The Classics: Sour Cream Coffee Cake

My thought is that you can never have too many coffee cake recipes. It’s that ultimate breakfast cake that you can get away with eating first thing in the morning. It always reminds me of elementary school. Getting a giant square slice of crumb cake with a carton of milk. It’s what dreams are made of, really. If you’re looking for some inspiration, this Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake is a mash-up of cinnamon roll with coffee cake in one giant loaf. Speaking of school, this PB&J Coffee Cake is what you should be sending your kids off to school with every day. Perhaps Chocolate Coffee Cake is your weakness? That’s only a handful of what I’ve shared on this blog throughout the years. I’ve come to realize though that the most basic, most classic, variation was missing. Enter this Sour Cream Coffee Cake. It’s simple, yet complex. Super moist (I’m sorry) and incredibly delicious. If you’re a fan of Starbucks coffee cake, then you’re going to die over this recipe because it’s 100% better than that factory made dry stuff. It’s the epitome of what “The Classics” segment is on this blog; a reliable recipe to make time and time again.  

Let’s start by whisking or sifting together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

**Tip: I’m always a strong advocator for not sifting because I’m lazy and I’m sure people hate me for that, but in this case I suggest sifting because we’re using cake flour and I find that cake flour is very lumpy. Can flour gives this cake the perfect light crumb and texture.**

Cream together the sugar and butter on high, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. 

 
Add a third of the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. 

**Note: Make sure you DO NOT over-mix the batter at this point. Over-mixing the dry ingredients will make the cake dry and tough in texture.**

Then add in half of the sour cream. Again, stirring until just combined. Stir in another third of the dry ingredients, the remaining sour cream and then the remaining dry ingredients. 

Let’s make the streusel. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, salt, and cold butter. Then rub with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

 
Pour half of the batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Spread out into an even layer. Then sprinkle with half of the streusel. Then top with the remaining batter, again, spreading out and sprinkle with the remaining streusel. 

**Tip: Give the pan a few taps on the counter to make sure it’s all compact and no air bubbles are present in the batter.**

Bake the cake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until a cake tester, inserted in the middle, comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. You can rotate the cake halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. 

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Then transfer the cake onto a serving platter or cake stand, streusel side up. 

**Tip: Run a knife along the sides of the cake, then invert it onto a plate and invert it once more to make it right-side up.**

Allow the cake to cool almost completely (slightly warm is okay) before slicing and serving.

 
Most sour cream coffee cakes like this have a vanilla powdered sugar glaze on top, or a dusting of powdered sugar, but I find that the cake is sweet enough and doesn’t really need either. But if you’d like, you can make a simple glaze and drizzle it over the top of the cake.

This is the epitome of a breakfast cake, so I love it first thing in the morning. You can eat it with coffee, tea or even milk, if you’re into thats sort of thing. It wouldn’t be a bad dessert though. I’m sure everyone will love you for it. 

Any leftover cake can be wrapped well in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days. Just make sure you wrap it well so that it doesn’t dry out on you. 

 
This is a great Classic base for coffee cake. Which means you can easily customize it any way you want. Try adding nuts into the streusel or chocolate chips to the batter!

I don’t think any of us need any excuses to eat cake for breakfast, so I suggest you make it this week and keep it on hand for your breakfast on the way to work. Cake is always the answer. 

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

 

Print

Prep time

40 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 40 mins

 

This Sour Cream Coffee Cake is the most basic and most essential of all breakfast quick bread recipes. It's a moist vanilla cake with a cinnamon streusel swirl and crumb topping. It's perfect first thing in the morning with a glass of milk or cup of coffee.

Author: The Candid Appetite

Serves: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2½ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups sour cream

Streusel:

• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan, set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the sour cream, mixing just until combined after each addition. Make sure to start and end with the dry ingredients.
4. For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon salt and butter in a large bowl. Pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble.
5. Pour half of the batter into the prepared tube pan, spreading out into an even layer. Sprinkle the top with half of the streusel. Top with the remaining batter, spreading out once more. Then sprinkle with the remaining streusel. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Cut and serve. Leftovers can be wrapped well in plastic and stored at room temperature for at up to 2 days. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

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