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–+ servings

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This bakery style Sour Cream Coffee Cake is incredibly moist, buttery, and layered with a thick cinnamon brown sugar swirl and big soft crumb topping. A classic 9×13 coffee cake perfect for breakfast, brunch, holidays, and cozy mornings. It is tender, flavorful, and loaded with warm cinnamon, the absolutely perfect crowd pleasing homemade crumb cake.
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Servings: 1 9x13" pan

Ingredients

Chunky Cinnamon Crumb Topping

  • 1 cup 16 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
  • 1 ¾ cups light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 6 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp espresso powder optional
  • ¼ tsp salt

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Swirl

  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp all purpose flour
  • Pinch of salt

Sour Cream Cake Batter

  • 12 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 3 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1 ⅓ cups sour cream
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp whole milk

Instructions

Prep

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easier slicing.

Make the Chunky Crumb Topping

  • In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, espresso powder, and salt.
  • Add the softened butter and use your fingertips or a fork to mash and mix until large crumbles form.
  • Squeeze handfuls together to create even bigger crumbs.
  • Refrigerate crumbs for 10–15 minutes while preparing the cake batter.

Make the Cinnamon Brown Sugar Swirl

  • In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
  • Mix until a thick, glossy paste forms. Set aside.

Make the Cake Batter

  • In a large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
  • Add eggs and egg yolks and mix until smooth.
  • Add vanilla and sour cream; mix to combine.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until a smooth, thick batter forms.
  • Add milk and beat briefly just to combine.

Assemble the Cake

  • Spread half the cake batter into the prepared pan.
  • Drop spoonfuls of the brown sugar swirl evenly over the batter and gently spread or swirl lightly.
  • Add the remaining cake batter and smooth the top.
  • Sprinkle the chilled chunky crumb topping evenly over the surface in clumps.

Bake

  • Bake at 350°F for 60-65 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Start checking around the 50 minute mark, and tent the top loosely with foil if the crumbs start to brown too quickly.

Cool & Serve

  • Let the cake cool fully in the pan for clean slices.
  • Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.