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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Hands down, this is the BEST coffee cake there is! I used to order it from Zingerman’s, but now I make it myself and it tastes exactly the same! I always make it when I have guests from out of town and even make it for bake sales, selling it by the slice. An absolutely amazing and easy recipe.
I have made this recipe 5 times in the last year and it is perfection!! I did not make any adjustments and my family LOVES when they come home and see this beauty on the table. Thank you for sharing!
I have been making a version of this recipe for over 40 years!! It is the ultimate coffee cake.
I use pecans bc I hate walnuts and add a 1/2 Tbs of cocoa to the streusel mixture and cut the cinnamon back an equal amount. Sometimes I even add mini chocolate chips to it. It is a staple in my repertoire..
I am an experienced baker:this was One of the worst results in a long time. I was like the very few others for whom this cake did not work. Mine was dense, seemed underbaked and a real disappointment.
Hi I know you made this comment awhile ago but maybe your baking soda was inactive! When it starts expiring it starts losing effectiveness.
Hi Jenn I noticed the baking temperature is 300 degrees. If my Bundt pan is dark should I lower the temperature? I’ve never baked lower than 300
Thanks
Hi Chris, I don’t think it’s necessary for you to reduce the oven temp for this. Hope you enjoy the cake!
What adjustments do you recommend for high altitude??? Thank you! RH
Hi RH, Thanks for your note. I don’t have experience baking at high altitudes so, unfortunately, I don’t have any wisdom to share – I’m sorry! You may find these tips helpful though.
I lost a favorite recipe years ago that was for “the best sour cream coffee cake” and oh my !! I found it again! This is just perfect. Thank you again for sharing some of your wonderful recipes. Highly recommend this one.
I made this wonderful coffee cake and it turned out perfectly. I did end up baking for a total of 90 minutes after checking every 10 minutes from the recommended time. I used a long, thin “kabob” wooden skewer so I could test through the entire cake. Much better than a toothpick!
My cake sank in the middle, and took a very long time to bake. also. Could I have measured the flour incorrectly?
I followed the instructions and used a spoon to scoop the flour into a measuring cup.
So disappointed but I will try again.
Hi Debbie, I’m sorry you had a problem with the cake sinking! Typically that means it was underbaked but you mentioned it took a very long time to bake. Is there a chance you may have measured one of the ingredients incorrectly?
I have cake flour on hand and know it has less gluten. Could I use cake flour for this and other recipes that you have such as blueberry & lemon blueberry pound cake? If so, how much and would it help if it was sifted? TIA
Hi Sylvie, I don’t recommend it – sorry!
“Best cake you ever made” says my husband — this was his valentine’s gift which he will share with his 93 year old dad (who loves old fashioned types of desserts). The cake came out perfectly (did leave out the walnuts and then double the sugar/cinnamon as one reviewer suggested) and the house smelled indescribably wonderful. This is definitely replacing my granny’s sour cream pound cake. Thanks Jenn for making me look good.
I made this cake today hoping that I would not be so dry like other cakes with the same ingredients, however, the directions said to lower the temperature to 300, and when I did that it took way over 90 minutes, and when I took it out it still was not cooked inside. Very disappointing. I think there might have been a typo and I should have left the temperature at 325?
Hi Joan, I’m sorry you had a problem with this. The oven temperature is not a typo. Is there any chance you may have mismeasured an ingredient or that your oven temp may be off? Here are some ways to check your oven temperature for accuracy.
Can this be baked in something else? I don’t have a bundt pan.
Sure, Brett – you could use two 8-1/2 x4-1/2-inch loaf pans.
Thanks so much for your reply. Also, instead of nuts, I substitute an equal amount of chocolate chips. Possibly they were too heavy and just sunk to the bottom. When I did take it out all the filling (chips and sugar) had all gone down to the bottom of the pan. OF COURSE….WE ATE IT ANYWAY!
Good to know. If you want to make this again with chocolate chips, I’d use mini chocolate chips as they are lighter. 🙂
I tried this recipe and it was amazing! The only thing…I was not sure when to add the baking soda as it was not included in the directions.
Hi Shawn, Perhaps you overlooked it, but the baking soda is mentioned in the 3rd paragraph of the instructions. Glad you enjoyed it!
Easy to follow directions…. I added a layer of home made cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving just to up the game. Should be yummy!
This recipe was first featured, I believe, in the Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook published in 1966 by Laura Secord Candy Shops. It’s on page 27. If it’s not identical, it’s pretty close. And yes, it is delicious.
Just made this. Substituted pecans for walnuts as I’m allergic to walnuts. Great cake. Will certainly keep making it. Jenn you are a wow!!! Brava.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I made it today for my husband’s birthday. He said: this is my favorite cake
Love your recipes and books!
Wondering if this sour cream coffee cake can be used to make cupcakes? If so, what would the temperature be and how long should stay in the oven.
Thanks much,
Bonnie
So glad you like the recipes/books!! I do think you could make these into cupcakes. I’d keep the oven temp the same and I’m guessing they’ll take 30 to 35 minutes, but keep a close eye on them. Please LMK how they turn out!
I love all your recipes. This was the first one that didn’t turn out. It took forever to cook and it fell apart when I took it out of the pan. The pan was new so that wasn’t the problem. Is it really supposed to bake at 300?
Hi Dianne, I’m sorry you had a problem with this! Did you use a 9/10-in Bundt pan? Did you make any adjustments to the recipe?
Yes, I used a 9/10-in bundt pan. I didn’t make any adjustments. Is it supposed to cook at 300?
Yes, 300 degrees is the correct temperature. It’s a bit of a head scratcher. Is there any chance you mismeasured something? Could your oven temperature be off? Here are some ways to check it. Please LMK if I can help in any other way.
Hi, did you prep your Bundt pan beforehand? I almost forgot that step because it was at the top!
Hi Jenn! Would you change anything if using a tube pan instead of Bundt? Or is that not a suitable pan swap? I tried scrolling the comments first for the same question but didn’t see it. Thanks!
Hi Missy, It would be fine to use a tube pan here. Hope you enjoy!
I’d recommend to try and make it again. To me it is always consistent and perfect. It’s my kids favorite coffee cake.
This is definitely our family’s favorite cake. It rarely last more than a day and a half on the kitchen counter! My 7 year old was asking to have it made for his wedding cake when he grows up thats how much they all love it!
I can’t wait to try this! Quick question, do you think I could double the nut cinnamon mixture and do three layers, instead of two? Or use 1.5. I will love that nutty crunch in between!
Sure, Selene, that should work. Enjoy!
I only have a 12 cup bundt pan. Would this recipe work in that? I’d yes, should I make any adjustments? Thank you
Hi, A 12-cup bundt pan is the same as a 10-inch one so you’re good to go. Hope you enjoy the cake!
do you need to use walnuts? or any nut?
Hi Barbara, you can swap it out for a different nut (pecans would be nice here too). If you’d prefer to omit nuts, you can replace them with chocolate chips or just leave out the nuts and double the brown sugar in the streusel. Hope that helps!
I just made this cake exactly as written except using a AP gluten free flour. And it was DELICIOUS! (Recipes are always hit or miss when I sub in gf flour). I will definitely be making this again! Thank you 🙂
Do you mind sharing which brand of AP gluten free flour? I was thinking of making this with cup4cup, but since you’ve already had success I thought I’d see!
Girl this was delicious!! Made this for my bf and his family and wow this is the go to recipe for sure. I replaced the walnut filling with a simple brown sugar crumble (allergies) and still gorgeous and amazing! It made the whole house smell so good too. It’s just perfect.
Made this for Mother’s Day and it was a huge hit! Can’t wait to make it again!
My husband LOVED this coffee cake. He must have said four times how good it was while he was eating the first slice. Prepared as written with no changes. Thank you for the recipe.
A refined coffee cake , so moist, delicate and delicious . I will most certainly make it again , add it to my baking repertoire !!
I made this coffee cake and it was absolutely delicious! My husband thought it was the best! I will be making it again very soon.
Do you mind sharing the brand name of your Bundt pan? Thank you.
Yes, it’s Nordic Ware.
RE: Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl
We take sweets to church Sunday mornings. Now we have to cut into servings and individually wrap as not to touch / spread germs, etc. If I wanted to make this as a pan cake to cut into squares, what size pan would I use? How long would I cook it?
Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Hi Kelli, Your best bet would be a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, although the cake may be a little thin. I’d start checking it for doneness at 50 minutes (but that’s a guesstimate, so keep a close eye on it). Please LMK how it turns out!
Hi Jenn,
This recipe is delicious. Although my walnut mixture sank to the bottom of the cake. What do you think I may have done which has caused this? Do you think next time I should blend my walnut with flour? Or do you think my butter was too soft?
Hi Erinc, Sorry you had a problem with the walnut mixture sinking! What brand of flour did you use?
I used wheat flour. It is a dutch brand. Do you think cake flour makes a difference?
The cake came out still delicious though.
I do think the flour makes a difference and that it’s important to use all-purpose flour for this recipe. Glad it tasted good despite the swirl sinking! 🙂
Can the sugar be cut in this recipe without affecting the texture? 2 C is a lot of sugar!
Sure, You could cut the sugar by 1/2 cup and still get a good result. Hope you enjoy!
Hi, was wondering if I would need to make any adjustments if baked in a spring-form pan? I would like to add some streusel on the top (am afraid if I add it to bottom of a bundt pan it might stick)?? Thanks!
Hi Sheryl, A 9-inch bundt pan should work. The bake time may be slightly different so I’d keep a close eye on it. Please LMK how it turns out if you make it!
The best coffee cake! I had gotten hooked on Zingerman’s coffee cakes and it was becoming an expensive habit, so I bought the official cookbook and started making it myself! But having it on your website is so much more convenient, plus you have reformatted the ingredients to make more sense (I think the original calls for 2/3 cup plus 3TB sour cream, which when I measured it out is simply 1 cup 🤔😆). It’s so fun to experiment with flavors with this recipe! Today I’m making it yet again, didn’t have enough sour cream so I subbed whole greek yogurt. Made it in 2 loaf pans so I could gift 1 to a friend. Hers I made with lemon juice and frozen wild blueberries. The loaf for us I made with chopped stem ginger leftover from a GBBO recipe, half the loaf also has frozen blueberries and the other half has sliced granny smith apples. Don’t be afraid to experiment with flavors to suit the seasons and in-season fruit! It’s a very versatile recipe.
Delicious!!
Very nice coffee cake and will definitely make again! I did double the filling and I will triple it next time.
I admit that I have a problem with never having enough brown sugar cinnamon though.☺
This is absolutely delicious! It certainly was a great hit. I did double the cinnamon/brown sugar because some people are allergic to nuts, and it still turned out just fine. I will definitely make it again!
Thank You!
Can I use vanilla 0% yogurt instead of the sour cream?
Hi Linda, If you want to use yogurt, I’d suggest Greek yogurt. And 0% should work but if possible, I’d go with low-fat. Hope that helps and please LMK how it turns out!
Loved it!
Hi Jenn!
Any way to make this without a bundt pan? Thank you!
Hi Montana, You can halve the recipe and bake it in a loaf pan. Baking time will be different; I’d start checking it at about 45 minutes. Please LMK how it turns out!
Hi Jenn, Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. The cake is delicious! I am bringing it to work tomorrow for morning tea. My question is, would it be okay to reduce the sugar from 2 cups to 1.5 or less?
Hi Mary, Glad you like it! I do think you could reduce the sugar to 1.5 cups but I wouldn’t cut it anymore than that.
This recipe sounds wonderful. Any suggestions if I want to make this for people with nut allergies?
Hi, You can replace the nuts with chocolate chips or just leave out the nuts and double the brown sugar in the streusel. Hope that helps!
Hi,
I love your recipes! I am hoping to make this today, but I have no bundt pan. Should I forego the recipe, or do you recommend an alternative? Thank you!
So glad you like the recipes! You could halve the recipe and bake it in a loaf pan. Bake time will be different — I’d start checking it at about 45 minutes. Please LMK how it turns out!
Even better than it looks, if that’s possible. So buttery. I froze half and it’s it seems to have gotten more irresistible after thawing.
This is a moist and delicious coffee cake. I used my 6 cup Bundt pan, as opposed to my larger Bundt pan, because it is fluted and thought the cake would be prettier. It was too small and the cake batter did overflow the pan but the final product was not affected. Great recipe!
OMG I love this cake!! My new “go to” favorite. I’ve never had much luck with online recipes but this took the cake!!
Awful cake, weird taste, fell apart when taking it out of the pan.
This is an amazing coffee cake that lead me to buy the Zingerman’s Bakehouse book myself. My wife loves coffe cakes and we have been experimenting with several recipes. This is the one. Easy, comforting, and elegant at the same time. Thanks for the great photos and step by step instructions, they help a lot. I drizzled mine with a milk/sugar glaze and it was great. You can even add some chocolate chips into the inner mixture and they go great.
This is our favorite coffee cake recipe! Everyone who tries it want the recipe! Everything I’ve tried at this site has been 5 stars!
Thanks for making your recipes so easy to follow!
I have made this recipe two times already. I really like it. Sweet and fluffy every time. I like to enjoy it with my morning coffee.