Easy sour cream coffee cake made with an old fashioned recipe from my grandma. This moist, fluffy coffee cake is topped with a buttery brown sugar crust and built on a caramelized sugar base. The perfect pairing to a hot cup of coffee.
I thought it was time that I made some of the recipes that hang on the wall of my kitchen. I chose the specific recipes that hang there because they reminded me of my grandmas. But this coffee cake recipe stood out as a favorite because of the type written ingredients, paired with the handwritten notes. Add to the fact that the old fashioned recipe card is discolored, I knew it was well loved and liked.
After making this sour cream coffee cake, my mom and dad were taken back to the many times my grandma made it for them. I could not believe how easy this recipe was and it will most definitely be made again in our home. My kids inhaled it, making it the perfect sweet treat for breakfast alongside a breakfast casserole.
Does Coffee Cake Have Coffee In It?
No coffee in this coffee cake. However, coffee cake is the perfect pairing with a hot cup of coffee which gives it it’s name. Sweet, moist and delicious, I love it with a hot cup of joe.
How to Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Step 1: Combine sugar, eggs, softened butter, vanilla, and sour cream.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and spread half in an 8×12 baking pan. An 8×8 square pan will work as well just adjust the baking time.
Step 4: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and flour. Sprinkle half of the mixture onto the batter in the baking pan.
Step 5: Add the remaining batter to the baking pan.
Step 6: Cut in butter to the remaining brown sugar topping mixture. Spread the buttered sugar over the top of the batter to make your topping.
Step 7: Bake in a 375˚ F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
I love warm coffee cake with a cup of coffee, and this recipe did not disappoint. The canyons in the topping are made from the butter. It creates caverns of melted butter and sugar! Better yet is that the middle layer of brown sugar falls to the bottom and caramelizes complementing the soft buttery cake.
While this coffee cake is easy to make it’s not dense like a pound cake, but has that fluffy soft texture that I love in the morning. I hope you enjoy this sour cream coffee cake as much as our family did!
More Breakfast Recipes
- Crockpot Breakfast Casserole Recipe With Sausage
- Bisquick Breakfast Quiche
- Breakfast Burrito Recipe (Freezer Cooking!)

Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Base Layer
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter softened
- 2 large egg
- 1 Cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Middle & Topping
- 3/4 Cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter softened
Instructions
- Combine white sugar and butter. Add egg and sour cream and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until combined. Add half of the batter to a 8x12 baking pan.
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and flour. Sprinkle half onto the batter in the baking pan.
- Add the remaining batter to the baking pan.
- Add butter to the remaining brown sugar mixture and sprinkle on top.
- Bake at 375˚ F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Comments & Reviews
Hi could this be made ahead then baked the next morning?
I would not recommend making it and then baking the next morning. The baking soda and baking powder will start to absorb the moisture and will not give the coffee cake it’s needed rise the next day. If you need to make it ahead, I would recommend baking it the night before.