This Sour Cream Coffee Cake is the queen of the breakfast cakes! Super soft and moist with a great cinnamon crunch, this is the only coffee cake recipe you’ll need.
For a little different twist on the coffee cake, you can also check out this Banana Coffee Cake with Honey Glaze.
I am a total breakfast person. If I had it my way, I would have a big, elaborate, delicious breakfast every day. Not always in the morning (I love a good breakfast for dinner!), but breakfast foods are definitely my favorite.
I’ve mentioned this before on this blog, but my mom made breakfast every day growing up, except for Saturdays. Every other day, we would get a hot breakfast – anything from oatmeal, cream of wheat, pancakes, eggs, muffins…the list goes on and on. Back then, I don’t think I really realized just how lucky I was.
These days, I would love it if I was able to have breakfast like that every morning. And being a breakfast person, I do make sure to eat every morning, but it’s usually a protein shake, or a couple of eggs thrown on the stove while I am getting ready in the morning.
But the weekends – those are special. We actually have the time to relax and make wonderful breakfasts. And it’s a perfect time for this Sour Cream Coffee Cake.
Sour Cream in Baking
If you’ve never used sour cream in baking, you are really missing out. There are two main reasons that sour cream is great for baking.
- It’s higher fat content makes for a moist cake – which you always want. Especially with coffee cake. The texture is better and the cake will stay moist for longer. In fact, if stored correctly, this cake will still be moist 2-3 days later.
- Sour cream works as an acid to activate the baking soda. That is not its most important use in this coffee cake, though, since it has both baking powder and baking soda. For this cake, it is primarily used for the texture of the cake.
Tips and Tricks
- If you don’t have cake flour, you can use all-purpose flour. Cake flour will make the coffee cake more tender, but the recipe works with all-purpose flour, as well.
- If you don’t have a tube pan, you can also use a bundt pan. If using a bundt pan, you’ll want to do three layers of the batter and two layers of the streusel so that the streusel doesn’t end on the top (which becomes the bottom). You can also bake this in a 9×13 pan.
- The reason I grease AND flour the pan is so that the coffee cake comes out of the pan easily. Don’t skip the flour – especially if you end up using a bundt pan.
- When making the streusel, make sure your butter is cold.
- Let the cake cool before trying to remove it from the pan. If you try to remove it right after baking the cake, it will fall apart. I wait at least 20 minutes, and if the cake is breaking as I’m trying to remove it, I’ll wait even longer.
- You can skip the glaze, but it’s one of my favorite parts! I love the hint of maple, but if you don’t have maple syrup, you can use milk and a bit of vanilla extract.
Storing Coffee Cake
This cake will stay nice and moist, as long as it is stored correctly.
Make sure that the cake is completely cooled before storing.
Store the cake in an airtight container. I have this cake keeper (aff link) and it works well. If you don’t have a big enough storage container you can cut the cake into slices, although they won’t stay fresh as long. Another alternative is to wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or foil.
The cake should be good for up to 3 days at room temperature, or you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Sweet Breakfast Recipes
Monkey Bread Recipe
Zucchini Bread Recipe
French Toast Sticks
Overnight French Toast Casserole
Cinnamon Muffins
Looking for more free recipes?
Subscribe to my free recipe newsletter to get new family friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more family-friendly inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Sour Cream Coffee Cake is the queen of the breakfast cakes! Super soft and moist with a great cinnamon crunch, this is the only coffee cake recipe you’ll need.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sour cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Streusel:
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1–3 teaspoons milk, if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.**
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a bowl with a hand mixer), cream the butter and the sugar together until lighter in color, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the mixer after each addition.
- Add the sour cream and the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Stir with a spatula to make sure all of the batter is stirred together.
- In another bowl, make the streusel. Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Add the butter, and with a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the butter into the mixture to form a crumble.
- Spoon half of the batter into the prepared tube pan. Use a knife or an offset spatula to even out the batter.
- Sprinkle half of the streusel mixture over the top of the batter.
- Carefully drop the remaining batter over the top of the streusel and gently spread with the knife or offset spatula into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then remove the cake to a serving platter, streusel side up.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and maple syrup. If you want a thinner icing, add a little bit of milk. Drizzle over the cake with a spoon or a fork.
Recipe Notes:
*I have made this coffee cake with all-purpose flour and it works.
**You can also use a bundt pan, but you’ll want to do three layers of the batter and two layers of the streusel so that the streusel doesn’t end on the top (which becomes the bottom). You can also bake this in a 9×13 pan.
Recipe from Barefoot Contessa Parties!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 473
- Sugar: 46 g
- Sodium: 214 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 69 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 93 mg
Keywords: sour cream coffee cake, coffee cake recipe, cinnamon streusel coffee cake
glamah16 says
You were lucky. Breakfast is a luxury for weekends . Im lucky if I can grab a bit of fruit or yogurt. Im intrigued by this book. I see the show occasionaly butI havent caught the bug.
Patsyk says
I love the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks – don’t own one, but I am always looking through them at my mother-in-laws house. This recipe sounds devine!
Augustina says
I’m a breakfast person too! it’s prbably my favorite meal of the entire day. This cake looks so,so good!!
Elle says
Oh mu gosh, that looks gooood. I love streusely things, too! Bookmarking this one!
Ben says
In my case, we never left the house without eating a big breakfast. Fruit and homemade yogurt were always ready plus eggs, or cheese quesadillas or any other breakfast dish. I was so lucky too 🙂
This cake looks so good it is making me hungry again :-p
Cakespy says
This makes me want to weep with joy. Coffee cake is one of my greatest pleasures in the world.
Meeta says
Deborah I love big breakfasts and brunches. It’s a luxury we enjoy mostly on the weekends I admit but then we really indulge. This cake looks delish!
kellypea says
I really love coffee cake, too. And with sour cream? YUM! I don’t have this cookbook, but know that with her other recipes — it’s an amazing one. Love your breakfast story. We used to have hamburgers for breakfast on Sunday mornings if you can believe that. Doncha just love those memories?
Mansi Desai says
that looks awesome! I’ce made a modified version of this…but without the icing:)
Steph says
Yum Deborah! I love coffee cakes, I love eating cake for breakfast anytime I can get away with it! It looks soooo good!
blogger interrupted says
This looks great — I’m a huge fan of breakfast too, especially if it’s something baked. And thanks for the visit and comment on my blog!
Birdie says
Just checking in to see what you have been up to! I’ve been a way for a while and it looks like you have tested some really great recipes. The pic of the coffee cake looks great
Deborah Dowd says
I share your perspective on breakfast- I love doing a big sit-down on the weekends. Your coffee cake makes me nostalgic for the days when we could eat coffeecake without guilt!
Jessy and her dog Winnie says
Looks great! Coffee cake is pure heaven in the morning!
Shandy says
My Mom used to make all of us breakfast during the week too! She also always had dinner on the table by 5:30 p.m. every night. I am still in awe of how she was able to accomplish this. The coffee cake looks delicious and a must bake. I love the look of the struesel and you stated that the cake was moist. . .a must for me =D Thank you so much for sharing
Mary says
Can you believe I’ve been married for over a year and just found out tonight that my husband loves coffee cake? Yours looks fantastic!
kamaile says
I love all things breakfast as well. This coffee cake looks outstanding. Love the extra layer of streusel! 🙂
Elle says
My Mom believed in a hot breakfast every morning for all of us, too. Being a morning person, I mostly liked that, although not the cream of wheat.
This coffee cake is better than any I’ve seen…two, count ’em two layers of strudel! The weekend is coming!!
Lore says
I admire your mom for what she did!
The cake looks gorgeous and I’m especially fond of the Streusel 🙂
Grace says
yeah, i’d require a lot more glaze than that! i’m pretty sure i have an icing addiction, because i was thinking i’d quadruple the glaze recipe.
my name is grace, and i’m a glaze-aholic.
Katie says
Wow it looks wonderful. Is this is the kind of thing you have for breakfast can I come to stay? 🙂
Lina says
oh my! I would looove to have that for breakfast! It looks so amazing!
noble pig says
I have to say, sour cream coffee cake is one of the world’s best inventions. The flavors are so perfectly matched and moist. I would love to try this version.
Indigo says
Maple syrup glaze? I’m already in love.
Dana McCauley says
Yum! I love coffee cake. I would likely eat it after breakfast though.
As a baker I love that coffee cake is usually gorgeous right out of the oven. I often resist making other cakes since you need to mess up the kitchen two or three times if you need a filling and a frosting.
Kevin says
I really enjoy a nice sour cream coffee cake for breakfast. This one looks really good with the streusel and drizzle!
Amy Cates says
I am SO HONORED! And SHOCKED! The fact that my name is tied to a cooking/food blog is quite a surprise. I am a cut-and-paste girl and did just that with the coffee cake recipe as a food salute to Seinfeld. Next thing you know, I’m mentioned on workingwomanfood.
Thanks for the mention!
Amy
amycates.blogspot.com
Jenny says
gorgeous Deborah! This coffee cake looks incredible! I love breakfast foods, I almost enjoy it more at dinner time!
Great pics and recipe!
Shelley says
yummmmmmmmmy! I love the Barefoot Contessa. I will try the cake
diva says
great picture. makes me really wwant some cake now.
KJ says
I love breakfasts too. Cake is not something that is ever served for breakfast here. But I’m all for it, if it is as good as this.
PheMom says
Yum! That is cool that your Mom was able to do that. This looks really good. I will definately try it, maybe as jumbo muffins or something.
Brilynn says
I like the look of whole cakes too… so much though that I’d rather make myself a giant cake instead of muffins even when I’m the only one eating it!
Kelly-Jane says
That looks superb! I’m currently cooking a lot of Ina recipes, will have to check if this one is bookmarked.
Emiline says
Coffee cake sounds really good- Especially with lots of streusel. Isn’t streusel the cat’s pajamas?
missy says
that looks melt-in-your-mouth good!! [love ina’s recipes]
eatme_delicious says
I love coffee cake! This looks so good. And I love the double streusel layer. I wish I could eat something like this for breakfast everyday!
Tartelette says
It’s being printed right now!
Patricia Scarpin says
Deb, I can help you finish it off if you want to. 😉
Pearlsofeast says
This is a fantastic cake recipe,I would to try them when we have our my friends coming over.
Tammy says
This recipe is a keeper. Everyone loved it!
★★★★★
Marie Gonzalez says
I made this recipe this morning and it is delightful. I used a Bundt pan and only half the cinnamon crumb mixture in the middle. I used my own recipe for orange cream cheese icing. This is a perfect coffee cake thanks for the post.
★★★★★