Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Sour cream coffee cake with cinnamon nut topping

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

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🍰 Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Pan Version)

Classic sour cream coffee cake with a cinnamon-nut swirl in a 9x12 pan.

🌡️ Oven Temp: 350°F ⏱️ Bake Time: 35–40 minutes 🍽️ Servings: 12

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

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 12-inch pan.
  2. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs.
  3. Mix in baking soda and sour cream.
  4. Stir in flour, baking powder, and vanilla until combined.
  5. Spread half the batter in the pan.
  6. Mix topping ingredients. Sprinkle half over batter and gently marble with a knife.
  7. Add remaining batter and sprinkle remaining topping on top.
  8. Bake 35–40 minutes.

🍰 Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Bundt, Cold Oven)

Rich sour cream Bundt cake started in a cold oven with a cinnamon-nut layer.

🌡️ Oven Temp: 350°F (cold oven start) ⏱️ Bake Time: ~55 minutes

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

  1. Grease a bundt pan. Note: This recipe starts in a cold oven.
  2. Mix melted margarine, sugar, and eggs until creamy. Beat in sour cream.
  3. Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Mix by hand (batter will be stiff).
  4. Mix nuts, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons sugar.
  5. Layer half the batter, most of the nut mixture, remaining batter, and remaining nut mixture on top.
  6. Place in cold oven, set to 350°F, and bake about 55 minutes.

🍰 Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Rich Tube Pan)

Extra rich sour cream coffee cake with a layered nut-cinnamon filling in a tube pan.

🌡️ Oven Temp: 325°F ⏱️ Bake Time: 60–70 minutes 🍽️ Servings: 8–10

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

Filling

  • 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 10-inch tube pan.
  2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Beat butter and sugar until light. Add vanilla, then eggs one at a time. Blend in sour cream.
  4. Gradually add dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
  5. Mix nuts, cinnamon, and brown sugar for the filling.
  6. Layer batter and nut mixture three times in the pan.
  7. Mix 2 tablespoons vanilla with 2 tablespoons water and spoon over the top.
  8. Bake 60–70 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pan, and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

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.

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