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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Hi, I hope this is not a dumb question… I was wondering if I can just use the cake without nuts, brown sugar, chocolate chips, as a simple vanilla bundt? Thanks. DV
Not a dumb question! Yes, that would be perfectly fine. Enjoy!
Thank you very much.
I made this coffee cake, brought it to 3 different homes plus mine. Nothing but wonderful comments.
Wonderful flavor but be sure to grease AND flour the pan. I only greased mine and the top of the cake remained in the pan as I released it separating where the filling was. (I’ve never had this problem before).
Darlene, I was having issues with that with my pan (it’s over 30 years old) and after experimenting, I found the Baker’s Joy spray works very well.
I am not much of a baker but wanted to have something for company. I used spray with flour taking care to make sure I didn’t miss any spots. I did have trouble with the cake sticking when I went to get it out of the bundt pan. My cake seems lower and wider than the cake in the picture. I am thinking if I had a smaller bundt pan (and one that is a little taller) it might have come out more moist. The flavor is delicious and everyone had seconds. I used pecans, due to necessity as one guest can not eat walnuts. I would certainly make this again. Has anyone tied buttering and flouring the pan as opposed to using baking spray?
Hi Mary, sorry to hear you had a problem with the cake sticking. It could’ve been caused by two things – is your bundt pan particularly old? If so, the non-stick coating may be wearing off. Also, it’s important that the cake doesn’t cool in the pan for longer than 15 minutes; if it does, the brown sugar in the streusel might stick to the sides of the pan and make it difficult to release the cake. And you mentioned wondering if the size of your bundt pan had an impact on the cake – is your bundt pan 9 or 10 inches? Either should work.
Fabulous moist, delicious cake-thanks. I also love your “best ever blueberry muffins”. One question- your photo of the cooked cake was slightly “domed”. So was my cake. So, when you put that what was the domed top part of the cake onto a plate, it’s a little uneven. Is there any way to mitigate this? Thanks
Hi Karen, So glad you enjoyed the cake! Yes, there is a bit of a dome. The only thing I can think of to make it sit evenly on the plate is to cut a very thin slice off the top (but really the bottom once it’s on the plate 🙂 to even it out. I do think that will be really challenging as it would be hard to do it when it’s still in the pan and after you remove it from the pan, that part will be facedown on the plate. If you figure out a way to do it, please share it! 🙂
Jenn- thanks. I tried putting a ‘cartouche’ over the top of the cake (which becomes the bottom when its on a plate) while it was cooking – that helped. Also, I put a thin lemon glace icing on the cake using pure icing sugar so it went hard. The cake looked even more magnificent with its thin transparent veil of icing!
Would you please give info on this Bundt pan? Mine is a little darker than this. I have not been able to find one with a light, shiny surface like yours. I think it would make a better cake. Mine is in the oven right now, as I’ll be serving this cake for Easter. I’ll post a review after we try it. Thanks in advance. The rating below is just for the batter. I licked the bowl and it was scrumptious.
Hi Vicki, Hope you enjoyed the cake! The bundt pan is by Nordic Ware. Here’s a link to it.
Pan ordered and on the way; thanks! This cake was absolutely wonderful. My company and husband raved about it. It took the full 75 minutes to bake and I made it exactly as written in the recipe. I may experiment with it a little just to reduce the calories so that I can have it more often.
Once upon a time, before Jenn, my kitchen was not managed and I was a take-out girl. Thanks to Jenn I am now preparing dishes that I never dreamed were possible for average cooks, like this world class coffee cake. Not only is it five star in taste, it is also unbelievably easy to make! Thanks Jenn, for bringing this Zingerman’s recipe to my table.
You’re so welcome, Sarah – so glad you enjoy the recipes! xoxo
Made this for my husbands birthday. I used half the sugar. It was perfect.. This is my first review but I have made many of your recipes all of which have turned out exceptional. Thanks.
Hi Jen, I have made this scrumptious recipe twice in two weks! It is absolutely a keeper! Thanks so much for wonderful recipes and clear directions. The step by step photos clarify the process for a superior result. Much success on your book tour/signing.
🙂
Hi Jen,
Just tried to make the cake amd it turned out great. I was wondering if I eliminate the streusel and mix in mini chocolate chips, would this work in cupcake form? If so, do I need to adjust (and by how much) the temperature and time (I’m assuming)? Thanks!
Hi Cherry, Glad it turned out well! I do think you could omit the streusel and mix in chocolate chips – I’d bake cupcakes at 350 for about 25 minutes (start checking around 20 minutes…and it may take up to 30).