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5 / 11 votes

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This sour cream coffee cake gets its richness and tender crumb from sour cream and is rippled through with a cinnamon-pecan streusel and drizzled with a white glaze. Excellent for breakfast, coffee breaks, tea time, snacking, and dessert. Oh, and it shuts up kids in three seconds flat!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 to 14 slices
Calories: 519

Equipment

  • 10-inch tube pan

Ingredients

For the filling and topping

  • 1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) cubes
  • Large pinch kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans

For the coffee cake

  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 12 tablespoons (6 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the glaze

  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • Small pinch kosher salt
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the streusel filling and topping

  • In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, butter, salt, and vanilla, and mash with a fork until it comes together in a crumble. Stir in the pecans.

Make the sour cream coffee cake

  • Crank up the oven to 350°F (177°C). Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and generously butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan or spritz it with nonstick vegetable spray.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Add the eggs, 1 at a time, blending just until incorporated after each addition. Add the sour cream and vanilla, and mix just until combined.
  • Remove the bowl from the mixer, dump in the flour mixture, and stir it in by hand just until no dry ingredients are visible.
  • Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle about half the streusel over the batter. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, again smoothing it. Sprinkle the cake with the remaining streusel. Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
  • Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack until room temperature.
  • Cover the pan with a plate, invert the pan, and then remove the pan and the removable center core. Place a platter or cake plate against the cake and invert it once more so it's right side up.

Make the glaze and drizzle it all over the coffee cake

  • Whisk the confectioners' sugar and milk together. If a thinner consistency is desired, add a little more milk. Drizzle the glaze over the coffee cake using a spoon.

Notes

Coffee Glaze Variation

Craving a little extra jolt in your coffee cake? It’s as easy as replacing the milk in the glaze with strongly brewed coffee. It’s sorta like coffee cake squared. Just don’t blame us if you can’t sleep at night.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 241mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 40g