Sour Cream Coffee Cake
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.
Servings: 12
Equipment
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.
Video
Notes
Sour Cream: Do not use fat-free sour cream. You CAN use reduced-fat sour cream if made with simple ingredients (milk and cream).
Storage: 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. Thaw overnight in the fridge
Nutrition
Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 577IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg
