This recipe makes a large 9×13 inch cake with three layers of batter and many streusel pockets. It uses sour cream in the batter for moisture and tang. The top gets a glaze that adds sweetness and shine. Read all steps before you start to make baking smooth and fast.
Why make this recipe
This Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe gives you a soft, moist cake with big cinnamon streusel pieces on top. It is simple to make and works for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack. If you like a classic coffee cake with a tender crumb, this recipe is a good choice. For another easy sweet breakfast idea, try this lemon cream cheese pancake cake recipe.
How to make Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch cake pan with nonstick spray or rub with butter.
- Make the streusel: In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons cinnamon.
- Melt 1 cup butter in the microwave and pour into the streusel bowl. Stir until the mixture looks like wet sand with big chunks. Do not overwork it.
- For the cake dry mix: In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk 2 and 1/4 cups flour, 1 and 1/4 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
- Chop 3/4 cup softened butter into chunks. Add the chopped butter and 1/2 cup sour cream to the flour mix. Use the paddle or beaters to blend until the mixture comes together in a ball. Scrape sides as needed.
- In another bowl, whisk 4 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, and 1 tablespoon vanilla until well blended.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture in three parts, beating about 20 seconds after each addition. Then beat 1 minute until the batter is light and fluffy.
- Spread 2 cups of batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle 1 cup streusel evenly over it, breaking up large pieces.
- Spread another 2 cups batter on top and smooth. Add 1 more cup streusel.
- Add the rest of the batter and spread evenly. Finish by spreading another 2 cups streusel on top. Save some streusel to add later.
- Bake 25 minutes at 350 F.
- Quickly remove the cake, shut the oven door, and sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top, focusing on spots where the cake rose. Return the cake to the oven quickly.
- Bake another 20–25 minutes until a toothpick comes out with no wet batter. Total bake time is about 45–50 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 15–20 minutes before cutting.
- Make the icing: Beat 1/4 cup butter until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup milk, and 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat until smooth.
- Drizzle the icing over the cake. Serve warm for best taste.
Note: For more baking tips and a different pancake-style breakfast idea, you can check this Cracker Barrel pancake recipe for inspiration.
Ingredients :
- 3 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks, melted)
- 2 & 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup butter (1 and 1/2 sticks, softened but still cool)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup butter (half stick, very soft)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup milk (more to taste)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Directions :
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch cake pan with nonstick spray or butter.
- Make the streusel by mixing 3 cups flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons cinnamon. Add 1 cup melted butter and stir until crumbly with chunks.
- For the cake dry mix, whisk 2 and 1/4 cups flour, 1 and 1/4 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
- Cut 3/4 cup softened butter into the dry mix and add 1/2 cup sour cream. Beat until it forms a ball.
- Whisk 4 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, and 1 tablespoon vanilla in another bowl. Add to dry mix in three parts, beating briefly after each. Beat 1 minute after all added.
- Layer batter and streusel in the pan: batter, streusel, batter, streusel, batter, streusel. Save some streusel.
- Bake 25 minutes, add remaining streusel quickly, then bake another 20–25 minutes until a toothpick is clean. Cool 15–20 minutes.
- For icing, beat 1/4 cup butter, add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup milk, and 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat smooth and drizzle over cake.
- Serve warm. Store as below.
How to serve Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe
Slice the cake into squares. Serve warm with coffee or tea. You can microwave slices 10–20 seconds if the cake cooled. Drizzle extra icing on each slice if you like extra sweetness.
How to store Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe
Cover the cake at room temperature. It will keep 2–3 days on the counter. After 3 days, move it to the fridge. For longer storage, wrap slices and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge or warm in the microwave.
Tips to make Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe
- Read the directions before you start so you move fast when you need to add streusel mid-bake.
- Keep the butter for the cake soft but not melted. This helps the batter hold air.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Beat just until combined and fluffy.
- Save some streusel to add after the cake bakes the first time — this keeps big streusel pieces on top.
- Use room-temperature eggs for better mixing.
Variation
- Add 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) to the streusel for crunch.
- Stir 1/2 cup raisins or chopped apple into the batter for fruit.
- Swap half the cinnamon for cardamom for a different spice note.
- For a smaller cake, bake in an 8×8 pan but reduce bake time and check often.
FAQs
Q: Can I use low-fat sour cream?
A: Yes, you can, but the cake may be a little less rich and moist.
Q: Can I make the streusel ahead of time?
A: Yes. Make it and keep it in the fridge for a day. Let it warm slightly before using.
Q: Do I need to use both melted and softened butter?
A: The recipe uses melted butter for the streusel and softened butter for the cake. They do different jobs. Keep them as the recipe says for best texture.
Q: Can I use a glass pan?
A: Yes. Baking time may change a little. Start checking with a toothpick at 40 minutes.
Conclusion
This Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe is a crowd-pleaser and easy to share at breakfast or brunch. For another crumb-topped coffee cake idea, see Sour Cream Coffee Cake (with Crumb Topping). If you want a cinnamon-streusel version with similar steps, check this Sour Cream Coffee Cake (cinnamon streusel) – The Chunky Chef.
Sour Cream Streusel Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 3 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 cup butter (melted) 2 sticks, melted
Cake Batter
- 2 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup butter (chopped into chunks) 1 and 1/2 sticks, softened but still cool
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Icing
- 1/4 cup butter very soft, half stick
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup milk more to taste
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch cake pan with nonstick spray or butter.
- Make the streusel: In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons cinnamon.
- Melt 1 cup butter in the microwave and pour into the streusel bowl. Stir until the mixture looks like wet sand with big chunks. Do not overwork it.
- For the cake dry mix: In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk 2 and 1/4 cups flour, 1 and 1/4 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
- Chop 3/4 cup softened butter into chunks. Add the chopped butter and 1/2 cup sour cream to the flour mix. Use the paddle or beaters to blend until the mixture comes together in a ball. Scrape sides as needed.
- In another bowl, whisk 4 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, and 1 tablespoon vanilla until well blended.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture in three parts, beating about 20 seconds after each addition. Then beat 1 minute until the batter is light and fluffy.
Baking
- Spread 2 cups of batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle 1 cup streusel evenly over it, breaking up large pieces.
- Spread another 2 cups batter on top and smooth. Add 1 more cup streusel.
- Add the rest of the batter and spread evenly. Finish by spreading another 2 cups streusel on top. Save some streusel to add later.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 350 F.
- Quickly remove the cake, shut the oven door, and sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top, focusing on spots where the cake rose. Return the cake to the oven quickly.
- Bake another 20–25 minutes until a toothpick comes out with no wet batter. Total bake time is about 45–50 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 15–20 minutes before cutting.
Icing
- Beat 1/4 cup butter until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup milk, and 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat until smooth.
- Drizzle the icing over the cake. Serve warm for best taste.