6 Soft Breakfast Cakes With Pastry-Shop Appeal

Coffee, cocoa, and cardamom give these tender breakfast cakes their range. Start with a no-fuss loaf, choose a milk-based sponge, or try your hand at a yeasted spiral.

Coffee pound cake brings coffee's distinctive aroma to a soft breakfast loaf. This egg-free recipe gives you a straightforward cake to add to your morning rotation. A chocolate glaze adds a sweeter finish to the coffee-scented crumb.

Pro tip: you can skip the glaze and finish your loaf with powdered sugar instead.

Hot milk and coffee cake pairs the delicate texture of hot milk sponge with the aroma of coffee. Choose this easy variation when you want a sponge cake for breakfast. Its defining pleasure is the especially soft crumb, with coffee woven into the cake itself.

Pro tip: you can fill the cake with chantilly cream or chocolate cream for a richer version.

Tiramisu bundt cake, a soft mascarpone cake, borrows its coffee-and-cocoa character from the familiar dessert. Bake it for breakfast, or save a slice for an afternoon snack. Swirls of cocoa and coffee give each slice its tiramisu-inspired appeal.

Pro tip: you can replace a portion of the coffee with an equal amount of cognac or brandy.

Coffee and milk loaf cake puts a familiar breakfast pairing into a tender cake. The simple loaf recipe makes it a practical choice for everyday baking. Coffee gives the milk-based cake its aromatic character, without a swirl or filling.

Pro tip: you can add grated chocolate or chocolate shavings; skip chips, which may sink in the soft batter.

Coffee Water Cake keeps the texture soft and light while letting coffee's aroma lead. This easy-to-prepare cake uses neither butter nor eggs. A powdered sugar finish adds sweetness without competing with the coffee.

Pro tip: you can infuse freshly made coffee with cardamom pods as it cools, then strain them out before combining the coffee with sugar.

Coffee Spiral Cake curls into a rose-shaped pastry scented with coffee and cardamom. Choose this yeasted bake when you want to move beyond a breakfast loaf. A cinnamon-scented filling brings another layer of spice to the spiral.

Pro tip: you can swap the cardamom for a pinch of ginger to change the spice note.