If you’re looking for a tender, buttery cake with a cinnamon-sugar swirl and sweet crumb topping, this Sour Cream Coffee Cake checks all the boxes. The sour cream keeps the cake incredibly moist, while the rich cinnamon layers add just the right touch of cozy spice. It’s simple enough for a weekend breakfast but delicious enough to serve at a special brunch or holiday gathering—no frosting needed, just a fork and a warm mug nearby.
This recipe was slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour.
Ingredients Needed
- For the Cake:
- butter – softened
- white sugar
- eggs – we always recommend large for baking
- vanilla extract
- white flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- full-fat sour cream or plain yogurt – light will also work okay, but don’t use fat-free
- For the Topping:
- white sugar
- brown sugar
- walnuts or pecans – optional
- vanilla extract
- cinnamon
- Equipment:
- You can make this in a tube pan, or a 9×9 pan. I feel it comes out better in the square pan.
How to Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9-inch pan.
- Mix butter, eggs, vanilla, and sugar until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
- Alternately mix flour mixture and sour cream into the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with flour.
- In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients.
- Spread half the batter in the pan, sprinkle with half the topping, then repeat with remaining batter and topping.
- Bake 30–45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool 20–30 minutes before slicing. Store leftovers covered.
Storage & Other Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients: Make sure your butter, eggs, and sour cream are all at room temperature. This helps them mix more evenly and gives you a smoother batter.
- Don’t over-mix: Once you start combining the dry ingredients with the wet, mix until just combined. Over-mixing can lead to a dense, tough cake.
- Layer with care: When layering the batter and streusel, use an offset spatula gently.
- Storing at room temperature (best): After fully cooling, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–5 days. Refrigeration can dry it out.
- Freezing (long-term): Wrap slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2–3 months.
- Thawing: Move frozen cake to the fridge to thaw overnight, or leave it at room temperature for a few hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can double the recipe and bake it in a 9×13-inch pan. You may need to increase the baking time by 5–10 minutes—just test with a toothpick in the center.
Absolutely. Full-fat Greek yogurt works well as a substitute and still keeps the cake moist and tender. Note that we haven’t personally tried it this way, so we can’t guarantee the results.
Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake—if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it’s done. Avoid over-baking to keep it soft.
Yes! This cake actually tastes better the next day. Bake it a day ahead, cool completely, and store tightly covered at room temperature.
You can! Divide the batter into lined muffin tins and bake at 350°F for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
A metal 9×9 pan is ideal for even baking and golden edges. If using glass or ceramic, you may need to increase the baking time slightly.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9×9 baking dish You can also use a tube pan.
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ cup butter, softened 1 stick
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups white flour lightly spooned into a measuring cup and leveled with a knife
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream or plain yogurt light will also work okay, but don’t use fat-free
Topping
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped optional
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease a 9" x 9" pan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or using an electric hand mixer and a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, eggs, vanilla, and sugar. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
- Add about ⅓ of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mix completely, then add about ⅓ of the sour cream and mix completely. Repeat until all the flour and all the sour cream has been added.
- Mix the topping ingredients together and set aside.
- Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the topping mixture over the batter, then spread the remaining batter on top and sprinkle with the remaining topping mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-45 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. This can be served warm (but let it cool for 20-30 minutes before cutting into it) or at room temperature. Cover any leftovers.
Nutrition
Questions & Reviews
I love Sour Cream Coffee Cake!! My recipe is almost exactly the same. My son requested this as his birthday cake for many years. We usually make it with a brown sugar/cinnamon mixture and instead of pecans, we use semi-sweet chocolate chips. You’ve gotta try that version!!
When my children were little we called our version of sour cream coffee cake “Breakfast Cake.” The name stuck and we still called it breakfast cake!! Yum!
As soon as I saw this recipe this morning I made it, and it is incredible!!!! So soft and delicious! Thanks so much!!
Oh, yay!! I’m so glad!!