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The Best Moist Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel Swirl

A moist slice of marbled sour cream coffee cake featuring a rich cinnamon swirl and crunchy streusel topping.
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This is our favorite, classic sour cream coffee cake recipe. It stays incredibly moist thanks to the sour cream and features a generous ribbon of cinnamon streusel inside and a buttery crumb topping. It is perfect for your weekend breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients

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  • For the Cake:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • For the Cinnamon Streusel Swirl and Topping:
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional, for extra texture)
  • For the Vanilla Glaze (Optional):
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk or cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or a 9×13 inch baking pan.
  2. Make the Cinnamon Streusel: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1 cup of this mixture for the topping. To the remaining streusel mixture, add the 2 cups of flour and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Mix until just combined. This is your swirl filling. If using pecans, mix them into this portion now.
  3. Make the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and 1 3/4 cups of granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 3/4 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Assemble the Cake: Pour half of the cake batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon swirl filling evenly over the batter. Gently pour the remaining cake batter over the swirl layer.
  6. Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of cinnamon streusel topping evenly over the top of the cake batter.
  7. Bake for 50 to 65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the topping browns too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
  8. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then, invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely.
  9. Prepare the Glaze (If using): Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over the completely cooled cake before serving.

Notes

  • For the most tender crumb, measure your flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off, rather than scooping directly from the bag.
  • This cake freezes well. Wrap cooled slices tightly in plastic wrap and then foil.
  • If you skip the optional vanilla glaze, the buttery streusel topping provides plenty of sweetness.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonswirl.com/sour-cream-coffee-cake/