To me a Sour Cream Coffee Cake should be a little dense but still soft, with a middle layer and a top layer of brown sugar cinnamon crumb, and this recipe has it all.

Side view of a large slice of sour cream coffee cake on a white and blue plate.

What’s the difference between a Crumb Cake and a Coffee Cake?

I’m gonna be honest, crumb cake and coffee cake are basically the same. I think where you’re from often dictates whether you call it a crumb cake or a coffee cake. There is no actual coffee in coffee cake, it’s just meant to be eaten with a cup of coffee.

What pan is best for coffee cake?

I almost always recommend using a metal pan when baking cakes and especially for this coffee cake. I like to use this 9″x9″ metal pan for coffee cake as it distributes the heat well and creates clean tall edges on the coffee cake.

Can coffee cake be made in advance?

Yes! Coffee cake is definitely best fresh and to be honest I love it a little warm but this coffee cake actually sits very well. There is a lot of moisture in this cake so it stays moist for a couple days. If you’re trying to save time in the morning, you can bake the coffee cake the night before and then leave it uncut in the pan to cool overnight.

Tips for making a Sour Cream Coffee Cake

It’s incredibly important that the butter and eggs for this recipe are at room temperature. If they aren’t the mixture will split when mixing it and you won’t be able to whip as much air into it.
You really want to use a metal pan for coffee cake because it will distribute heat and bake the cake evenly. Glass pans can be tricky because they take longer to heat and distribute the heat.
Beat the butter and sugar for longer than you think! We want it light and fluffy because it’s the main way to add rise and fluff into the cake.
If your butter is too soft for the crumb topping and it isn’t quite clumping, put it in the fridge after mixing while you make the cake batter.
I like to add a little almond extract to this cake to give it extra flavor but it is absolutely optional!

Additional Birthday Cakes to try!

Ingredients for Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Butter: Butter adds moisture and richness to this cake and streusel. I use salted butter but you could use unsalted too for this cake.
Sugar: White granulated sugar is used in the cake and for part of the streusel!
Salt: Fine sea salt helps balance out all of the sweetness in the cake and enhances the flavors.
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds flavor and enhances the sweetness of the cake and the crumb.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon gives coffee cake it’s classic warm flavor, the fresher the cinnamon the stronger the flavor.
Eggs: I use standard large eggs from the store, make sure they are at room temperature for the cake.
Sour Cream: Sour cream makes a tender and soft coffee cake, it’s ok if it is cold just don’t use light sour cream.
All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour will work for this cake, I use King Arthur all-purpose flour! The flour is used in the cake batter.
Baking Powder: Baking powder works with the whipped butter, sugar, and eggs to help the cake rise.

Side view of a large slice of sour cream coffee cake with a bite taken out on a white and blue plate.

How to make a Sour Cream Coffee Cake?

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crumble

In a medium mixing bowl, add in the butter, both sugars, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Use a fork to smush it all together until smooth.
Add in the flour and again use the fork to smush the flour into the wet ingredients until no more dry flour is visible. Set aside.

Sour Cream Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center.
Line a 9″x9″ square metal pan with a sheet of parchment that goes up two opposing sides.
In a medium bowl add in the butter, sugar, salt, almond and vanilla extracts. Beat on high for 4 minutes (a full four minutes please) until light and fluffy.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully combined each time.
Spoon in the sour cream and mix briefly until combined.
Lastly, add in the flour and baking powder. Use a flat rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet until completely mixed.

Assemble & Bake

Pour about 550 grams of the cake batter into the pan. Smooth it out with a mini offset spatula or the same rubber spatula.
Sprinkle about 275-300 grams of the streusel on top in an even layer.
Spoon the remaining cake batter over the streusel and then use the same mini offset spatula to carefully spread the cake batter over the streusel. Do your best not to let the streusel combine with the cake batter.
Sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top of the cake.
Bake the cake in the hot oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, rotate the cake and bake again for another 20 minutes until golden brown on the edges and set in the center. The center might not look completely done but it is, don’t bake it longer (maybe 2 more minute max).
Take the pan out of the oven and leave it to cool for at least 15 minutes. Use the parchment to lift the cake out and optionally dust it with powdered sugar.
Cut into any size or shape you want and store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

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