Old Fashioned Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Pecan Crumble Topping

One of my favorite tried and true recipes, this moist and flavorful cinnamon sour cream coffee cake has a buttery nut-filled crumb topping and filling, making it the perfect recipe for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.  

I’ve been making this old-fashioned sour cream coffee cake for over 20 years.

But the recipe itself goes back even further, to around 1954, when my friend’s grandma shared it with her mom, making it one of the most-loved recipes in my collection.  

One of the things I love about this recipe is that it makes a nice large pan of crumb-topped, cinnamon-infused goodness–making it the perfect solution for when you have friends and family staying with you.

I usually make this amazing coffee cake a day or two before our guests come and pop it in the freezer. 

Then, on the day our company is due to arrive, I take the pan out of the freezer and thaw it on the kitchen counter. 

If our guests are just staying for the weekend, I usually just leave the cake sitting out during their stay, so they can easily grab a piece for breakfast, dessert, or a quick snack. 

This super-moist sour cream coffee cake is always a hit with everyone! 

It’s similar to the coffee cake you’ll find at Panera and Starbucks–or from Entenmann’s and Sara Lee at the grocery store–but so much better!

My cinnamon sour cream coffee cake recipe calls for just a few wholesome ingredients you probably already have on hand, so you can easily throw it together and pop it in the oven within a few minutes.

Then, get ready for your entire house to be filled with the most amazing aroma of cinnamon while it bakes!

Eaten warm or cold, for breakfast, a snack, or dessert, this rich and satisfying sour cream coffee cake always hits the spot, and I have a feeling it will become one of your family favorites, too!

Old Fashioned Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe with Cinnamon Crumb Topping

Makes approximately 18 servings

Recipe Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups cane sugar
3 eggs at room temperature
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sour cream (you can substitute plain unsweetened yogurt for the sour cream)
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup pecans (or walnuts), finely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325º F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 10″ x 15″ oblong baking dish with butter or coconut oil.  (You can also halve this recipe and use an 8″ x 8″ or  9″ x 9″ square or round baking dish. See below for adjustments.)
2. Place the softened butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Mix on medium speed for 5 minutes, or until mixture is well-blended and creamy.
3. Add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients. Mix until fully combined.
4. Add in the sour cream and beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until mixture is fluffy.
5. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly to sides of pan.
6. Make the crumb mixture: in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped nuts.
7. Sprinkle half of the crumb mixture over the batter in the pan.
8. Pour the remaining batter over the crumb mixture and spread evenly.
9. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon crumb mixture over the top of the batter.
10. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
11. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Cut into squares to serve.

Cook’s Note: If you’d rather not make a big cake, you can cut this recipe in half and bake it in an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 inch square or round pan for 35 minutes, which will yield 9 servings.  Use 2 eggs instead of 3.

 

Looking for more recipe ideas?  Here are a few favorite recipes and entertaining ideas from Jane at Home:

Easy Mini Quiche Muffins with Spinach and Bacon

Homemade Zuppa Toscana Recipe

Easy Oat Flour Crepes Recipe – gluten-free

Dreamy Chocolate Mousse with Ricotta Cheese

Easy Stacked Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce & Sour Cream

Easy Microwave Chocolate-Covered Strawberries Recipe

Authentic Homemade Pasta e Fagioli Soup Recipe (Italian Chili)

One-Bowl Oatmeal Blondies with White Chocolate & Cranberries

Crispy Garlic and Herb Oven Roasted Potatoes

I hope you enjoy this sour cream coffee cake as much as we do!  Please let me know if you have any questions about how to make this old fashioned coffee cake recipe.  xo Jane