This cinnamon walnut sour cream coffee cake recipe is incredibly easy and comes together in no time! The batter is made with melted butter so no mixer is needed and the addition of sour cream keeps things airy and moist. Chopped walnuts are folded into the batter and also mixed into the streusel topping for extra nutty flavor.
Make this cake in a 9″ round pan like the recipe calls for or reduce baking time and bake in a 9×13″ rectangular pan. If you are a coffee cake fan you will love these Coffee Cake Cookies or this Coffee Cake Banana Bread.
In culinary school I made coffee cake (or variations of it) so many times, I find it to be a underrated cake! Try all of my from scratch cake or dessert recipes for even more baking inspiration!
What Makes This Recipe Special
- Moist and Tender Texture: The addition of sour cream makes this coffee cake incredibly moist and soft, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. This cake has a tender crumb and requires no mixer.
- Crunchy Walnut Topping: Chopped walnuts add a delightful crunch and nutty flavor to balance the sweetness of the cake. Walnuts are folded into the batter and mixed into the streusel topping.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re serving it for breakfast, brunch, or as an afternoon snack with coffee, this cake is a versatile crowd-pleaser. Easily transport this cake in the same pan you bake it in.
- Easy to Make: The cake comes together easily in one bowl, without a hand mixer or stand mixer. The batter takes just minutes to whip up and the streusel topping can easily be combined with your fingers or a fork.
- Frosting Optional: While the cake is fantastic on its own, a light glaze or dusting of powdered sugar can elevate it for a special occasion.
What Is Coffee Cake
Coffee cake is a type of sweet cake that’s typically served with coffee or tea—not called coffee cake because it contains coffee (although some versions might). This version is loaded with hints of cinnamon and has nutty flavor from the chopped walnuts. A dollop of cream cheese frosting or a drizzle of powdered sugar glaze adds the perfect hint of sweetness!
You could substitute other nuts in the coffee cake like chopped pecans, pistachios, or hazelnuts! Other spices can also be added in addition the the cinnamon. Nutmeg, ground ginger, apple pie spice, or pumpkin pie spice all add additional flavor. Great with your morning cup of coffee or to bring along to gatherings.
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t overmix cake batter, mix until just combined, the batter will be lumpy.
- Grease and flour baking dish so cake easily releases from the pan. Focusing on the edges and corners of the pan.
- Spread crumble layer evenly on top of the cake, covering every inch.
- Allow to cool before slicing for cleaner slices.
- Serve topped with fresh whipped cream, homemade glaze, or ice cream.
Key Ingredients
This Cinnamon Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe uses simple ingredients, see below for ingredient substitutes if there are any as well as special notes:
- Unsalted Butter: if using salted butter, omit adding more salt later in the recipe. Do not substitute margarine or oil.
- Milk: any type of milk will work for this recipe. Dairy milk like whole milk and 2% milk or non-dairy like almond milk and oat milk work. You could also use heavy cream or half and half for a richer texture.
- Sour cream: this adds moisture to the cake without changing the flavor or adding to much extra liquid to the batter.
- Granulated white sugar: I do not recommend swapping any other type of sugar for this recipe. Other sugars can impact the dough differently and change how the cake bakes and rises.
- Brown sugar: make sure to pack your brown sugar. Light or dark brown sugar works.
- Whole eggs: I like fresh pasture raised farm eggs if available, but any kind will work for this cake. Let your eggs come to room temperature for this recipe if possible, this helps make the egg easier to fully incorporate.
- Pure vanilla extract: use homemade or store-bought vanilla extract, almond extract can be added for additional flavor if desired.
- Cinnamon: I love adding spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to my cakes. You can leave this out or add as much as you want. Apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice are easy ways to add in extra spice.
- All-purpose flour: no substitution here, other types of flour will change the texture and affect baking differently.
- Baking soda/powder: make sure to check the expiration dates on your leavening agents so they are still effective.
- Walnuts: chopped walnuts are best here so they get evenly distributed throughout the cake. Other nuts like chopped pecans or hazelnuts will work also.
How To Make The Coffee Cake
Let’s talk a little about how to make this Cinnamon Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick overview:
- Combine melted butter with sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, and sour cream.
- Mix in the dry ingredients and fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Mix up the streusel topping in a small bowl.
- Prep baking pan, add in the cake batter, top with streusel.
- Bake and let cool slightly.
- Top with glaze if desired.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9″ round baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together sugar and melted butter until well combined. Mix in the milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, and eggs until blended.
- To the wet ingredients add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until combined, the batter may have a few small lumps. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, softened cold butter, and walnuts for the streusel topping, you want pea sized chunks of butter when done. Set aside. A food processor can help this also.
- Spread the cake mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top of the cake. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake is golden brown. Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack.
- For the glaze, combine powdered sugar, heavy cream, and maple syrup in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and drizzle over the coffee cake before slicing, the glaze is optional. Slice the coffee walnut cake and enjoy!
More Drool-Worthy Baked Goods
If you like this cake, you’ll love these other easy cake and dessert recipes:
- Egg Nog Coffee Cake – a fun seasonal dessert!
- Banana Cake Recipe – a quick cake recipe that doesn’t require a mixer!
- Coffee Cake Banana Bread – easy banana bread layered with a cinnamon streusel.
- Coffee Cake Cookies – the best part of coffee cake in cookie form!
- Cinnamon Snacking Cake with Maple Frosting – another quick cake with a simple maple buttercream.
- Easy Double Banana Chocolate Cake – a great recipe for ripe bananas!
Tools I Recommend
- 9″ Round Cake Pan – a nice round pan to have on hand. This makes is convenient to bring cakes and bars to events or gatherings. A Bundt pan will also work.
- Rubber Spatula – a must have! I like these because they don’t come apart so I don’t have to worry about water getting inside the spatula and causing mold.
- Pyrex Mixing Bowl Set – I love this set of nesting bowls. I use them for everything, Pyrex glass does not break easily so you can trust on these bowls for years, plus they come in 3 useful sizes and can be stacked!
Recipe FAQs
Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. This cake stays moist and holds its texture best in the fridge.
Adding sour cream to this cake ensures it stays light and moist, while still staying airy and not to dense.
Yes, since this cake contains sour cream it should be and is best stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
Coffee cake is a sweet dessert bread common in the United States, so called because it is typically served with coffee. Coffee cake does not always contain coffee, this cake does not have any coffee flavor.
Cinnamon Walnut Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the streusel topping:
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup Chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
For the cake batter:
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup Whole milk
- 2 Whole eggs
- 1 cup Sour Cream, full fat
- 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsps Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1 cup Chopped walnuts
For the maple glaze (optional):
- 1/2 cup Powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp Heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9" round baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, butter, and walnuts for the streusel topping, you want pea sized chunks of butter when done. Set aside.1/2 cup Brown sugar, 1/2 cup Granulated sugar, 3/4 cup All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1/4 cup Chopped walnuts , 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- In a large bowl, mix together sugar and melted butter until well combined. Mix in the milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, and eggs until blended.1 cup Granulated sugar, 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, 1 cup Whole milk, 2 Whole eggs, 1 cup Sour Cream, 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
- To the wet ingredients add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until combined, the batter may have a few small lumps. Fold in the chopped walnuts.2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsps Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1/2 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Ground cinnamon , 1 cup Chopped walnuts
- Spread the batter into the greased pan and sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top of the cake. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly.
- For the glaze, combine powdered sugar, heavy cream, and maple syrup in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and drizzle over the coffee cake before slicing, the glaze is optional. Slice the cake and enjoy!1/2 cup Powdered sugar, 2 tbsp Heavy cream , 1 tbsp Pure maple syrup
Notes
Nutrition
If you enjoyed this recipe, I would appreciate if you left a star rating on the recipe card above or a comment below sharing your experience! I value your feedback, it would also mean a lot if you could share this recipe or my website with friends or loved ones. Cheers!
Do I need to adjust anything if I omit the nuts from the cake part? Husband is not a fan.
Hello. No, nothing needs to be adjusted if leaving walnuts out of the cake batter. The cake may take slightly less time to bake.
Ii tried this recipe yesterday, doubled the walnut mixture which made it a bit too sweet, baked it in an 8×8 pan (added 10 minutes to the bake time) and jt was absolutely delicious. Moist, dense, the sour cream is a great addition. I will make this again.
Thank you, Robert! Glad you enjoyed it!!