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Sour Cream Coffee Cake is one of those recipes that feels extra special but takes just about 15 minutes to prep. With a soft and tender crumb, a cozy cinnamon swirl, and a buttery streusel topping, this coffee cake is perfect for brunch, holiday mornings, or a crowd-pleasing dessert.
Kristen's Keys for Sour Cream Coffee Cake
There are a few key tips that will make this a recipe you quietly become known for.
- Sour cream is key. It balances the sweetness and keeps the cake tender and moist for days, just as it does in my Banana Cake, Chocolate Bundt Cake, and Texas Sheet Cake. Be sure to use full-fat sour cream for the best consistency and flavor.
- Don't skip the flour in the cinnamon swirl. It may seem unnecessary, but that little bit of flour keeps the swirl from melting into the batter as it bakes. Without it, the cinnamon disappears instead of staying layered.
- Cold butter matters for the streusel. Using cold, cubed butter creates those crumbly, bakery-style clusters that gives the coffee cake an irresistible crunchy finish.
5-Star REader REview
This cake is absolutely delicious. I have made it many times. It is a family favorite that everyone can't get enough of!!! -Carol
How to Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake
This sour cream cake comes together with minimal effort, especially if you pay attention to this section that guides you through the process.
Step One: Prepare Cinnamon Swirl
Simply whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a small bowl and set aside for assembling the cake.
Step Two: Prepare Streusel
In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, chopped nuts, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the cold cubed butter, and using your hands, combine the mixture until crumbs form and the butter is well distributed through the flour and sugar. Set aside for assembling the cake.
👉🏻Nuts are optional. Adding chopped pecans or walnuts adds a nice crunch and rich finish to the coffee cake, but feel free to omit them. The cake will still be incredible.
Step Three: Prepare Cake Batter
A coffee cake batter comes together just like most cake batters. Cream the wet ingredients together, combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and then use a gentle hand to fold in the dry ingredients to keep the cake light, rather than dense.
Step Four: Assemble Coffee Cake
To assemble the cake, spread half the batter into a well-buttered 8×8 pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon swirl evenly over the top, then dollop the remaining batter over it and gently smooth it out. Finish with an even layer of streusel.
Step Five: Bake
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is set, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. I recommend checking on the cake at the 30 minute mark. If you notice the streusel is browning quickly, tent the cake with foil to prevent the streusel from burning.
Serving Suggestions
This coffee cake fits in just as easily at Christmas breakfast as it does on a regular Saturday morning. I love serving it with something savory, like hash brown casserole or green chile egg casserole, and something fresh, like fruit salad, to balance out brunch. Just don't forget the coffee😉 Preferably a homemade latte.
Storage Tips
Thanks to the sour cream, this coffee cake keeps well for several days, making it an optimal make-ahead brunch recipe.
- At Room Temperature: Once cooled, store the cake at room temperature for up to 3 days, tightly wrapped or in an airtight container.
- To Freeze: Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap, then foil, and place it in a freezer-safe bag. This triple layer keeps freezer burn away. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
More Delicious Baked Goods Perfect for Brunch
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Video
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Swirl
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Streusel
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
For the Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream, full-fat
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃_. Grease an 8-inch cake pan generously with butter.
- In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Set aside for the cinnamon swirl.
- In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup light brown sugar, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon table salt, and ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts, if using. Add ½ cup cold unsalted butter (cubed), and use your fingers to mix the mixture together, until crumbs form and the butter is well distributed through the flour and sugar. Set aside to top the cake.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together ½ cup unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. This should take 3-5 minutes. Add 2 large eggs and mix again to incorporate. Add 1 cup sour cream and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and mix again until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk or sift 1½ cups all-purpose flour with ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda. and ¼ teaspoon table salt.
- Add dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, and use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold the flour into the wet ingredients, until just combined.
- Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even bottom layer. Sprinkle the cinnamon filling evenly over the batter.
- Spoon the remaining batter in dollops evenly over the filling. Gently smooth it out into an even layer. Evenly sprinkle the streusel mixture over the top of the cake batter.
- Bake the coffee cake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few crumbs. Be sure to check on the cake after 25 minutes to see if the streusel is browning too much. If it is, lightly tent with foil and continue baking.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was shared in 2021 and updated in 2025.
Awesome recipe! I didn't have enough butter to make the streusel topping, so I just made the cake and sprinkled brown sugar and cinnamon on top. It's the best coffee cake I've ever made.
Thanks for sharing, Laurie!
hi, what’s the temperature of the oven to cook the cake and I can’t seem to find it
Hi Lida! You can find all the detailed instructinos in the recipe card. This cake bakes at 350 degrees F. Enjoy!!!
Can you make this cake into a bunch cake? So do I have to double the recipe?
Hi Luci! To make this in a bundt pan, the ratios would be different, as a standard Bundt cake typically yields slightly more than a 9x13 pan I can not give you accurate timing either unless I tested this myself. I would start by doubling the recipe and baking at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes in a well-greased bundt pan.
Incredible! This is beyond delicious and I don't think it'll last for two days.
However, here are some changes.
I used 3/4 C. of sugar in the cake.
Because of allergies in the streusel I replaced the walnuts for pine nuts
Thank you for sharing your modifications and review, Josi! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this!
I had a really hard time getting this cake to bake in the middle. Using a galss pan, could that be an issue?
Hi Kate! I am sorry you are having issues. This can happen for a couple reasons. First, you want to make sure your cake pan is truly 8x8, as using a smaller pan will make the cake thicker. Otherwise, it is usually caused by inaccurate oven temperature (meaning your oven is running too hot or too cold). Try to make sure not to peak on the cake too much while baking as opening the oven door can cause rapid swings in temp. To bake through, I would tent the cake with foil to not overcook the edges until the cake is set in the middle. I hope that helps.
Great recipe! Thanks, Kristen
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Patricia!
Delicious coffee cake!
Thank you!
You are so welcome!
My top didn’t stay as a crumble but it tastes amazing (and I’m not the best in the kitchen!)
So happy you enjoyed!
I made this for coffee with friends. I doubled the filling because you can never have to much cinnamon! It was a hit! Everyone loved it & I will definitely make this again! Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful! I love hearing you (and your friends) enjoyed!