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by Baker BettieJanuary 18, 2018
Sour cream coffee cake with streusel topping is a perfectly light and tender accompaniment to a strong cup of coffee. The sour cream in this coffee cake keeps it very moist and adds just a touch of tanginess. Pin this recipe for later>>
Coffee Cake Overview
Skill Level: Intermediate | Techniques Used: The Creaming Method for Cakes
This sour cream coffee cake is incredibly rich and so tender it will literally melt in your mouth. The creaming method is used to make the perfect fluffy cake that is combined with a generous amount of streusel topping layered in the middle as well as on top of the cake.
Cake flour is an important ingredient to keep this cake fluffy and tender, but can be substituted with a combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch if it is not available. (See recipe notes for specifics on substitutions.)
Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Success
- It is extremely important that your ingredients are at room temperature for this recipe. This ensures that the butter and sugar will maintain the web of air that is created during the creaming process. Check out this article for tips on how to quickly bring ingredients to room temperature if you were not able to plan ahead.
- Because this sour cream coffee cake is a butter based cake it uses The Creaming Method for the process of making the batter. This process is simple, but understanding the basic process will set you up for success in creating an incredibly tender and light cake.
- The streusel topping for this recipe can be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before making this cake.
Ingredient Functions
- Cake flouris used in this recipe instead of all-purpose flour because it has a lower protein content and a finer grind. All-purpose flour mixed with cornstarch can be substituted if cake flour is not available. (See recipe notes for amounts.)
- Baking powderis a chemical leavenor that helps make the cake rise. The baking powder is doing most of the heavy lifting in this recipe.
- Baking sodais also a chemical leavenor, but is used in this recipe because there is an acidic ingredient present, sour cream. The baking soda and sour cream will interact with each other to further help the cake to rise and to create tenderness.
- Saltbalances out the sweetness of the cake and ensures that it does not taste flat.
- Butteradds flavor as well as tenderness and richness to the coffee cake. The butter needs to be at room temperature so that it will hold a web of air when beaten with the sugar. These air pockets support the role of the baking powder and baking soda and expand when baked to help the cake rise.
- Granulated sugarsweetens the cake and also works in conjunction with the butter to create air pockets when beaten together. This process is called “creaming”.
- Vanillaonly serves to add flavor to the cake. It could be left out completely or replaced with almond extract if preferred.
- Eggsserve several purposes in a cake, the main one being binding the structure together. Eggs also help leaven the cake and adds to the tenderness and richness.
- Sour Creamis used as the main source of moisture in this cake. Sour cream is also acidic and works in partnership with the baking soda to make the cake rise. Sour cream can be substituted with plain yogurt if necessary.
If you enjoy this recipe, you might also enjoy my Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake Muffins!
Yield: 1- 9 X 13 IN (23 X 33 CM) CAKE
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Sour cream coffee cake with streusel topping is the perfectly light and tender accompaniment to a strong cup of coffee. The sour cream in this coffee cake keeps it very moist and adds just a touch of tanginess.
Ingredients
For the Streusel Topping
- 1 cup (8 oz, 224 gr) brown sugar, lightly packed (light or dark brown)
- 1 cup (7 oz, 196 gr) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (4.2 oz, 120 gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 TBSP ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (4 oz, 112 gr) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
For the Cake Batter
- 2 1/2 cups (10 oz, 280 gr) cake flour (*see note for substitution)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp Morton kosher salt or table salt (use 1/2 tsp if using Diamond kosher)
- 2 sticks (1 cup, 8 oz, 224 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (10.5 oz, 294 gr) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (8.5 oz, 238 gr) sour cream, room temperature (*see notes for substitution)
Instructions
- PREHEAT YOUR OVENto 350F (177C). Prepare a 9 x 13 in (23 x 33 cm) baking dish by spraying it with non-stick spray or greasing it with butter.
- PREP THE STREUSEL:In a medium mixing bowl, stir together all of the ingredients for the streusel except the butter: brown sugar, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, cinnamon (if using), and salt. Add the pieces of cold butter into the bowl and use a pastry blender or fork to cut the butter into the mixture until it is the texture of coarse meal. You do not want it to become a cohesive dough. Set aside.
- SIFT DRY INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE BATTER:In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This will combine the dry ingredients together and also aerate the flour to create a more light and tender cake. If you do not have a sieve, you can whisk the ingredients together instead. Set aside.
- CREAM:In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar on medium/high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through the creaming process.
- ADD THE EGGS:Reduce the mixer's speed to medium/low and add the eggs in one at a time. Wait until the egg is absorbed into the mixture before adding in the next one. This will ensure that your batter doesn't break.
- ALTERNATE ADDING DRY INGREDIENTS & SOUR CREAM:With the mixer still running on medium/low speed, add about one quarter of the dry ingredients into the bowl. Once the flour is incorporated into the batter, add about one third of the sour cream. Continue alternating adding the dry ingredients with the sour cream, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. This will ensure that the sour cream can be properly absorbed into the batter without overdeveloping the gluten.
- ALTERNATE CAKE LAYER WITH STREUSEL TOPPING:Spread a thin layer of batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. Top the layer of cake with about half of the streusel topping. Spread the rest of the cake batter over top of the streusel layer and even it out with an offset or rubber spatula. Top the cake with the remaining streusel topping.
- BAKEat 350 F (177 C) for 45-55 minutes, until a tester comes out of the center with moist crumbs. If the streusel starts browning too much you can cover the cake with a piece of foil during the last part of baking.
- COOLbefore slicing. Store at room temperature covered with foil for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Thecake flour can be substitutedby using 2 TBSP(0.5 oz, 14 gr) of cornstarch and 1 cup minus 2 TBSP (3.7 oz, 104 gr) all-purpose flour. Sift the two ingredients together three times to combine the ingredients and aerate the flour so that it behaves more like cake flour.
- Thesour cream can be substitutedwith an equal amount of full fat plain yogurt or use 3/4 cup milk mixed with 1 tsp vinegar and add 3 TBSP to the total amount of butter used in the recipe.
Cakes
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Carlee —Reply
This recipe looks amazing! Have you ever tried with an egg substitute such as egg replacer powder or flax egg?
Baker Bettie —Reply
Hi Carlee, I’m sorry to report I have not tried that with this cake. I’m a bit skeptical just because of how the eggs work with the creaming process. But if you do try it let me know how it goes!
Pat —Reply
I’ve been craving a simple coffee cake with streusel topping for the longest time, and voila! This recipe showed up in my e-mail inbox, today! It could not have come at a better time. You can bet I’ll be making this, first thing tomorrow morning. Can’t wait to enjoy a piece with tomorrow’s morning coffee. Thanks so much for sharing.
Baker Bettie —Reply
Awesome Pat! Please let me know how you like it! This is one of my absolute favorite recipes!
Satu Michele —Reply
Oh my goodness. This was delicious. Made it this morning with a few changes. I only put 1/2 cup of sugar total in the streusel and also added 1 cut of oats to the toppings. Added cardamom to both the streusel and the cake. (Should have added more – I added a tsp to both – next time it will be 2 tsps. each!).
I added about 1/2 cup of halved fresh cranberries and 1 grated apple to the dough. One of my daughters asked that I put more cranberries in next time – so that’s another change I’ll make. Also I only used 1/2 cup of sugar in the cake batter. I really don’t like cakes that are very sweet so I always reduce the sugar and make up for it with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream if that cake is a little too bland. Also I replaced 1/2 cup of the cake flour with wheat germ and also added 1/4 cup of wheat germ to the topping (took away 1/4 cup of the flour in the streusel). I’m a wheat-germ-a-holic so I always find a way to put it into my baking! But boy was the result delicious. We’re Scandinavian and it had a very “bake home” feel to it. The only problem will be that I’m going to eat waaaay too much of it!Baker Bettie —Reply
Wow Satu! That sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing your adaptations!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) —Reply
coffee cake is something I love to get at coffee shops and frequently forget about it otherwise! I love this recipe, it looks totally perfect!
See AlsoHomemade Jalebi RecipeBaker Bettie —Reply
I always forget about it too! And then I have some and am instantly reminded at how much I love it!
Devika Sen —Reply
Can this recipe be halved and baked in a 8″ pan?
Bettie —Reply
Yes you can!
Giselle —Reply
Hi Baker Bettie, this Sour Cream Coffee cake IS a winner. I tried it last week for my co-workers and they thought it was from one of our local high end cake shops. It was amazing.
Can I add nuts or apple to this recipe?
Thanks.
Giselle from Trinidad. WIBettie —Reply
Hi Giselle! That makes me so happy! Yes, you can add either or both! That would delicious!
ronak mehta —Reply
Baked this cake for my birthday and it was an absolute hit! So moist and tasty. Thank you for doing what you do
Lee —Reply
Your recipe for the streusel topping for the sour cream coffee cake lists 1 cup of brown sugar, or 224 g. Something isn’t right. 224 grams of brown sugar is way more than 1 cup. One cup, even well packed only comes to 129 grams. What’s the right amount?
Baker Bettie —Reply
Hi Lee, are you using a scale? One cup of packed brown sugar (light or dark) equals about 224 grams. 224 grams is the correct measurement to use for this recipe.
ROBERTA LAMB —Reply
that is a weight measure which is the more accurate
Rowena Tampos —Reply
I’d like to write a comment here regarding the SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE I follow the instructions how make it and the result was thumbs up the top is crispy which is I love it… I want to do this again
Baker Bettie —Reply
Glad you liked it!
Rowena Tampos —Reply
I’d like to write a comment here regarding the SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE I follow the instructions how make it and the result was thumbs up the top is crispy which is I love it… I want to do this again.. When I make the struesel instead of butter I use shortening when I prepared everything I found out I don’t have butter.. baker Bettie this is my first time bake this recipe
Rachel —Reply
Can I use this recipe for a bundt cake? Would the cooking temperature and time be the same or different?
Zee —Reply
Thank you so much for the detailed directions and explanation. I’ve been struggling with a similar coffee cake muffin recipe that, while delicious, isn’t rising as much as I’d like. The recipe I have doesn’t call for room temperature eggs and has the sour cream dumped straight into the creamed butter/sugar/egg mix. Hopefully room temp ingredients and alternating additions of flour and sour cream will yield better results!
Patty —Reply
I’m going to try this – I am also going to use some of the substitutions from the comments below. My son is now a Type 2 and I have to – if I want to keep baking and making breads/desserts etc – how to decrease sugar (or substitute with monk fruit (which is a 1:1 ratio with sugar and tastes really good just like the real thing) and make these things for him to eat as well – don’t know how to figure out carbs per serving to this (yet)
Baker Bettie —Reply
I hope he enjoys it! I’m so sorry, I don’t have the nutritional value but you can plug everything into an online calculator.
Patty —Reply
Totally missed your reply – I’m so sorry. I made this for my cross stitching group and it was a hit – thanks so much!
Sandy —Reply
Is it easy to cut this recipe in half???? Instead of 9 x 13 have an 8 x 8?
Baker Bettie —Reply
Yes!
