Sour-Cream Coffee Cake Recipe (2024)

Thanks, Vicky —we retested the pan size and found the recipe worked well in an 8 x 8-inch pan. You'll see that change here.

This cake is really delicious but there is nowhere near enough batter by a 9x13 pan. I baked it in a 9" square an that was perfect

After reading about the issues many of you were having, we retested this recipe a third time. We brought the pan size back to the original 9 x 13. We also doubled the topping (although removed the butter) and decreased the baking soda. All of this should help with the overflow and/or sinkage some of you were experiencing. We also provided metric measurements for those of you who prefer to weigh your ingredients. Happy Cooking!

we have made this recipe for years in our family but with one difference: we split the topping into 2 portions. We put half of the batter in the pan, then half of the topping, then the remainder of the batter followed by the remainder of the topping. Sometimes we add raisins or thinly sliced apples or cranberries just for fun. Sometimes we add 1T vanilla or bourbon. This cake can also be baked in a tube pan or a bundt pan which makes for a beautiful presentation. Enjoy!

Not even Pythagoras could get 18 servings out of this in an 8x8 pan at 3"x2" squares.

This is my Great Aunt Sarah's coffee cake BUT ... add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the sour cream mixture. Gives the cake a bright note.

Wish the Times would make the correction to baking pan size in directions not in cooking notes. Easily overlooked and could cause a great recipe to come out flat and ruined.

Would substituting plain Greek yogurt for the cream cheese work? Fat-free especially?

64 square inches of pan area divided by 6 square inches per serving yields 10.67 servings. To get 18 servings, they would have to be approximately 1 7/8 inches square.
Ok, I admit to being a nerd.

I made this cake with walnuts and once removed from oven I drizzled with browned butter frosting. It tastes like nothing ive ever tasted, it is beyond perfection! For browned butter drizzle I used 3 tbsp sweet cream butter1 tsp vanilla1 cup powdered sugarAnd 1 tablespoon milk (you will need to add a few splashes more to get it to drizzle) You can find recipe online!!

Make sure your baking powder is fresh - that might also help the 'sunken middle' problem. (In my opinion, even if it hasn't reached it's expiration date yet, if it's been open for more than 10 or 12 months, throw it out and get fresh - it's not that expensive and really worth it in the long run considering how much you're spending on the other ingredients.)

My Mom always made this in a bundt pan, putting in half the batter, then a layer of the topping (she used walnuts) then the remaining batter and top with filling again. always a family favorite

I did not have enough sour cream so I substituted in some 2% greek yogurt and it was perfectly fine.

Chop the streussel finer to spread evenly over the top - the finer it is chopped, the less it will sink down into the batter.

I have an almost identical recipe except: 1 C sugar, 2 C flour, 1 C sour cream, 1tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda.....those are the only changes. Baked up perfect in 45 minutes in angel food cake pan!

I make this coffee cake regularly, as written & in a 9x13 pan - it is a perfect and delicious way to use up the leftover sour cream after taco/nacho nights. I do prefer a different crumble recipe, which I make up in big batches and keep in freezer to pull out and use whenever I make coffee cake or sweet potatoes casserole. My go-to crumble is 1/2 cup butter cut into 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1.5 tsp cinnamon, then 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans.

I followed the recipe but poured half the batter in an 9X13 pan, then added half the topping, added the rest of the batter and the rest of the topping. Baked about 25 minutes in a convention oven at 325degrees. Tested it with a tooth pick before removing from the oven. Everyone LOVED it. I will definitely be making this recipe again and again! Thanks.

Added 3 Tbsp melted butter and 1/2 cup rolled oats to the topping, and it is so much better!!

I made this yesterday. I didn’t read the notes and baked as directed. Baked in 9x13 pan and while the cake wasn’t as high as some I have had, it was not dense at all. Still light, moist and buttery. When mixing the sour cream and alternating the flour mixture I switched to a danish whisk and mixed each addition only until incorporated making sure not to over mix I didn’t want to over mix. Went with the topping as is with out adding butter to have more of a streusel topping, but used brown sugar

Mixed exactly as written, except for topping. I chopped nuts extra fine and layered batter, topping, batter, topping. Baked in 8x8 glass pan for 40 minutes. Cut in 12 pieces. Perfect. Very rich. Excellent use of extra sour cream after Christmas baking.

Is it 1 1/2 cups sifted flour(sifted before measuring) or 1 1/2 cups flour, sifted (sifted after measuring)? This would impact the cake, no?

I riffed off this recipe but made a gluten free version- subbed 1 t. xanthan gum, 1/4 c. potato starch, 1 1/4 c Bob's Red Mill G.F. flour (red bag), added 1 T orange blossom water to the batter, doubled the topping and added 6T Butter to it to make a *true* streusel! Put half in the middle, and baked in muffin tins for individual cakes; reduced bake time by 10 min. Was delicious, even though topping still sunk

I got out all my ingredients and made the topping and the batter. Batter seemed really not a lot and very thick but I put it in the oven. Then I noticed my yogurt (I was using instead of sour cream) was still out (I tend to put ingredients away as I use them)! So I got the cake out of the oven. Threw all the cups of yogurt on top, mixed it in and baked it! Delicious and moist. But, New Year’s resolution, read the recipe twice!

Sadly didn't work out for us - as others have noted, the ratio of sugar topping is way off and I had to warn guests to 'shake off' the excess sugar from their pieces. Flavor was good but strange texture, gummy despite passing the toothpick test.

So. I made the cake, following the directions with some of the suggestions. I split the topping and placed the batter in a heavily sprayed bundt pan, but I wondered - what is the intention with the Bundt pan presentation? If I split the topping (which wound up being crumbly powder; I made and added the drizzle mentioned later), do you turn it out with the topping on the bottom? Also, I can't get it out of the Bundt pan - was the idea to slice it in the pan?

Followed recipe exactly using 9x13 inch glass Pyrex. Baked it for just under 40 minutes. Came out great! Moist cake, delicious flavor. The topping is sort of a dry cinnamon sugar, but that's OK. The topping adds the cinnamon flavor and can be dabbed up with the moist cake. 9x13 pan is essential. My husband who is an outstanding chef loved it! I am adding this to my repertoire!!!

I agree with others that, even after the adjustments, this recipe is not enough for a 9x13” pan, particularly if you want to add a middle layer of the topping. I did not have enough for a top layer and had to quickly make half the recipe again to top it off. 1.5x of the recipe does make a pleasingly plump cake in a 9x13” pan.I will also add, don’t try to use vegan sour cream, as I have. The batter is too runny.

I made this coffee cake and read all the comments. Many of you said to use a 8x8 pan instead of 9x13. I did exactly that used 8x8. My cake proofed up a lot. It also takes longer to bake. It doesn’t smell good.

I’d definitely make this, but use a 9x13! Not a 8x8

Delicious. I didn't have enough sour cream - so I used some greek yoghurt. I also used a butter-sugar-flour streusel topping before baking. 9x13 glass dosh. Everything worked fine.