Grandpa’s “Fruity Pebbles” Coffee Cake

 
Throughout my childhood, my grandparents flew out to visit us once or twice a year. During every visit, Grandpa would bang around in the kitchen one morning after drinking his coffee, pulling out measuring cups and mixing bowls to make his famous cowboy coffee cake.  

Despite the overpowering temptation to eat cake for breakfast, my brother and I turned up our noses at Grandpa’s treat. He studded it with raisins, but we only nibbled on those in trail mix or oatmeal cookies. Not cake!

Yet Grandpa refused to cook a separate breakfast just for us grandkids, so on his next visit, he rummaged around in the pantry until he found an acceptable substitute.

After 45 minutes of microwaving (yes, microwaving, not baking in a conventional oven; that was part of his magic!), Grandpa cut out two big pieces and set the plates in front of us. We poked at the speckles, confused by his handiwork.
 

 
“Grandpa, what are those?”

“Fruity Pebbles,” he replied with a twinkle in his eye. “Don’t you kids like those?”

To this day, Grandpa still makes our coffee cake with Fruity Pebbles, even though my brother and I both qualify as full-fledged adults. (And we ask for a second slice every time!)
 

 
This Fruity Pebbles “funfetti” coffee cake is my version of his original recipe! I lightened it up with a few simple swaps, yet it still has the exact same sweet and cozy flavors. It’s just as easy to make as his original cowboy coffee cake too!

For this particular coffee cake, you’ll start by making the streusel. I used less butter than my grandpa did, but this smaller amount still creates soft, cozy, cinnamon-spiced crumbs. (They were our other favorite part, after the Fruity Pebbles!)

In the cake batter, I also reduced the butter to make it low calorie (compared to his original recipe!). To compensate, you’ll stir in Greek yogurt. It adds the same moisture as extra butter or oil — but for a fraction of the calories — so your coffee cake will still be just as soft and tender. The Greek yogurt adds a protein boost too!

Just like my grandpa’s coffee cake, you’ll mix three spices into the batter: cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The cinnamon creates that familiar cozy flavor, while the nutmeg and cloves add an extra layer of richness and warmth. I highly recommend using all three! It was one of his secret tricks and yielded the best taste.

Finally, the star of the show… The Fruity Pebbles! I know. It seems really strange to pair a rainbow-colored fruity breakfast cereal with those three spices… And a cinnamon crumb topping too. But somehow, that flavor combination just worked. Perhaps it was my grandpa’s baking magic — but even now, decades later, we still think it tastes better than the raisin-filled original!

Note: You can absolutely substitute raisins, if you’d prefer a more classic cowboy coffee cake. I won’t judge — I promise! (But I may end up eating your slice of this Fruity Pebbles coffee cake…)
 

 
Time to grab a fork and dig in! And when you make your own, would you mind leaving a comment and rating the recipe? (You can also snap a picture and share it with me on Facebook!) I’d love to hear what you think of this Fruity Pebbles coffee cake!

Fruity Pebbles "Funfetti" Coffee Cake

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 1 coffee cake (9 square slices)

My family loves this moist crumb-topped breakfast cake filled with spices — and my grandpa’s secret ingredient! I lightened up my grandpa's original recipe with a few simple swaps. This version still has the same irresistible flavors, and it’s just as easy to make! It can be eaten warm or cold (but my mom would suggest warming it up and adding a little butter on top!). Leftover coffee cake should keep for at least four days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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Ingredients 

FOR THE STREUSEL

• 3 tbsp (45g) all-purpose flour (measured like this)
• 2 tbsp (24g) light brown sugar
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp (14g) butter, cold and cubed

FOR THE CAKE

• 1¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour (measured like this)
• ½ cup (60g) whole wheat flour (measured like this)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 2 tbsp (24g) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup (144g) light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp (30g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp (150mL) nonfat milk
• ⅓ cup (12g) Fruity Pebbles cereal

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat an 8”-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• To prepare the streusel, stir together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter (highly recommended!) or the back of a fork until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Set aside.
• To prepare the cake, whisk together the all-purpose flour and next 6 ingredients (through ground cloves) in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the yogurt, egg, and vanilla, mixing well. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.) Gently fold in the Fruity Pebbles.
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan, and evenly sprinkle the streusel topping on top. (The streusel typically clumps a LOT, so break it up into really small pieces as you go!) Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs attached. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It's really important to measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much flour will make your cake dry, instead of soft and moist.

 

FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat flour. (I haven't tried substituting anything for the all-purpose flour yet, but I'll update the recipe once I do!)

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

 

FRUITY PEBBLES NOTE + ALTERNATIVE: Fruity Pebbles is an American breakfast cereal. It's my family's favorite way to make this coffee cake!

 

If you prefer, raisins may be substituted for the Fruity Pebbles for a more traditional coffee cake. I highly recommend hydrating your raisins first. It makes them really plump and juicy! To do so, add the raisins to a microwave-safe bowl, cover them with water, and cover the top of the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Let the raisins sit for 10-15 minutes (or while you measure and mix together the rest of the ingredients). Thoroughly drain the excess liquid before folding them into the batter.

 

HOW TO STORE: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last for at least four days (if not longer!). I highly recommend reheating individual slices in the microwave briefly before eating. I love what it does to their taste and texture!

 

{low fat}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake
♡  Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake
♡  Peach Streusel Coffee Cake
♡  Dark Chocolate Cranberry Coffee Cake
♡  …and more of Amy’s healthy breakfast and snack cake recipes!