Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This Sour Cream Coffee Cake from Mary Younkin’s cookbook, The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook, is a recipe you’ll make again and again. With a moist, tender cake and two layers of cinnamon streusel, this morning treat is hard to resist. It is THE perfect accompaniment to your weekend morning coffee! 

As I was making this coffee cake, it reminded me of one that I loved when I was little, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Then it came to me: it tastes like the Hostess Coffee Cakes, only 1 MILLION times better! I already can’t wait to make it again.

This Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake is something special I tell ya.
Not only is it super duper delicious, but the recipe was created by one of my blogging besties.

Mary Younkin of Barefeet in the Kitchen has published not her first, but her second cookbook.
The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook is one that I think should be in EVERY kitchen!
Order it on Amazon!
Between her first, The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook, and her second, AND her third, The Weeknight Dessert Cookbook, Mary’s got all your kitchen conundrums figured out.

Her recipes are delicious, easy to follow, easy to make and are ones you’ll use again and again.
I know I do!
I bought her first cookbook for each of my kids to start their own collection.
They make a great gift for any cook, and the trio will make a great Mother’s Day present!

Why is it called Coffee Cake?

Before we go any further, there is NO coffee in this recipe. Whenever I post a recipe for a coffee cake, like this one, I inevitably get questions about the coffee missing from the ingredients.

The reason this (and others like it) is called a “coffee cake” is because it is a sweet cake that is most often enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee. I read that the tradition started in Germany in the 16th century. You can search why coffee cakes are called coffee cakes yourself and read more about it!

Ingredients for Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Gather the following ingredients to make this delicious coffee cake:

Cake Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup sour cream

Streusel Ingredients

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¾ cup butter, melted

How to Make Classic Sour Cream Coffee Cake

You’ll have this delicious sour cream coffee cake recipe ready in under an hour!

First, make your streusel by combining the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix everything together with a fork until clumps are formed, then set aside.

Now let’s make the cake batter! Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×9-inch pan with butter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. In a separate large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, then add the sour cream. Mix everything together until well combined.

Finally, it’s time to assemble and bake the coffee cake. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread it to cover the bottom of the pan with an offset spatula. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon streusel in an even layer over the batter. Finish pouring the remaining batter, then sprinkle the remaining streusel on top of the cake batter.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Tips for Making this Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake 

In the cookbook, Mary’s recipe calls for a 10-inch square pan but I couldn’t find one in any of my local stores, so used a 9-inch square and then adjusted the baking time slightly.

I used my fingers to spread the butter into the pan; that way I was able to put it into all the corners of the baking dish and the cake came out of the pan without any issue.

The streusel is not a dry, crumbly one like you may have had. I found it easiest to use my hands to spread it. A spoon was just distributing it in large clumps and separating it with my fingers allowed me to make smaller crumbles.

How to Store Leftover Coffee Cake

Store leftovers wrapped tightly at room temperature for 1-2 days, or if you want them to last longer, place them in an airtight container and store leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Can you freeze Cinnamon Coffee Cake with Sour Cream?

Yes, you can freeze the entire cake by double-wrapping it in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and then placing it in a freezer bag. Or store individual slices in an airtight container. Coffee cake will last 2-3 months in the freezer.

To thaw, place it on the counter for about an hour and a half. You can warm it in the oven if desired or eat it at room temperature.

More Brunch Recipes

This Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake is going to be a delicious addition to any brunch table as well.

Also perfect for that brunch table are my Cinnamon Sugar Palmiers. Not only are they delicious, but they’re also pretty to look at, too!

If you have lemon lovers invited to your brunch, these Lemon Crepes might just be one of the highlights of the day. Made with this Easy Crepe Recipe, they have the perfect balance of tart and sweet.

Every brunch needs some meat to go along with the eggs, potatoes, and pastries, so why not add these Cheesy Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls? They’re made with sausage links and store-bought puff pastry, so they’re really easy to put together.

These Healthy Breakfast Egg Muffins are not only perfect for brunch, but they’ll also be great for those busy weekday mornings. I love how perfect the serving size is, too!

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole is a great breakfast to make the night before a busy morning. It’s so helpful to have a make-ahead recipe like this, especially when things get crazy during the holiday season!

My husband loves potatoes with his eggs on the weekends, so this Fall Breakfast Hash Recipe is a great recipe for a Sunday brunch or any special occasions like Christmas morning or Mother’s Day!

~ FOLLOW ME ~

~ FACEBOOK ~ PINTEREST ~
~ INSTAGRAM ~ TWITTER ~
~ YOUTUBE ~

Keep an eye out for more of my easy recipes each week!

This recipe has been updated with pictures on 8/3/21, and 4/19/24. It was originally published 4/22/18.

The post Sour Cream Coffee Cake appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.