Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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!
You May Also Like
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Made this coffee cake this weekend. Loved the batter. I didn’t have enough sour cream so made up the difference with yogurt. So delicious and light. My Husband loved it.
This was terrific Though I’m sure it is equally good when made exactly as written, I did substitute pecans for the walnuts as folks in my family have issues with walnuts. The only downside for me is I can only make it if there will be a crowd, otherwise I’ll eat the whole cake!
This Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl is positively fabulous in texture, taste, moist and most importantly with Jenn’s photos and showing all ingredients, one cannot mess-up! For someone like me who always looks for taste, Jenn’s recipes are easy to follow and have that elegant look.
Jenn: First off I wanted to thank you for getting me started in purchasing all the needed Bundt pan and accessories to make this fabulous Coffee Cake. It turned out just like your beautiful picture and tastes Heavenly! The Nordic Ware Elegant Party Bundt Pan is a must for this coffee cake and just about every other bundt. Perfect small slices. So Elegant!!! Blessings to you and your Family.
☺️
Awesome Awesome !!! Made it for friends and family who were visiting from India . They were all praises for it and just devoured it. I think there is nothing more to be said about it.
Hi Jen,
Can I substitute granulated sugar for brown sugar?
Hi Kim, I’d stick with brown sugar here – sorry!
I have made sour cream coffee cake before and it was a delicious sour cream coffee cake, but I have to say this cake is amazing and will make this again. Next time I will make it in a loaf pan. Having out of town company for my grandsons high school graduation and will serve this cake. Delicious.. 😋
We have a birthday group that goes back at least 15 years. I am not the baker of the group; the responsibility usually falls to someone else. I have brought the Thai crunch salad to the group in the past, and people always rave about it. But this time, I ended up with having to bring the cake! I was very tempted to buy one. After reading your detailed recipe, sour cream coffee cake with cinnamon-walnut swirl, I thought, I can do it. The cake looked beautiful when it was done. I purchase the same bundt cake pan as yours and dusted with powdered sugar and decorated it with pansy flowers. Everyone said that they loved the cake, even though, I felt it was a little dry at the bottom. I think they were being gentle with me since I am not the “baker” of the group and didn’t want to discourage me. The cinnamon/nut mixture all sunk to the bottom. Also, I think the slight dryness is because I overbaked it. Some of the reviewers said it was not done at the allotted time and so I added 5 for minutes thinking that since i am at a higher elevation (Colorado) that it would take longer anyway. I was also worried that the cake wouldn’t release cleanly. I should I have been more vigilant in checking the cake. I will try baking it again and adjusting the baking time.
Fabulous, moist coffee cake. Other than adding sliced apple over cinnamon and nut mixture and sprinkling cinnamon sugar over greased Bundt pan I followed recipe exactly as written. Came out of pan very easily and looked beautiful. What was left of it after a couple of days was still very moist and delicious. Thanks for this great recipe.
Barbara, that sounds yummy. If you don’t mind my asking, what apples and how did you add them to the cake? (Peeled? Tossed with lemon juice? Etc)
Cherry…I used Granny Smith apples and just peeled, sliced thinly and placed over nut mixture. I would do this again. Think it likely made cake moist still after few days.
Really want to make this but don’t have any sour cream, could I substitute with yogurt or milk? Thank you in advance.
Hi Fatima, I think yogurt would work, preferably Greek if you have any. Please lmk how it turns out!
Hi Jenn, this looks like a perfect cake for an upcoming brunch we are hosting. Question: do you think it’d work in a cupcake pan for “coffee cake bites” and if so how long should I adjust the banking time? PS I just got your cookbook and look forward to trying out other recipes! Thanks, Mae.
Hi Mae, I like that idea! I’m guessing they’ll take 30 to 35 minutes, but definitely keep an eye on them. Hope you find lots of new favorites in the book. 🙂