This Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake is a terrific brunch recipe with tender cake and layers of cinnamon and walnut streusel. A timeless classic!

A Sour Cream Coffee Cake is a classic morning treat with the sour cream providing a moist crumb that can’t be beat!

Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake sliced on a serving plate

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Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake

This was one of those coffee cake recipes that made the rounds at my mom’s bridge club gatherings back in the ’70s. It was called Merk’s Coffee Cake and there are numerous versions on the web. 

The vintage streusel coffee cake recipe from my mom called for shortening, so I’ve updated this version with butter and vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla. Feel free to use vanilla extract, just use a premium brand like Nielsen-Massey for the best results.

Overhead view of Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake

 

Tips for Making  a Perfect Streusel Coffee Cake 

I took this layered cake and walnut streusel treat over to my knitting group. My girlfriends inhaled (in the most lady-like way, of course) their slices and even the picky hubby sampled a piece sans streusel (no “funny stuff” for him!).

This sour cream streusel coffee cake would be ideal for your Mother’s Day brunch or whenever you’re having guests join you for breakfast. It’s also a nice gift for new neighbors or families with a new baby.

Make sure to butter and flour your Bundt pan well. Alternatively, you can use and oil and flour baking spray like Baker’s Joy.

Don’t over mix the coffee cake batter. This will cause tunnels while it cooks.

Put about half the batter into the prepared pan using your best estimating abilities, top with half the streusel, the rest of the batter, then the remaining streusel. Using an offset spatula helps to smooth out the layers of batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Let the streusel coffee cake cool for 15-20 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack.

 

Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake slices on a white plate

More Brunch Recipes

Baked Eggs over Maple Roasted Vegetables from Big Bear’s Wife.
Pear Oatmeal Crème Brûlée from The Spiffy Cookie.
Chocolate Chip Flaxseed Waffles from Hip Foodie Mom.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Granola from Baking a Moment
Braided Cinnamon Danish
Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
Blackberry Bran Muffins

Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake | Classic and scrumptious!

Sour Cream Streusel Coffeecake

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield 12 servings

A family recipe for a classic sour cream streusel coffee cake.

Ingredients

For streusel:

  • 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 cup walnut pieces, I recommend California Walnuts

For cake:

  • 1⁄2 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 3⁄4 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste, I recommend Nielsen-Massey
  • 1⁄2 pint (1 cup) sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Butter and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan (or spray with oil/flour baking spray). Set aside.
  2. Mix together streusel ingredients in medium bowl till butter is mixed in completely. Use fingers to break mixture apart into dime sized crumbs or smaller.
  3. In a large bowl,beat together butter and sugar, then mix in eggs.
  4. Add vanilla bean paste and sour cream, and then slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix till combined, but take care not to overmix.
  5. Put half the batter in the prepared pan and smooth top. Sprinkle with half the crumbs. Add the rest of the batter followed by the rest of the crumbs.
  6. Bake for 45-55 minutes until top is browned, and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  7. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove cake from pan to a cooling rack.
  8. Cool completely before serving.

Notes

Cooling time not calculated into total time.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 slice

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 431Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 348mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 2gSugar: 28gProtein: 7g

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