This sour cream coffee cake is a masterpiece! The cake is baked in a tube pan. The flavors of the cinnamon and brown sugar streusel filling and topping permeate the rich, moist cake. This is an excellent cake to make for visiting friends and family, or take it to a party or potluck. You can serve it with or without a glaze, but I love the extra touch of vanilla flavor (or maple—see variations).
Tips
- To turn the cake out of a 1-piece tube cake pan, carefully invert it onto a plate then invert again onto a cake plate.
- When adding the second layer of batter over the crumbly streusel, use small dollops of batter, then spread them gently to cover the streusel evenly.
Recipe Variations
- Nuts: Replace the pecans with chopped walnuts.
- Glaze: Add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup to the glaze mixture and replace the vanilla with 1/4 teaspoon of maple flavoring.
- Spices: Replace the cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice or another spice blend.
How to Store
- Cover the cake and store at room temperature for up to 4 to 5 days. The fridge can cause a cake to dry out, but it will last for about 1 week if refrigerated.
- To freeze, wrap slices in plastic wrap and foil. Place the wrapped slices in a resealable freezer bag with the name and date. Freeze cake for up to 3 months for best quality.
- Let frozen cake defrost on the counter or wrap it in loosely in a paper towel and warm it in the microwave.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Impress your guests with a homemade sour cream coffee cake. The cake is filled with a flavorful cinnamon streusel swirl and topping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Bake
Ingredients
Scale
For the Streusel
- 1/4 cup (54 grams) brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (64 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Dash salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
- 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
For the Cake
- 2 1/2 (704 grams) cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups (297 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep the Oven and Pan: Heat the oven to 350 F and grease and flour a 10-inch tube cake pan.
- Streusel: Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and a dash of salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the 3 tablespoons of butter to make a crumbly streusel mixture.
- Dry Ingredients: Combine 2 1/2 cups of flour, baking powder, soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Batter: In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and sour cream. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and beat just until combined.
- Assembly: Spoon half of the batter into the prepared tube cake pan. Sprinkle about two-thirds of the streusel mixture over the batter, then top evenly with small dollops of the remaining batter. Gently spread the batter over the filling. Sprinkle the remaining streusel evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake the cake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden skewer or toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
- Cool: Cool the cake on a rack for 30 minutes, then transfer the cake to a plate, streusel-side up. Carefully invert it onto a plate.
- Glaze: Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle over the cooled cake.
