side up, evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Make the coffee cake batter: In a large bowl, combine the coffee cake batter mix (set the cinnamon swirl packet aside for later), hot water, instant espresso powder, vegetable oil, and 2 of the eggs. Beat with a mixer until well blended and smooth.
- Create the bread pudding layer: In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 1 egg with the whole milk and sugar until blended. Add the reserved torn roll tops to this milk mixture and set aside, allowing the bread to soak up the liquid.
- Assemble the base layers: Pour half of the prepared coffee cake batter over the roll bottoms arranged in the pan. Sprinkle the entire contents of the cinnamon swirl packet evenly over this batter layer.
- Add final layers and swirl: Pour the soaked bread pudding mixture over the cinnamon swirl layer. Finally, pour the remaining cake batter over the top of everything. Using a skewer or a chopstick, gently swirl the batters and bread layers together a few times to create a marbled effect.
- Bake and cool: Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 25 minutes to set the structure.
- Serve: Invert the warm cake onto a platter. For a fun presentation, place individual slices inside coffee mugs and serve warm.
Recipe Tips
- Why use King’s Hawaiian rolls: These rolls are distinctly sweet and soft. When soaked in the custard mixture, they create a texture similar to bread pudding that contrasts beautifully with the crumb of the coffee cake.
- Espresso intensity: The teaspoon of instant espresso enhances the chocolate/cinnamon notes without making the cake taste overwhelmingly like coffee. You can increase it to 2 teaspoons if you want a stronger “Seattle” kick.
- Don’t over-swirl: When marbling the batter and bread mixture, swirl only a few times. If you mix too much, the layers will muddy together, and you will lose the distinct pockets of cinnamon and custard.
- Cooling is critical: Because this cake contains a custard-soaked bread layer, it is very soft when hot. The 25-minute cooling period allows the pudding layer to firm up so the cake doesn’t collapse when inverted.
What To Serve With Seattle Coffee Mug Cake
This rich, carb-heavy treat is best served with lighter or creamy accompaniments.
- A hot latte or cappuccino
- Fresh fruit salad
- Whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Crispy bacon (for a sweet and savory brunch)
How To Store Seattle Coffee Mug Cake Recipe
- Refrigerate: Because of the milk and egg “bread pudding” component, it is safer to store leftovers in the refrigerator. Keep in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Microwave individual slices for 20-30 seconds to restore the soft, warm texture.
- Freeze: This cake can be frozen, though the texture of the bread layer may change slightly. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.
Seattle Coffee Mug Cake Recipe Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 380
- Total Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
- Sodium: 420mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 54g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 28g
- Protein: 6g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Why put dinner rolls in a cake?
This recipe is a hybrid of coffee cake and bread pudding. The rolls absorb the custard liquid, creating gooey, moist pockets inside the fluffy cake mix structure.
Can I use decaf espresso?
Absolutely. You can use decaf instant coffee or espresso powder if you want the depth of flavor without the caffeine buzz.
Can I make this in a standard 9×13 pan?
Yes, a 9×13 baking dish works well. You won’t need to invert it; simply slice squares directly from the pan. Check for doneness around the 40-minute mark.
Seattle Coffee Mug Cake Recipe
Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: EasyServings
12
servingsPrep time
20
minutesCooking time
45
minutesCalories
380
kcalThis Seattle Coffee Mug Cake is a creative mash-up of cinnamon coffee cake and sweet bread pudding, infused with espresso and served warm in mugs.
Ingredients
Butter, for pan
Flour, for pan
7 sweet dinner rolls (King’s Hawaiian)
1 box (1-pound, 14-ounces) cinnamon swirl coffee cake mix
3/4 cup hot water
1 teaspoon instant espresso
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, divided
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan.
- Slice tops off rolls and tear into pieces. Place roll bottoms in the pan.
- Mix cake mix (reserve swirl packet), hot water, espresso, oil, and 2 eggs.
- Whisk remaining egg, milk, and sugar; soak torn roll pieces in this mixture.
- Pour half the cake batter over roll bottoms.
- Sprinkle cinnamon swirl packet over batter.
- Pour soaked bread mixture over cinnamon layer.
- Top with remaining cake batter.
- Swirl gently with a skewer.
- Bake for 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 25 minutes, invert, and serve warm in mugs.
Notes
- Serving: While serving in a mug is the namesake presentation, it can easily be plated normally.
- Cake Mix: If you can’t find a cinnamon swirl mix, use a yellow cake mix and create your own swirl with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon.
- Texture: Expect a texture that is part cake, part custard-soaked bread pudding.
