Grandma’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe is perfect for breakfast or as dessert, especially when served with a hot cup of coffee. This sour cream coffee cake is easy to make and looks gorgeous since it’s made in a Bundt pan.
We love a good , old-fashioned coffee cake recipe any day of the week, with or without coffee. It can be breakfast as much as dessert, and everyone is happy with this moist and delicious version. Many people wonder why sour cream is in the list of ingredients, and that is because it makes the cake moist. Yum!
Grandma’s Classic Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Grandma used this as her go-to coffee cake recipe. She got the recipe from a friend, and then she passed it down to our generation. The recipe can be found in the list of recipes she helped Barbara record and also in her wooden recipe box that Barbara still uses today. We would put this Sour Cream Coffee Cake right up there with Paula Deen’s or Martha Stewart’s!
This coffee cake is made in a Bundt pan so be sure to grease and flour the pan generously before adding the batter.
Sour cream is the key ingredient. It keeps the cake extra moist. The recipe also calls for a half cup of butter AND a half cup of margarine. We never asked Grandma why both butter and margarine but we can’t argue about the results!
The cake also includes two layers or cinnamon, sugar, and chopped nuts which take it over the top. There is no need for an icing or a glaze; this recipe is perfect on it’s own.
An important step is to let the cake cool in the pan for an hour. Grandma’s orders!
How to make Old Fashioned Pound Cake Recipe:
Full recipe for Old Fashioned Coffee Cake is at the bottom of the page.
Instructions:
- Beat the butter, margarine and sugar until creamy.
- Add eggs one at a time and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, mixing after each addition.
- Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon, sugar and nuts.
- Grease and flour bundt pan.
- Pour one-third of cake batter into prepared pan, sprinkle half of the cinnamon mixture on top. Add another third of the batter and top with cinnamon mixture. Add the last of the batter.
- Bake for one hour or until done. Let cool in pan for at least one hour.
Grandma's Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup margarine, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 4 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Beat butter, margarine and sugar (1 1/2 cups) until creamy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue beating.
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, mixing after each addition.
- Add vanilla, and mix until completely incorporated.
- In a small bowl, mix chopped nuts, sugar (4 T.) and cinnamon.
- Prepare a Bundt pan by greasing generously, and lightly dusting with flour.
- Pour 1/3 of the batter into the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan. Smooth into a consistent layer with a knife. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Pour an additional 1/3 of the batter over the cinnamon sugar layer, smooth again with a knife. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Spread the remaining 1/3 batter on top the cinnamon sugar layer, and smooth with a knife.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven, and let cool for 1 hour in the pan.
Notes
- This coffee cake is made in a Bundt pan so be sure to grease and flour the pan generously before adding the batter.
- Sour cream is the key ingredient. It keeps the cake extra moist. The recipe also calls for a half cup of butter AND a half cup of margarine. We never asked Grandma why both butter and margarine but we can't argue about the results!
- The cake also includes two layers or cinnamon, sugar, and chopped nuts which take it over the top. There is no need for an icing or a glaze; this recipe is perfect on it's own.
- An important step is to let the cake cool in the pan for an hour. Grandma's orders!
- Grandma had the best recipes. Try her Rhubarb Pie, Pumpkin Chiffon Pie and Frosted Zucchini Bars.
In your description of butter and margarine you write a half of cup off butter AND a cup of margarine. However in the body of your recipe it says, “1/2 cup of butter and 1/2 cup of margarine. Which is it.
It’s a 1/2 cup of each. Sorry about that! Thanks for asking.
Have you ever made it with all butter, rather than half butter and half margarine? Wondering if it would make a big difference, since I have the butter but no margarine.
Sorry for the delayed answer. We haven’t made it with all butter but wouldn’t think it would cause any issue to use all butter! Let us know how it turns out.
Best coffee cake ever! Sour cream makes it extra creamy. Thx for sharing.
So glad you liked it!! It’s definitely a favorite ours!
I don’t see coffee in this recipe .. did i miss something??
Coffee cakes are called that as they are traditionally served with coffee! They don’t normally have coffee in them.
Great recipe. I used vegan butter and walnuts. Only need 55mins.
This is the best coffee cake ever! It’s moist and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed it!