This easy Sour Cream Coffee Cake is moist and tender, with layers of pecans and a cinnamon sugar crumble. It’s perfect with an afternoon cup of coffee or tea!
Grandma’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake is a simple, classic recipe. The cake itself is light, with a tender crumb. Sandwiched between the layers is a brown sugar, pecan, and cinnamon crumble, which also adorns the top (that’s TWO layers of pecan crumble, just like in my Banana Coffee Cake!).
Its simplicity makes it really delightful, especially accompanied by a cup of coffee.
The recipe fittingly comes from my Grandma Cay’s recipe binder. (I previously shared Rum Balls and German Potato Salad with Eggs, which are also her recipes.)
It’s the first recipe in her binder, so I have no doubt that she made it for her bridge club ladies, whom she hosted weekly.
They would sit around and play for pennies (yes, actual pennies), enjoying coffee and a treat as they caught up on life.
As Grandma Cay grew older, bridge club eventually came to a stop. Many ladies moved to Florida or to be closer to grandkids, some moved to retirement homes, and some passed away.
At one point, Grandma explained, “all my friends are in Florida or dead.” It was sadly true.
Grandma herself passed away a few summers ago. If there are any games of bridge played in heaven, I bet that Grandma has gathered the girls for another round.
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Coffee cake ingredients
- You’ll need unsalted butter.
- All-purpose flour is best for baking.
- Sugar makes it sweet, of course!
- Two eggs keep the cake moist.
- The combination of baking powder and baking soda helps it rise.
- The crumble is made from sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans.
How to make sour cream coffee cake
Cream together 1 stick of butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. This will take about 2 minutes with a handheld mixer.
Add 2 eggs and beat well. Then, add 1 cup sour cream and mix to combine.
Gently stir in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt) until just combined. Do not overmix or the cake won’t be as tender.
Mix together pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon to create the topping.
Spread half of the batter in a greased angel food cake pan (I sprayed it with Pam). Top with half of the pecan mixture.
Repeat with the remaining batter and pecan mixture.
Bake at 350°F for 38–42 minutes, or until golden brown.
Enjoy Grandma’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake with a cup of coffee or tea!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Use full-fat Greek yogurt.
Yes, omit the pecans or substitute with walnuts if you prefer.
Yes! You can make this recipe in a greased bundt pan instead of an angel food cake pan.
Freeze either the whole coffee cake or slices of it by wrapping them in plastic wrap or foil, then putting them into large resealable freezer bags. The coffee cake will keep in the freezer for 1–2 months. Defrost overnight on the countertop.
Storage and serving
Sour Cream Coffee Cake can be kept at room temperature for 4–5 days (keep it covered). You can also refrigerate it if you prefer.
You can also freeze Sour Cream Coffee Cake for 1–2 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place it in a large resealable freezer bag (I like the 2 gallon sized bags).
I love serving up slices with coffee or tea. If you’re serving it for brunch, keep the pecans out and use them for a batch of Praline Candied Bacon or Cinnamon Roasted Pecans!
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Grandma’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the topping:
- ½ cup pecans, finely chopped
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
For the topping:
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon.
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an angel food cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar using a handheld mixer. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Crack eggs into the mixture and beat well.
- Add the sour cream and mix until combined. Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. You can either do this by hand or with the mixer, but if you use the mixer, be careful not to overbeat it—mix it just until combined.
- Pour half of the batter into the greased angel food cake pan and spread evenly across the bottom.
- Sprinkle half of the pecan topping on top. Spread the remaining batter on top of the pecan topping, and then top with the remaining pecan topping.
- Bake for 38–42 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
Betty says
You forgot the sour cream, how much??
Kate Shungu says
I’m sorry about that! 1 cup. The recipe is fixed, thank you!