Made with a soft, tender cake that is studded with a rich cinnamon swirl and then finished with a buttery streusel, this coffee cake is perfect for entertaining at brunch or the holidays.
Preheat your oven to 350℉. Grease an 8-inch pan with butter.
For the Cinnamon Filling
In a small bowl whisk together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon then set aside.
For the Streusel
In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined. If using chopped nuts, mix them into this mixture. Add in the cold butter 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.
For the Cake
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. This should take 3-5 minutes. Add in the eggs and mix again to incorporate. Add in the sour cream and vanilla and mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and use a spatula to combine then fold the mixture together until it is 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 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.
Video
Notes
Sour Cream: Be sure to use full-fat or reduced-fat sour cream NOT fat-free sour cream. You can also substitute regular-style plain yogurt for sour cream if desired. For the yogurt, do not use Greek-style and any fat percentage works. Storage: Once the cake is fully cooled, Coffee Cake can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped well with plastic wrap.Freezing: If you would like to freeze leftover coffee cake, allow the cake to cool fully. Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap, then in a layer of foil, and then place in a freezer-safe bag. This triple layer of wrap will help prevent the cake from becoming freezer burned. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator and if desired, warm individual slices in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.