Sour cream coffee cake recipe

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This is one of my most requested recipes. It’s yummy for breakfast or for a dessert when you don’t want the cake with frosting. Since this recipe makes a big coffee cake you’ll have plenty to share.

Sometimes I use a rectangular pan to make this coffee cake and other times I use a 10 cup Bundt pan. See the Bundt cake variation.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 325
Place rack in the center of the oven
Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2 pan
Set aside 3 large eggs, they need to be at room temperature

In a small bowl measure out and set aside:

1 & 1/2 cups sour cream — this needs to reach room temperature

( about 30 min)

Slice 1 & 1/2 sticks of butter (12 tablespoons) this needs to reach room temperature

Note: You don’t want this to melt or get too soft. Depending on how warm your kitchen is this takes about 30 minutes

Make the cinnamon topping:
This is a cinch to make with a stand mixer using the paddle attachment
Place in the bowl of a stand mixer

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose unbleached flour
3/4 cup + 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 Tablespoons) unsalted COLD butter cut into tiny pieces
Turn mixer on low speed and mix until it transforms into coarse crumbs.

This should look like wet sand with a few itsy bitsy clumps of butter.

Once you have completed the topping keep it in the refrigerator until needed.
Note: You can also make the streusel without a mixer.
Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to make a crumbly topping.

Coffee Cake Batter
Put into a bowl, whisk to combine and set aside:

2 & 2/3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Put in a bowl, mix together and set aside:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
Cream 1 & 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (12 tablespoons)

Note: I use a Kitchen Aid mixer with the paddle attachment

Add: the sugar and beat for 5 minutes (yes, five minutes!!)

(set a timer)

Add eggs, 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and sour cream and mix until well combined (1 minute)

With the mixer on low add, the flour mixture and as soon as it is combined with the wet ingredients turn the mixer off and finish stirring by hand. Be sure the batter is completely mixed. There will be some tiny lumps. You don’t want to over mix this.

Scrape batter into the pan and level off.
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top

Bake at 325 for 45- 55 minutes. Ovens vary. Start checking early so you don’t over bake.
When you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean it’s done.

Note: You can bake for 35 minutes then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes.

coffee cake

As soon as the coffee cake is completely cool I like to slice and wrap up all the pieces.

It freezes well.

BUNDT CAKE VARIATION:

Generously spray the inside of the Bundt pan completely withBaker’s Joy (no-stick baking spray with flour) Make sure to spray the center tube so your cake won’t stick.

I have never been able to use anything else to grease a Bundt pan without having part of the cake stick to the pan and ruin everything.

Bundt Cake Streusel Topping

(this is a little different than the topping for the rectangular cake)

Place in a bowl and make a crumbly topping :

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into tiny pieces
Set aside in the refrigerator until needed
Make the cake batter as for the rectangular pan.

Bundt raw in pan

Spoon half the batter into the pan and level out using an offset spatula or knife.
Sprinkle with 3/4 cup topping.
Spoon remaining batter into pan and level out.
Sprinkle the rest of the topping over the batter.

Note: try not to get the topping on the extreme edge of the pan as this could slightly cause the cake to stick to the pan.

Bake at 325 for 55 minutes

Bundt out of oven

Cool 45 minutes on a cooling rack
Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan and around the tube.

BE CAREFUL.

You don’t want to tear the cake.

Turn the cake over onto a cooling rack or plate and release the cake from the pan. Let the cake cool completely before you then flip again onto your serving plate so the streusel topping is on top.