Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl
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From Zingerman’s Bakehouse, a rich and buttery sour cream coffee cake with a sublime cinnamon-nut swirl.
A classic breakfast cake is one of the handiest things to have in your baking repertoire, and this sour cream coffee cake from the famous Zingerman’s Bakehouse in Ann Arbor, MI is one of the very best. Featured on the cover of the Zingerman’s Bakehouse Cookbook by Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo (Chronicle Books, 2017), the recipe is a treasure that’s worth the cost of the book alone.
The authors write, “This is our most popular coffee cake and possibly our most popular sweet item…As you can see, it is full of tasty fat—half a pound of butter, half a pound of sour cream, and three whole eggs – which yields a mellow and moist cake crumb.” But what makes it truly special is the contrasting flavor and crunch of the cinnamon-nut swirl that runs throughout. And the cake lasts: you can store it in a covered container on the countertop for up to two weeks (but good luck keeping it that long!).
Table of Contents
“This is ‘make-over’ coffee cake for me…..I will make it over and over and over again!”
What You’ll Need To Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Walnuts: Provide a nutty crunch and texture in the cinnamon-walnut swirl, adding a rich flavor contrast to the cake’s tender crumb.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and caramel-like depth to the swirl, helping balance the cinnamon’s spice and making the swirl moist.
- Cinnamon: Delivers warm spice that’s essential to the swirl, bringing a cozy and fragrant flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the cake. To ensure accuracy, measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake rise and become fluffy.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake while contributing to its soft, moist texture when combined with butter.
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture, making the cake tender and buttery, while also helping the sugar to cream properly.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add structure and moisture.
- Sour Cream: Adds moisture and richness to the cake, while the slight tang balances the sweetness and keeps the cake soft.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor, providing a warm, sweet aroma that complements the other ingredients.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
To begin, make the cinnamon-walnut swirl. Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Toast the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet until they’re fragrant and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool, and reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Mix until combined, then set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the sugar and butter.
Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is homogenous.
On low speed, mix in the sour cream and vanilla.
The batter will look a little curdled at this point; that’s okay. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Gradually add the flour mixture.
And mix on low speed until the batter is smooth and homogeneous.
Scoop 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. (It won’t seem like enough, especially if you’re using a 12-cup Bundt — that’s okay. Just do your best to smooth it into an even layer with a spatula or back of a spoon.)
Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-walnut mixture evenly over the batter.
Cover with another 1/3 of the remaining batter, using a spoon or spatula to spread the batter evenly over the pan and to the edges.
Sprinkle the remaining nut mixture evenly over the batter.
Cover with the remaining batter, spreading it evenly over the nut mixture.
Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Do not let the cake cool in the pan for much longer than this or the brown sugar in the streusel might stick to the sides of the pan and make it difficult to release the cake. Place a wire rack on top of the Bundt pan and then invert the pan to release the cake.
Let the cake cool completely before serving. The cake will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Enjoy!
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Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl
From Zingerman’s Bakehouse, a rich and buttery sour cream coffee cake with a sublime cinnamon-nut swirl.
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl
- 1 heaping cup walnut halves, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
For the Cake Batter
- 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 1 (8 oz) container full fat sour cream
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl: Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Toast the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet until they’re fragrant and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the walnuts to a plate to cool. In a small bowl, mix together the walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Spray a 9- or 10-in Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour. Tap out any excess flour. Alternatively, spray the pan with a nonstick spray with flour in it, such as Baker's Joy or Pam with Flour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the sugar and butter. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is homogenous. On low speed, mix in the sour cream and vanilla. The batter will look a little curdled at this point; that's okay. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the batter is smooth and homogeneous.
- Scoop ⅓ of the batter into the prepared pan. (It won't seem like enough, especially if you're using a 10-in Bundt -- that's okay. Just do your best to smooth it into an even layer with a spatula or back of a spoon.) Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-walnut mixture evenly over the batter. Cover with another ⅓ of the remaining batter, using a spoon or spatula to spread the batter evenly over the pan and to the edges. Sprinkle the remaining nut mixture evenly over the batter and cover with the remaining batter, spreading it evenly over the nut mixture.
- Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until the cake is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Do not let the cake cool in the pan for much longer than this or the brown sugar in the streusel might stick to the sides of the pan and make it difficult to release the cake. Place a wire rack on top of the Bundt pan and then invert the pan to release the cake. Let the cake cool completely before serving. The cake will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (16 servings)
- Calories: 328
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Sugar: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Cholesterol: 73 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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My daughter’s favorite
It’s easy to make, casual, good to take it to a picnic, for breakfast or afternoon coffee
Delicious.
This is my go-to coffee cake when I want to impress a finicky guest. The usual comment is “I don’t like cakes…but this one is so good” it’s sweet and yet not overpowering and the nuts add a welcomed surprise in texture and for all of us cinnamon fans…this is the ticket!
This is without a doubt the BEST and most popular cake I have ever made! I have had Zimmerman’s many times and marveled at the rich, moist flavor in a coffee cake. However, you have certainly mastered this cake. I honestly think it is even better than Zimmerman’s! I usually make several of them at Christmas time to give as gifts. It is not only beautiful, but lasts for days being moist and fresh tasting to the last piece! Thank YOU!!!
Loved this cake! I was looking for a recipe to use the extra sour cream, my hubby picked up. I also used leftover cranberry sauce and pecans for the swirl. It was excellent, but I’m definitely looking forward to trying it with the walnuts and brown sugar. I bet it will be even better, if that’s possible!!!
I made this coffee cake but I was running low on vanilla so I decided to try it with almond extract. I also made a mistake as I was distracted when I was measuring the extract and used 1 TBSP instead of a tsp but it was a very happy mistake. I have been asked for the recipe many times and was even told by my mom “this is the best cake you ever made!” I did also substitute pecans for the walnuts. This recipe is delicious and I will definately be making again and again.
Just made this morning! Doubled the filling and everything else the same! This is the best coffee cake I have had or made! Moist and tons of flavor!!!!
I make this bundt all the time! It’s absolutely amazing. And it’s pretty easy to experiment with different flavors. I like to add zest and juice of 1 orange plus some orange oil (boyajian) and swap pecans for walnuts, and add a little clove to the swirl. For a lighter flavor, replacing the cinnamon swirl with a thin layer of granny smith apple slices is really good, and for that one I add sliced almonds to the bottom of the bundt pan, it’s sooo good. I always grease the pan liberally with salted butter and dust with white sugar. One of these days I will try doing an orange and cranberry variation, and one with chocolate chips. Today I’m making Zingerman’s lemon poppyseed variation and going to try baking it in muffin tins, wish me luck! I actually started off with ordering Zingerman’s bundts and when I got too attached to those I ordered their cookbook and made the bundt a couple of times from the book. But I always wind up coming to your website because it’s easier referring to my phone than the big clunky cookbook lol. So thank you for making this available online lol! Love your other recipes too, especially the French apple cake (just made that one for the third time last weekend!). Looking forward to trying the French cake with strawberries or blueberries now that apple season is over.
I am not a baker by any means! But this was the most delicious and the easiest recipe ever!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Fantastic! Just made it with king Arthur’s gf baking flour and doubled the cinnamon brown sugar. Made it it a tube pan and it was so delicious. Baked 70 mins. Could not tell it was gluten free! Thank you once again for helping feed my family such great homemade recipes!
Hi everyone,
thought I would include some “stuff” I experienced when baking thus wonderful Bundt cake recipe of Jenn’s on her site!
It took exactly 60 minutes in the oven.
I had the oven light on, so I could see it rise a bit during the baking process.
When I was mixing the dough, I compared it to the pics Jenn include’s on her website, and mine was pretty close to hers. And I did think I wasn’t going to have enough batter, but like she says in her recipe, there was in fact enough batter. Also, it was “sticky” to the touch.
Thank you so much Jenn for making Christmas taste so yummy!!
Lisa
I
OMGosh Jenn!!!
AWESOME
AWESOME
AWESOME
And so easy I made a 2nd one that we’ll be giving as a gift. Leads me to my question:
I do not have an airtight container to keep it in – if I wrap it in plastic wrap, would it keep fresh until Friday morning (Christmas)?
Thank you so much !
Lisa
Glad you enjoyed it, Lisa! It should keep til Friday AM wrapped in plastic wrap.
Why was it called coffee cake? I did not see any coffee in the ingredients.
Sorry for any confusion. Coffee cake doesn’t actually contain any coffee; it’s just called that as it would be nice served with a cup of coffee. Hope that clarifies!
How much coffee do we add in?
Hi Sharmila, Sorry for any confusion. Coffee cake doesn’t actually contain any coffee; it’s just called that as it would be nice served with a cup of coffee. Hope that clarifies!