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The Best Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Maximum Cinnamon Streusel

A close-up of a sliced coffee cake loaf showing the cinnamon swirl interior, crumb topping, and white icing drizzle.
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You need this recipe for a moist, buttery coffee cake layered with a generous cinnamon streusel topping. It is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a simple dessert.

Ingredients

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

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Streusel: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place the bowl in the refrigerator while you prepare the cake batter.
  2. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or a 10-inch tube pan.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for the cake. Set aside.
  4. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  5. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  6. Combine Wet and Dry: Alternate adding the dry ingredient mixture and the sour cream to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
  7. Assemble the Cake: Spread half of the cake batter evenly into your prepared pan. If using the cinnamon swirl layer, mix the swirl ingredients (brown sugar and cinnamon) together. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter.
  8. Add Remaining Batter and Topping: Carefully spread the remaining cake batter over the cinnamon layer. Sprinkle the chilled streusel topping generously over the top layer of batter.
  9. Bake: Bake for 45 to 55 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.
  10. Cool: Let the coffee cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
  11. Make the Glaze (Optional): While the cake cools, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over the slightly warm or cooled cake.

Notes

  • For the moistest cake, make sure your sour cream and butter are at room temperature before mixing.
  • If you prefer a loaf cake, use a standard 9×5 inch loaf pan and reduce the baking time by about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • This recipe is designed for maximum streusel; if you want less topping, reduce the streusel amount by one-third.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://recipesfleet.com/best-coffee-cake-sour-cream-streusel-recipe/