Cut into this Sour Cream Coffee Cake and you'll find cinnamon walnut streusel running through the middle of every slice, not just on top. It's layered twice into the batter before baking, so wherever you cut, there's a ribbon of it.
This recipe has been in my family for generations, and it's been on every family brunch table for as long as I can remember.
What Makes This Different
Most coffee cakes taste best the morning they're baked and dry out quickly after. This one stays genuinely tender for days, and the reason is specific: full-fat sour cream keeps the crumb soft in a way that butter alone doesn't.
It's my grandmother's recipe, and it's the one I reach for when I want to bring something that matters to a table.
It takes about 25 minutes of hands-on time and an hour to bake, and individual slices freeze perfectly for up to three months.
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What I Learned Making This Recipe
The first time I made this on my own, I second-guessed the batter. It's very thick. Not pourable. I remember wondering if I'd done something wrong. I hadn't. That thickness is structural. The batter has to be stiff enough to support the streusel layer in the middle without it collapsing to the bottom. Once you understand that, the spreading step makes sense: you're not pouring, you're scooping and leveling, and an offset spatula is the right tool for it.
The second thing I've learned is that butter quality matters more here than in most cakes. Because this cake has so few competing flavors (no chocolate, no citrus, no spice beyond cinnamon), the butter is front and center. European or grass-fed butter, with its higher butterfat content, gives the cake a richness that standard grocery-store butter simply doesn't match. It's a small upgrade that shows up in every bite.
Jump to:
★★★★★
"We loved this cake! We've made it twice this weekend. We took it to a friend's house and wanted more for ourselves."
Tracey
Ingredients & Substitutions
There are two separate sets of ingredients here: one for the, one for the cake:
- Walnuts. They give the streusel a slightly bitter, nutty edge that balances the sweetness of the brown sugar. Pecans are a fine swap and will taste a little sweeter; almonds are milder. If you're skipping nuts entirely, leave them out and reduce the all-purpose flour in the streusel by two tablespoons to compensate. The streusel will still clump and bake into a satisfying layer.
- Brown sugar (streusel). Brown sugar caramelizes differently than white as it bakes, giving the streusel a deeper, more toffee-like flavor. Don't swap it for granulated here.
- Butter (streusel): cold and cubed. Cold butter is what makes streusel crumbly instead of pasty. Whether you're using a food processor or a pastry blender, keep the butter cold until the moment you start. Warm butter will smear into the other ingredients and you'll end up with a paste rather than crumbs.
- Full-fat sour cream (cake). This is the ingredient that makes the crumb tender rather than dry. I've tested low-fat sour cream and Greek yogurt in this recipe, and neither gives you the same result. Stick with full-fat sour cream.
- Butter (cake): room temperature. The creaming step (beating butter and sugar together until light and fluffy) is what incorporates air into the batter. Cold butter won't cream properly. Room temperature means it leaves an indent when you press it, but it isn't shiny or greasy.
- Vanilla extract. One teaspoon is the right amount for this batter. More would compete with the cinnamon. Don't skip it.
How to make This Coffee Cake
Make the STreusel
Pulse walnuts, cinnamon, brown sugar, cold butter and flour in a food processor until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Mix the batter
Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs and vanilla, then alternate the flour mixture & sour cream. The batter will be very thick.
Layer & Bake
Spread half the streusel in your greased pan, add most of the batter, add remaining streusel, top with remaining batter. Bake at 325°F for 50-60 minutes. Cool completely in pan (this step matters!).
Before You Make This
- The batter is supposed to be thick. Very thick, like brownie batter. You'll spread it with an offset spatula, not pour it. This is intentional: the stiff batter supports the streusel layer in the middle and keeps it from sinking to the bottom during baking. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon (run it under hot water if the batter sticks to it) to level each layer.
- Use a food processor for the streusel, but it isn't required. A pastry blender or two forks works fine too. If you're going that route, use finely chopped walnuts rather than halves, and make sure the butter is cold right up until you start. Room temperature butter will smear instead of breaking into crumbs.
- Check your oven temperature before you rely on the timer. Ovens vary by 25°F or more from what the dial says. An inexpensive oven thermometer tells you exactly what you're working with. Start checking this cake at 50 minutes with a toothpick: it should come out clean or with just a few dry crumbs. Wet crumbs mean it needs more time.
- Grease and flour every corner of the bundt pan. Baking spray with flour (Baker's Joy, PAM Baking) is the most thorough option and gets into all the ridges. Let the cake cool completely before inverting. A warm bundt will stick regardless of how well it was greased.
- Don't store this cake in the refrigerator. Cold air dries it out faster than leaving it on the counter. Wrap it well and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- No bundt pan? A 9x13 works. Reverse the layers: start with batter, then streusel, then batter, then end with streusel on top (so it finishes crisp rather than buried). Bake at 325°F for 35 to 45 minutes. The cake will be thinner than the bundt version but just as flavorful.
Serving Suggestions
A slice of this with a mug of tea is genuinely one of my favorite things. No glaze, no adornment. It doesn't need anything.
When it's part of a bigger spread, it pairs well alongside something savory. Our frittata with mushrooms, spinach and goat cheese balances the sweetness well. A pitcher of ginger and grapefruit mimosas pulls the whole table together without requiring much additional work.
FAQS
Yes! Omit the walnuts and reduce the flour in the streusel by two tablespoons. The streusel still forms crumbs and bakes into a good layer. You just lose the slight bitter crunch the walnuts provide.
For next time: use baking spray with flour and make sure the cake has cooled completely before you try to invert it. A warm bundt cake will often stick to the pan regardless of how well it was greased. The cooling step isn't optional. Let it cool fully in the pan, then flip.
Make ahead, Freezing & Storage
Make a day ahead: Bake the cake, cool it completely, and keep it covered at room temperature until you're ready to serve. It holds well overnight.
At room temperature: Keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Avoid the refrigerator: it dries this cake out faster than counter storage.
To freeze the whole cake: Cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. Keeps for up to three months.
To freeze individual slices: Wrap each slice in plastic wrap, then foil. Pull slices as needed and let them come to room temperature on the counter, or microwave for about 15 seconds. The texture holds well either way.
Made this? Loved it? Tell us everything!
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Who knows? Your twist might become someone else's new favorite!
Recipe
Grandma's Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Streusel:
- 1 cup walnuts (halves or pieces)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
- 5⅓ tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream, full fat
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F . Grease and flour a bundt pan. Set aside.
To make streusel:
- Combine all streusel ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.1 cup walnuts (halves or pieces), 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, ⅓ cup brown sugar, , 5⅓ tablespoons unsalted butter, , ½ cup all-purpose flour
To make cake batter:
- Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl and gently whisk to combine. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture and mix. Beat in sour cream until incorporated and mix in remaining flour. Batter will be thick.1 cup unsalted butter,, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup sour cream,
To assemble:
- Pour half of streusel mixture in the bottom of the bundt pan and spread evenly. Add ⅔ of batter on top of streusel and gently level with offset spatula or back of a spoon. Sprinkle remaining streusel evenly over batter and top with remaining ⅓ batter. Smooth top and bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool completely in pan and invert on serving tray when ready to eat.
Notes
VIDEO
Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Ellen G says
This recipe is lacking salt! I would suggest modifying to include salt especially when using unsalted butter. I followed recipe as written, using unsalted European butter. The flavor was off, bland. I am surprised it got so many positive reviews. I have been baking for many years and have never seen a cake or cookie recipe that doesn’t include salt. Shame on me for not catching this. Wasted good ingredients on this one.
Hi Ellen, I hope you find the perfect coffee cake for you. Happy baking!
Lisa B. says
I think I know where your grandmother got this recipe--the Betty Crocker cookbook. It's nearly identical. My mom made it all the time, and it's one of the first things I made when I began baking at ten years old. I'm so glad you've posted it. I was looking for an easy way to send it to my son so he can make it for my grandchildren. 🥰
So glad it's going to be enjoyed by another generation, Lisa!
Tracey H says
We loved this cake! We've made it twice this weekend. We took it to a friend's house and wanted more for ourselves 😊
I also love how you put ingredients & measurements in the instructions!! I need everyone to do that😄
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Tracey! And thanks for feedback on the recipe formatting. Tip: pop any leftover slices in the microwave for 15 seconds. Sooooo good!
Helaine Carroll says
This is a delicious recipe for a coffee cake. Everyone asks for the recipe when I serve it at a brunch or coffee clutch. It does take a bit of time to put together but worth the effort.
So glad you love it, Helaine! Thanks for stopping back to share your thoughts with our GWL fam.