Simple and classic, this buttery cinnamon crumb coffee cake is anything but plain! Sour cream ensures a moist, light (not overly dense) breakfast cake, and there’s double the brown sugar cinnamon crumb streusel. Enjoy a thick ribbon of streusel inside and plenty of crumbs on top, both made from the same mixture.
Cake for breakfast… well, don’t mind if I do! I’ve published quite a few coffee cake recipes over the years, and this is my go-to, absolute favorite sour cream version.
I originally published today’s recipe in 2015 and have made so many variations over the years, including doubling the crumb so there’s more swirl INSIDE and ON TOP of the cake. That’s the version you’ll find in the printable recipe below. (Because what’s the point of crumb cake if it’s all cake and no crumb?! Double the crumb = double the fun!)
You Will Love This Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake
This cinnamon crumb coffee cake is the original and “plain” version of my raspberry almond crumb cake, cranberry Christmas cake, and blackberry cream cheese crumb cake.
Compared to my New York-style crumb cake recipe, it’s smaller and softer—with a lighter, more cake-like crumb. It also has a delicious cinnamon swirl inside and vanilla icing on top, similar to cinnamon swirl quick bread and cinnamon swirl banana bread. The best part? Make just 1 cinnamon crumb mixture and use that for the filling AND topping.
- Texture: Tender, fluffy cake paired with a soft crumb topping. Each slice boasts a cinnamon-y ribbon running through the middle.
- Flavor: Classic coffee cake flavors of butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Ease: Prepare 1 mixture for both the cinnamon swirl and the crumb topping.
This coffee cake is delightful alongside a cup of coffee or tea (or a mimosa!). Make it for a birthday breakfast, a coffee catch-up with a friend, or a morning meeting—really any time you want to make the morning a little special. It’s always a favorite among these Easter brunch recipes, too!
Key Ingredients (Especially Sour Cream!)
- Brown Sugar: Moist brown sugar is the key to a crumb topping that’s soft, not crunchy.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is sturdy enough to support the heavy crumb layer. I was tempted to use cake flour in the recipe to achieve an ultra-soft crumb, but found that all-purpose gave a more ideal texture for a breakfast cake.
- Cinnamon: We can’t have cinnamon crumb cake without it!
- Butter: You need cold butter for the streusel and room temperature butter for the cake. Cream the softened butter with sugar, which produces a wonderfully cakey texture.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: These leaveners help the cake rise.
- Salt: Flavor enhancer.
- Granulated Sugar: We’ll cream the butter + sugar together for the base of the cake batter.
- Eggs: Bind ingredients together, and make the cake tender and rich.
- Vanilla Extract: If you have homemade vanilla extract, use it!
- Sour Cream: The magic moist maker! Just like in this white cake, sour cream makes the cake incredibly moist and lush.
- Milk: Just a little to thin out the batter so you can spread it in the pan.
Make the Cinnamon Crumb Mixture First
To keep things simple, there’s only 1 cinnamon crumb mixture. Layer 1 cup (practically half) in the center of the coffee cake and sprinkle the rest on top. You need brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and cold, cubed butter. The butter must be chilled. Why the emphasis on cold? The streusel mixture needs to maintain some of its structure in the oven or else both layers will sink to the bottom.
Use a pastry cutter to cut the cold butter into the other ingredients. You could also use 2 forks, or a food processor. Look how crumbly it gets:
Expect a Thick Coffee Cake Batter
Refrigerate the crumb mixture as you make the cake batter. The batter is rich and thick, and you need to divide it in half so you can layer in some of the cinnamon crumbs. The old version of the recipe created such a thick, heavy batter that it was difficult to divide and spread into the pan. By adding a little milk (just 2 Tablespoons!), the batter is much easier to divide and spread.
You need an 8-inch square pan for this recipe. See below for other size variations. Line it with lightly greased parchment paper so you can easily remove the cake from the pan as a whole, or just directly grease the pan. (Either way works.) Eyeball half of the cake batter and smooth it into the bottom of the greased pan. It does NOT have to be exact, nor perfect. Layer 1 cup (about half) of the cinnamon crumbs on top:
Now spread the remaining batter on top. This can be tricky since you’re spreading thick batter on an unstable crumb foundation. Just do your best. Top with remaining crumbs:
Bake, and then top with vanilla icing. The icing is optional, but always a fabulous (and pretty) finishing touch. You could even turn it into a delicious orange icing by replacing the milk with orange juice.
Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake Success Tips
- Pay attention to ingredient temperature. The butter in the crumb mixture should be cold, and the butter, eggs, and sour cream in the cake batter should be room temperature.
- Do your best to spread the thick batter. The top layer can be hard to spread on top of the cinnamon crumb layer, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. Don’t overthink it.
- Use a metal pan or a glass pan. If using ceramic, the coffee cake may take longer to bake. If using extra dark metal, the cake may take less time.
FAQ: Why Is This Called Coffee Cake?
I get this question a lot. 🙂 There is no coffee IN this cake! “Coffee cake” gets its name not because of the ingredients in the cake, but because it’s a breakfast cake to be enjoyed WITH coffee.
Variations & Different Pan Sizes
- Add some extras! Try it as cranberry Christmas cake (with pecans) or raspberry almond crumb cake; or mix and match your favorite add-ins and flavors. Chocolate chips are always a good idea. (Fold 1 cup/180g into the cake batter.)
- Add a cream cheese layer, like in this blackberry cream cheese version.
- Bake in a 9×5-inch loaf pan—no changes to the ingredients; bake time is about 40 minutes.
- Bake it in a 9-inch round cake pan—no changes to the ingredients and bake time.
- Bake in a 9×13-inch pan—see recipe Notes for exact instructions/ingredient amounts. My team and I tested a few versions of this larger size, so use the precise amounts in the Notes below. This is a wonderful size if you’re feeding a crowd:
More Coffee Cake Recipes
Sour Cream Coffee Cake (with Crumb Topping)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: serves 9-12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Every baker should have a classic, old-fashioned and buttery coffee cake recipe in their back pocket and this one is my gold standard, baseline recipe. You’re welcome to borrow it! An 8-inch square pan is required, but see the recipe Notes for other sizes.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Crumb Mixture
- 2/3 cup (135g) packed dark or light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (95g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Cake
- 1 and 1/3 cups (166g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature*
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk (any kind, dairy or nondairy, is fine)
Vanilla Icing (Optional)
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8-inch square pan (9-inch square is too big, see Notes for other pan sizes) with lightly greased parchment paper or directly grease the pan. I usually use this square pan or this square pan.
- Make the cinnamon crumb mixture: Combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry cutter or two forks (or use a food processor or your hands) until the mixture is in pea-sized crumbs. Some larger crumbs are OK. You’ll have a little over 2 cups of crumb. Refrigerate until step 5.
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until combined. Beat in the sour cream. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula and beat again as needed to combine. Mixture will be lumpy.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and beat on low speed until just combined. Finally, beat in the milk. Do not overmix this batter. The batter will be thick. You’ll have about 2 and 1/2 cups of batter.
- Carefully spread about half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle 1 cup (about half) of the crumb mixture evenly on top. Carefully spread the remaining batter on top (every last drop of it!). This can be a little tricky since you’re spreading thick batter on top of crumbs, but do your best. I usually use a spoon or small offset spatula. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly on top.
- Bake for around 32–38 minutes or until the cake is baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. Allow cake to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
- Make the icing: Whisk all of the icing ingredients together. Drizzle over warm cake.
- Lift the cake from the pan using the overhang parchment paper around the sides and slice into squares. Or, if you didn’t use parchment, slice directly in the pan. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The cake can be baked and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Make the glaze the next morning and drizzle over cake before serving. Cake, with or without icing, can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 8-inch Square Baking Pan (such as this one or this one | Glass Mixing Bowls | Pastry Cutter | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Small Offset Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Sour Cream: Sour cream creates a bakery-style tender and thick crumb. Do not skip it. If needed, you can substitute full-fat or low-fat (not nonfat) Greek yogurt.
- Loaf Pan: If you’d like to bake this coffee cake in a 9×5-inch loaf pan, adjust the bake time to about 40 minutes.
- 9-inch Round Pan: This recipe is too small for a 9-inch square pan; however, it fits wonderfully in a 9-inch round cake pan. Same instructions and bake time.
- 9×13-inch Pan: If you want to make this cake in a 9×13-inch pan, you need to just about 1.5x the recipe. My team and I tested the exact amounts and here is what you’ll need. The instructions are exactly the same, just use the following amounts. Crumb: 1 cup (200g) packed dark or light brown sugar, 1 and 1/4 cups (156g) all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 10 Tablespoons (1 stick + 2 Tbsp or 145g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed. Cake: 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks or 170g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 cup (240g) sour cream, 1/4 cup (60ml) milk. The icing recipe makes a lot, so it’s plenty for the larger cake. Bake time is closer to 45 minutes. Makes 24 servings.
- Update in 2022: After making this recipe for 7 years straight, I’ve made 2 small updates to produce an even better sour cream coffee cake. The recipe above has more crumb filling/topping than the 2015 version and it also includes a touch of milk to smooth out the batter. If you wish to make the old version, skip the milk and halve the amounts for the crumb filling/topping.
- Why is this called coffee cake and there is no coffee in the cake? “Coffee cake” gets its name not because of the ingredients in the cake, but because it’s a breakfast cake to be enjoyed WITH coffee.
Hi sally can I use a tube pan
Hi Luci, there isn’t enough batter for a Bundt or tube pan. However, if you try the 9×13-inch pan recipe/ingredient amounts (in the Notes), that would likely be enough. We’re unsure of the best bake time.
I made this being as careful as I could to get the weight measurements exactly right. But the bottom layer barely rose, and so was too dense. I baked it for 33 minutes in a metal 8×8 pan . I don’t know if I should have baked it longer, used slightly less sour cream (I trusted the 8 oz. container I bought to hold 8 oz. That’s the only ingredient that I didn’t weigh.) I’d like to make it again but don’t know how to avoid the excessively dense bottom layer, which looks nothing like the photos. The toothpick came out clean when I tested it, but the bottom looked obviously under baked. Any advice about how to avoid this next time?
Also, I’d put a little bit more salt, and maybe a little bit more vanilla (and/or a tiny bit of almond and lemon extracts) to give it a richer flavor.
We’re happy to help troubleshoot. Was the batter overmixed by chance? That’s often the culprit for overly dense cakes. You’ll want to mix until the ingredients are just combined. Were your baking soda and baking powder fresh, too? We find they often start to lose their power after about 3 months, even if not yet expired. 33 minutes is on the shorter end of bake time, so you can try extending it a bit next time, too. Thank you again for giving this a try!
Fabulous taste! I followed the recipe and it turned out perfect. I loved the ribbon cinnamon in the middle of the cake. Family said it is the best coffee cake they’ve ever had! I agree – thank you!
The recipe was very easy to follow and the cake layer came out very moist! However the crumb topping came out too well done after having to cook the cake all the way through. My oven was set to 350 and the crumb looked like it did in the video above. Any suggestions for keeping the crumb part from getting too dry?
Hi Jill, for next time, you can tent the pan with aluminum foil towards the end of bake time. This will prevent the topping from over-baking while continuing to let the rest of the cake bake through. So glad you enjoyed it!
Perfect easy recipe. Moist and tasty!
I made this recipe for the first time today and it was a big hit. The sour cream gave the cake a subtle tang which was delicious. I altered the recipe slightly. I spread the bottom cake layer in the pan and baked it for 10 minutes, then I added some generous dollops of homemade apple butter. I followed that with the remaining layers as per the recipe. (I partially baked the bottom layer first to set it because I didn’t want the apple butter to disappear into the cake batter). Two thumbs up for this recipe!
This is my new go to coffee cake recipe! Instead of the crumb ribbon going through the middle, I chucked a thick layer of raspberry jam in the middle of my cake and put some extra crumb on top! I also turned them into 12 individual cakes using a cupcake pan. There are only two of us here so half of them are in the freezer waiting to be eaten!
Delicious, and moist. The sour cream made it so good
This recipe was amazing, everyone Loved it…. I always get great compliments when I bake one of your recipes… I always send links to your website to friends and family. Only question I have… can I substitute HONEY in place of the 3/4c of granulated sugar… if so, how much Honey. My neighbor would love this, but he is diabetic… Thanks so much
Hi Pat, we’re so glad the coffee cake was a hit! We haven’t tested a version with honey, and it would definitely take some recipe testing to ensure results. For best results, we recommend sticking with the recipe as written. Thank you for making and sharing our recipes!
So wonderful. My husband and I try to limit our dessert to once a week. I like to have a variety of small sweets in the freezer, so we can both choose what we want. I love coffee cake, and made this, cut it into small squares and popped it in the freezer. Of course, I had to have a small piece to see if it was good. Oh my goodness, it was delicious. My 9 year old grand daughter had some after school, rolled her eyes and said, ” this is so good I could scream !” Ha ha, she is so dramatic. When I told her it was your recipe, she said, ” give that woman 15 awards.” I had to laugh , but I do agree with her. Your recipes are always, not just good, but over the top delicious. Thanks for making us all look good.
I wanted a sour cream cake that I could add cranberries and walnuts to without the crumb topping or middle haha. This worked perfectly. I buttered my pan and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and a nice crackled sugar topping. Perfect cake texture for what I wanted. Thank you!!
Perfect recipe, 38 minute cook time, the only thing I change is the amount of icing. I cut it in half. My family is already requesting it for special occasions!
This is a perfect recipe! Spot on ingredients and cook time! My family is already requesting this cake for special occasions. The only thing I changed was that I cut the amount of icing in half.
Smells wonderful! However, I’m using an 8×8 pyrex and it’s still in the over…20 minutes longer than the recipe. It just does not seem to want to cook through. And yes, the oven temperature is correct.
Hi Stephanie, have you tried testing it with a toothpick, or does the center just seem deflated? The center can deflate if the oven temperature changes too much while baking (opening the oven too much). Could that be the case? Continue baking until a toothpick comes out clean.
Definitely wanna try this! I have learned I don’t go wrong with recipes from this site & have tried many! Thanks so much for sharing all your efforts with us! ❤️
Can the Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe be made in a Bundt Pan? If so would I need to adjust the amount of the recipe? Many thanks!
Hi Marcia, there isn’t enough batter for a Bundt or tube pan. However, if you try the 9×13-inch pan recipe/ingredient amounts (in the Notes), that would likely be enough. We’re unsure of the best bake time.
Can I use this recipe to make coffee cake cupcakes?
Hi Diamond, we can’t see why not! You can layer the batter and crumbs into muffin liners. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but around 20-22 minutes should be great at the same oven temperature.
I love this recipe so much it’s now my go-to baked good for gifts ☺️. Sometimes the streusel at the top of the cake (the best part!) sinks into the middle; any idea why that is & how I can prevent it happening? It doesn’t always happen, but when it does I don’t understand why. Thanks in advance for your guidance ❤️
Hi Tina, I’m happy to hear you love this recipe! Is it ALL sinking to the bottom, or just some? Because some can definitely sink down, especially in the center where the cake rises the most. You can try to reduce the butter in the crumb by 1 Tablespoon to see if that helps, though.
Made this recipe for the 2nd time because I loved it so much.
Used oatflour because I had received some for free and it compliments the flavors very well but the inner cinnamon butter layer was a little gooey-ier than normal as an FYI for anyone else making the substitution. I used the usual rec’d ratio of oatfour to wheat flour.
I left my butter on the counter for a bit more than an hour and mixed it with the sugar for 2 minutes using a hand held mixer. The cake tester came out greasy after it baked. Thoughts on what I did wrong? I also thought the topping needed salt; just personal preference!
Hi MG, was the cake baked through? It could have just needed more time to bake. Thank you for giving it a try!
Wonderful recipe. How about making cupcakes with it?
Hi Ruth Ann! You can layer the batter and crumbs into muffin liners. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but around 20-22 minutes would be great at the same oven temperature.
Can we use salted butter and just omit the added salt? Made this Saturday with unsalted and it’s so amazing that I HAVE to make it again, but only have salted butter today.
Hi Michelle, yes, that will work in a pinch. So glad you enjoyed this one!
I made this for Christmas and it was delicious. I used a round 9-inch springform pan and it came out beautifully. It’s the best coffee cake I’ve had in a long time.
Thank you for this recipe.
Haven’t had coffee cake in a while, and honestly I don’t bake as much as I cook.
I wanted to share one aspect of my experience.
I live about 5k above sea level, and at 38 minutes my cake was runny! The echos of my father came in my head of – when Baking in high altitudes you need to adjust the recipe or heat and time.
I had totally forgotten this, and of course it was too late to consider changing the batter. I went from 350 to 375 F and another 10-15 minutes (less than 1/2 hour) and yay! Awesome coffee yummy cake was produced.
Thank you again for this recipe
I made the 9×13 version and it is seriously the best coffee cake I’ve ever made. Your recipes never disappoint and are the ones I’ve come to trust and go to first!
Can you use throw away round aluminum pie tin – 8 1/2 in diameter by 1 5/16 in?
Hi Michelle, you can use a disposable pan, but an 8-inch round is a bit too small. See recipe Notes for alternative pan size options.
What about a square 8×8 glass Pyrex?
Loved this recipe. I was hosting an impromptu brunch and was looking for a quick coffee cake recipe and this one was a winner. Very easy to make and tasted delicious!!! Thank you for the recipe, saving it for my next event
10 Stars!!! Fabulous!! I only had extra large eggs so when it was time to add the eggs, the batter was moist enough. Perfect coffee cake!
Lots of your recipes call for any milk, dairy or non-dairy. Would buttermilk be ok in most of your recipes?
Hi Jann, it really depends on the recipe because sometimes it would be fine, and other times I wouldn’t recommend it (like if the recipe had a lot of sour cream, or called for a lot of milk). So, it depends.
Have you tried using cinnamon chips in the topping?
Hi Pat, we haven’t, but that sounds delicious!
This cake was Soo good!!