Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Three vintage Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipes — all moist and tender with delicious cinnamon-nut toppings. Choose from a simple pan version, a bundt cake started in a cold oven, or a rich tube-pan cake with vanilla drizzle.
These are classic community cookbook recipes, perfect for brunch, holidays, or everyday coffee.
Recipes on This Page
- 1. Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Pan Version)
- 2. Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Bundt, Cold Oven)
- 3. Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Rich Tube Pan)
1. Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Pan Version)
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 pint sour cream
- 2 cups sifted flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup broken nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 12-inch pan.
- Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs.
- Mix in baking soda and sour cream.
- Stir in flour, baking powder, and vanilla until combined.
- Spread half the batter in the pan.
- Mix topping ingredients. Sprinkle half over batter and gently marble with a knife.
- Add remaining batter and sprinkle remaining topping on top.
- Bake 35–40 minutes.
Servings: 12
2. Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Bundt, Cold Oven)
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter
- 1 stick margarine, melted
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 pint sour cream (about 1 cup)
- 2 cups flour
- Dash of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Nut Mixture
- 3/4 cup chopped nuts
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Grease a bundt pan. Note: This recipe starts in a cold oven.
- Mix melted margarine, sugar, and eggs until creamy. Beat in sour cream.
- Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Mix by hand (batter will be stiff).
- Mix nuts, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons sugar.
- Layer half the batter, most of the nut mixture, remaining batter, and remaining nut mixture on top.
- Place in cold oven, set to 350°F, and bake about 55 minutes.
3. Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Rich Tube Pan)
Ingredients
- 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water
- Confectioners’ sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 10-inch tube pan.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat butter and sugar until light. Add vanilla, then eggs one at a time. Blend in sour cream.
- Gradually add dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
- Mix nuts, cinnamon, and brown sugar for the filling.
- Layer batter and nut mixture three times in the pan.
- Mix 2 tablespoons vanilla with 2 tablespoons water and spoon over the top.
- Bake 60–70 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pan, and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Servings: 8–10
FAQ
Why does sour cream make coffee cake better?
Sour cream adds moisture and richness. Its acidity tenderizes the crumb and reacts with baking soda for a lighter texture.
Why does one recipe start in a cold oven?
Some older bundt recipes were designed to start in a cold oven so the cake rises gradually as the oven heats. Follow the instructions exactly.
How do I store sour cream coffee cake?
Store covered at room temperature for 2–3 days, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze individual slices for longer storage.