This sour cream coffee cake is soft, moist, and incredibly easy to make with no mixer required. Sour cream and oil keep the crumb tender, while a layer of cinnamon brown sugar runs through the center and a generous buttery crumble bakes on top. Baked in a loaf pan, it’s the kind of simple cake that works just as well for breakfast and brunch as it does with an afternoon cup of coffee.

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Whenever I have guests coming over and want something simple to serve with coffee, this is the kind of cake I love to make. There’s no stand mixer, no frosting, and nothing complicated about it. Just a bowl, a whisk, and ingredients I usually have at home.

I’ve made this sour cream coffee cake for years, but I especially love it baked as a loaf with that cinnamon sugar running through the middle. And, of course, I’m not giving up the crumble on top! The sour cream keeps the cake wonderfully moist, while the cinnamon and brown sugar give you that warm coffee-cake flavor in every slice.

It’s simple, yes. But sometimes those are the cakes that disappear first.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Soft and moist – Sour cream and oil give the cake a tender crumb that stays moist for days.
• Cinnamon in every bite – There’s a brown sugar cinnamon swirl through the center as well as cinnamon in the crumble.
• No mixer needed – A couple of bowls and a whisk are all you need.
• Great for making ahead – This cake keeps beautifully, making it perfect for breakfast, brunch, guests, or afternoon coffee.

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Ingredients and substitutes

• For the sour cream cake
  • All-purpose flour – Gives the loaf enough structure to support the cinnamon layer and generous crumb topping. Measure the flour correctly so the cake doesn’t become dry.
  • Baking powder and baking soda – I use both here. Baking powder provides lift while baking soda works with the acidity in the sour cream.
  • Salt – Don’t skip it. A little salt balances the sweetness and brings out the vanilla and cinnamon.
  • Eggs – Two large eggs provide structure and richness. Have them at room temperature for easier mixing.
  • Light brown sugar – Adds sweetness as well as a subtle caramel flavor. You can use granulated sugar, but I prefer the flavor of brown sugar with cinnamon.
  • Vegetable oil – Keeps this coffee cake soft and moist even after it cools. Use any neutral-flavored oil.
  • Sour cream – The star of this recipe. It adds moisture, richness, and a beautifully tender crumb. Full-fat sour cream gives the best texture. Greek yogurt is the closest substitute.
  • Vanilla extract – Complements the cinnamon and brown sugar.
• For the cinnamon swirl
  • Light brown sugar – Melts into a soft cinnamon ribbon in the center of the cake.
  • Ground cinnamon – You can increase it slightly if you like a stronger cinnamon flavor.
• For the crumble topping
  • All-purpose flour – Gives the crumble its structure.
  • Light brown sugar – Creates that caramel-like sweetness and helps the topping crisp.
  • Cinnamon – Adds warmth and ties the topping to the cinnamon swirl inside.
  • Cold butter – Keep it cold. That’s what gives you those lovely irregular chunks of crumble instead of a paste.
  • Salt – Just a pinch balances the sweetness.

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Step-by-step: How to Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1. Prepare the pan and oven

Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325°F conventional. Grease and line a 9 × 4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to lift the cake out after baking.

2. Make the cinnamon sugar

In a small bowl, combine the light brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Make the crumble

In another bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until you have crumbs.
Don’t make everything the same size. Some small crumbs and some bigger chunks give you a much better crumble topping.
Keep the crumble refrigerated while you make the batter.

4. Combine the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

5. Make the wet mixture

In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and light brown sugar until well combined and slightly lighter.
Add the oil and vanilla and whisk until smooth.

6. Add the flour and sour cream

Add the dry ingredients and sour cream, alternating between the two, and mix just until everything is combined.
Don’t keep mixing once you no longer see dry flour. Overmixing is one of the easiest ways to turn a beautifully tender sour cream cake into a heavy one.

7. Layer the coffee cake

Spread half the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan.
Sprinkle the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture over the batter, leaving a small border around the edges.
Carefully spoon the remaining batter over the cinnamon layer and gently spread it evenly. Try not to disturb the cinnamon layer underneath.

8. Add the crumble

Scatter the cold crumble generously over the top. Don’t press it into the batter.

9. Bake

Bake for approximately 60 to 70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake portion comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
If the crumble is browning too quickly before the center is baked, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before lifting it onto a cooling rack.
Cool before slicing so that the cinnamon layer and tender crumb have time to set.

Storage and Make Ahead

• This is actually one of those cakes that is excellent the next day because the sour cream and oil keep it beautifully moist.
• Room temperature: Store the completely cooled coffee cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerator: You can refrigerate it for up to 5 days, although refrigeration will firm the crumb. Bring slices to room temperature before serving or warm them briefly.
• Freeze: Wrap the whole cooled loaf or individual slices well in plastic wrap followed by foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature.
• Make ahead: Bake the cake a day before serving, let it cool completely, and store it covered at room temperature. I actually prefer this to preparing the raw batter ahead of time because the baking soda begins reacting once the wet and dry ingredients are combined.

Tips for Success

• Use room-temperature eggs and sour cream. They incorporate into the batter much more evenly.
• Don’t overmix. Once the flour disappears, stop. The less you work the batter, the more tender your coffee cake will be.
• Keep the crumble cold. If the butter gets warm before baking, the topping can melt instead of remaining crumbly.
• Don’t spread the cinnamon sugar right to the edges. Leaving a small border helps prevent the cake from separating along the cinnamon layer.
• Add the second layer of batter gently. Spoon small amounts over the cinnamon filling before spreading so you don’t drag the filling through the batter.
• Watch the top toward the end. A deep loaf takes longer to bake through than a square cake, while the brown sugar crumble can brown quickly.
• Let it cool before slicing. Tempting, I know. But cutting a deep loaf while hot can make the center look gummy even when it is properly baked.

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Variations

• Walnut sour cream coffee cake – Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the cinnamon filling or crumble.
• Extra cinnamon – Increase the cinnamon in the center to 2 teaspoons for a stronger cinnamon flavor.
• Chocolate chip – Sprinkle about ½ cup mini chocolate chips over the cinnamon layer before adding the remaining batter.
• Maple cinnamon – Add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup to the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture for a deeper fall flavor.
• Simple glaze – Once completely cool, drizzle the loaf with a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze. Personally, with that generous crumble, I don’t think it needs one.

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Troubleshooting

Problem	Possible cause	Solution
Coffee cake is dry	Too much flour or overbaking	Weigh the flour and begin checking the cake before the maximum baking time
Cake is dense	Batter was overmixed	Mix only until the flour is incorporated
Center is underbaked	Deep loaf needed more time	Cover the browned top loosely with foil and continue baking
Crumble melted	Butter was too warm	Use cold butter and refrigerate the crumble until needed
Cinnamon layer separates	Too much filling at the edges	Leave a small border around the cinnamon layer
Cake sinks in the middle	Center wasn’t completely baked	Check the deepest part of the loaf rather than relying only on its browned top

Frequently asked questions

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