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!).
What you’ll need To Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake
How To Make Sour Cream Coffee Cake
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. Can I make this in an 8 or 9-inch springform pan? Will there be enough streusel for the swirl and the topping? I’d love to make it in the 8 inch?
Hi Jane, I think you could get away with an 8-in pan, but no larger. Hope that helps!
I baked this yesterday for a small party on Sunday. My mother-in-law used to make something very similar. I had to taste just a sliver and it’s delicious! I’ll definitely make it again and again!
Love this cake! Sometimes I add a bit of grated bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate to the nut mixture for a slightly different flavor. Keeps very well, although it never lasts long.
One of my favorite breakfast goodies. Moist and flavorful with just the right amount of sweet.
This cake was an immediate hit. I live right down the street from Zingermans and this cake is popular but also very expensive. This is understandable since Zingermans uses high quality ingredients. But eating this cake fresh from the oven is a sublime experience. It was popular even though I made it in the summer when most people are goo goo eyed for ice cream. It’s a bit of work and takes awhile to make but it’s worth every minute. Be sure to use the best quality ingredients because you can taste every one of them.
This is a beautiful cake. I love how it holds together when you are cutting and eating it. I did reduce the sugar in the cake by 100g and I would consider reducing the brown sugar in the streusel just a little bit, but other than that, it is a perfect cake. It definitely tastes as good on day 5 as it did on day 1. Thanks for another great recipe, Jenn.
Just wondering if I could use self raising four instead of the all purpose/baking soda mix?
Hi, for the most predictable results, I always suggest sticking with the recipe as written (as that’s how it’s been tested). That said, if you’d like to use self-rising flour here, here are some tips for some minor adjustments you’ll need to make. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn,
I don’t have a bundt pan. What other type of pan can I use?
Thanks!
Hi Kelly, I think you could use a 9-in square baking pan or two 8×4-in loaf pans. Hope that helps!
Hi, wondering if I can add blueberries to this and just mix in to the batter before baking?
Hi Julia, I’m not sure how this would turn out with blueberries. If you want a coffee cake with blueberries, I’d recommend this one instead (and you can add chopped walnuts to it if you’d like). Hope that helps!
I made this cake. Baking at a 300 degree temperature does not cook the cake well (it never got done enough and fell). I like the flavor though. I think next time I’ll cook it at the 325 temp instead.
I’m looking for a very dense cake, not a light and fluffy one. Would this fit the bill?
Hi Debby, this is definitely more on the dense side. Hope you enjoy!
I made it and it was absolutely delicious. My love for sour cream forced my hand to add 2 extra table spoons to the recipe. LOL. This is my new favorite coffee cake recipe. Thank you very much.
Easy to make and delish!
Hi Jenn
Can I use half walnuts and half pecans, I do not have enough walnuts😊
Sure!
This cake is a winner.
The aroma when baking is delightful.
The cake was buttery and has a great texture.
I followed the recipe exactly and was rewarded with wonderful results.
Thanks for the post.
Five stars
If you read this, you have found THE best coffee cake out there. Now stop reading and go make it! This is it. My favorite! And don t you dare skipping toasting the walnut!
I just made this recently and let me say, it was one of the most unfussy, delicious, and attractive cakes I have made in the coffee cake category. From toasting the nuts, to mixing the batter (and I used a hand mixer), along with baking and then, the ease of the cake coming out of my cheap bundt pan….the flavor was divine. The buttery taste, and the moist texture and ease of preparing will move this cake to the top of my most used recipes. Thank you so much for the recipe.
I made this for my bridge group this week. Everyone loved it❤️
I thought it was going to be dry because the only moisture was from the sour cream, butter and eggs but it turned out great.
This is one of my favorite Jenn recipes! I have made it several times exactly as the recipe instructs and it always comes out perfectly. The only tip I can add is to use Baker’s Spray to the pan so the cake unmolds easily.
This cake is amazing, loved it❤️
This cake is amazing. I wanted to make my usual coffee cake but didn’t have enough sour cream. Searched the internet and there it was. You are a trusted source so it was a no brainer to try your recipe. It is lovely, moist and so flavourful. I also love how much it makes. Great for company or just a hungry family. A true winner!
Can you use same recipe no Nuts?
Sure, Linda, that will work. I’d recommend replacing the nuts with either chocolate chips – or just doubling the brown sugar in the streusel. Hope that helps!
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. 🙂
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).
hi Jen,
I love all of your recipes, my favorite website!
Question: I am thinking of making your sour cream coffee cake, a family member cannot eat nuts of any kind, how would it be if I made the cake omitting the walnuts?
Thank you
Hi Mary, Thank you – so happy you’re enjoying the site! It’s fine to omit the nuts, although I’d probably double the brown sugar mixture to make the filling more substantial. You could also replace the nuts with chocolate chips. Hope everyone enjoys!
Lovely coffee cake! I served it for a St. Paddy’s Day lunch, along with your corned beef and cabbage. Everyone raved over the meal. Thanks for always making me look good, Jenn. I pre-ordered your cookbook and can’t wait for it arrive!
I ended up throwing the cake away. It was too sweet, and dry. I have been making a similar recipe for years that is beloved by all. Think you were in over your head with this one. Sorry!
Selma- Reviewing the recipe and stating why you didn’t care for it is helpful. The “way over your head” comment sounds awfully personal, and won’t help anyone tweak the recipe who is interested in making this dessert. There are an awful lot of us reviewers out there who Jenn inspires on a regular basis. I don’t think she deserves such a mean-spirited comment.
Rock on Mary! I will be sharing leadership for a dining group, hope individuals are kind in their comments.
This is the craziest review. I baked this cake twice, served it to at least 25 people, and everyone raved about it. It was just the perfect amount of sweetness, and perfectly moist yet slightly crisp on the outside. Amazing!
Hundreds of people have made this coffee cake from jenn’s recipe and raved about it, yet you were not pleased so you rate it one star and basically insult the author. Your “in over your head” comment was downright rude and condescending. Perhaps if you read Jenn’s bio, you would realize she is a classically trained chef and has probably forgotten more than you have ever learned! Your lack of manners says a lot about your character, or lack thereof…
Jenn, Thanks for the great recipe. It was so easy to make and is absolutely delicious. I used half walnuts and half chocolate chips. Can’t wait to receive your cookbook to see what great things I can cook. Your recipes are the best!!!
This was the best thing I’ve baked in a long time. Thanks for posting. A tip I picked up from Food52, which worked great with this, is to use sugar in place of of the flour after buttering the pan. It provides a nice crunchy topping.
Excellent recipe – previously used one by Ina Garten but I love the nut mixture in this recipe more. We actually had it for dessert one night with raspberries!
What a great recipe. It was delicious and easy to make. I was taking the coffee cake to work and my husband wanted to take some to work – worried there would not be any left when I came home. He loved it. Will use again and again.
Best coffee cake I’ve ever had. When I was baking it for the first time I was very tempted to add some raisins …but didn’t, and after eating a piece I realized that raisins would not have made it better.
Thank you Jenn for another wonderful recipe
I love your pan!
This cake was DELICIOUS. I would have baked for 60-65 in retrospect. Next time I’ll weigh the walnuts and divide in two so that it’s even. Thanks!
Gaat de zure room niet schiften door het verwarmen? Kan ik de zure room vervangen doór creme fraiche voor een iets minder zurige smaak?
Ok had to translate that! But the answer is yes – it’s fine to replace the sour cream with creme fraiche.